Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-02-18
A REMARKABLE TEAM.
A Group OF Six Army Mules and Thear
Experience During the Civil war.

Experience During the Civil war.
From an account given by Mr.. Harvey
Riley, formerly in charge of the quarter
masters depot at Washington, we are
enabled to give a sketch of one remark
able team: Early in the spring of 1861,
certain group of six met officially as COM
rades. They had been associated occa-
sionally before in the somewhat mixed
society of the quau corral, but
now they were regularly mustered into
the service of the United States by Capt,
afterward Gen., Sawtelle, and were
hitched up together for the first time at
Berryville, Nd; and one Edward Wesley
Williams, colored teamster united his
fortunes with theirs. He was good
teamster, and at once established those
amicable and confidential relations with
his animals which are of the highest con-
sequence to the successful negro driver.
His trace chains were never so short that
the singletrees banged about the wheelers'
heels. His bits were always of the regu-
lation size, seven-eighths inches round,
and full five inches between the rings.
His broad harness straps were always
properly adinsted, so that there should be
no reasonable ground for the laying back
of ears or the letting fly of heels.
The authorities deemed 1t important
that Williams and his mules should be In
Washington on the day of Lincoln's in
auguration, and they started for the na-
tional capital on March !, but history fails
to record the exact date of their arrival.
Inasmuch as the ceremonies passed of
successfully, and without interference
from the confederates, we may infer that
the whole six added the music of their
voices to the cheers that went up from in
front of the Capitol on that memorable
occasion They remained on duty in and
about the defenses of Washington until
May IA, 1862, when they were transferred
to Fortress Monroe, and reported to Gen.
Mcclellan, or his lawful representatives.
They marched up the Peninsula, partici
pated in the siege of Yorktown, the battle
of Williamsburg, and the arduous mud
marches of the Chickahominy. At The
seven days fight all six were present for
duty, and, with indiscriminate efficiency,
hauled army supplies or CHASTITY loads OF
dead and wounded, until they reached
Harrison's Landing with the Army Of the
Potomac. Thence Williams drove back
to Fort Monroe and was shipped to
Washington with his team in time to haul
ammunition out to Manassas Junction,
and take part in what an Irish soldier lad
called "our annual batting at Bull Run"
They saw the tables turned at Antietam,
and turned back again at Fredericksburg,
where they were in the ammunition train
Under Gen. Hooker, the team followed
the fortunes Of war through the Chancel-
lorsville and Chantilly campaigns and
was with Grant in front Of Petersburg
But there, sad to relate, the faithful
saddle mule on whose back Williams had
ridden so manyrweary miles, was killed
by artillery fire from the enemy's works.
Her surviving comrades bore up under
this affiiction and admitted new incum-
bent, with their usual grace. The intro
duction of a stranger was not permitted
to interfere with regular duties. and the
team worked right along until the fall of
Richmond.
In June following 1868, hostilities had
ceased, and the team was ordered back to
Washington, where 1t was transferred
back to the regular army, and was on
duty Herewith in August 1866 There
is no evidence forthcoming to show that
the faithful Williams is not still cracking
his black snake over the backs of his
historic team at some remote frontier
post; but, in the nature of things, the
four footed members of the association
must long since have been honorably re.
tired, or perhaps shot, for such Is the
merciful method Of dealing with the super.
annuated government mule.
None of these animals was more than
fourteen and a half hands high, nor
weighed more than 900 pounds. They
frequently went without hay or grain for
four or five days, subsisting on waysfde
groupings; and several times they were
without water for twenty-four/ /nourA -.
Adrian Rexford in American Magazine.