The herald. (Big Stone City, Dak. [S.D.]) 1883-1890, 1889-09-06
HOW HORSES ACT IN BATTLE,
>"he Remarkable Instances of Eautne In.
telliEence.

III appears remarkable how quickly
horses adapt themselves to the military
service, " said Capt Cox To San
Francisco Chronicle reporter. Every
arniieryman knows that they learn the
buglc calls and the eyolutions quicker
than the men, as rule. For one
thlng they soon acquire uniform rait,
which IS about the same as the route
step or the usual marching step. If
the horses did not acquire the same
galt as the infantry there would be
varying distances between the differ
ent arms Of the service-that is, be-
tween the infantry and the cavalry,
artillery and the commanders and their
escorts.
''ln the drills IN the artillery service
The horses will themselves preserve
their alignment as well as the infant
rE. | shall always remember one il
lustra ~ VI this trait which | noticed
at an cA"ltirg aud critical period of
4 battle. i order TO save some of
cul infantry from being surrounded
and captured quickly mounted the
cannonecrs on the guns aud put the
whole battery at n dead gallop across
stretch Of meadow about half mile
wide. | was quite accustomed to such
sights, but when we were half way
across the field | noticed the array,
md fol a moment | was lost in ad-
miratjon of the magnificent picture.
Eynry driver was plying whip and
spur, the great guns were rocking and
tAunderi.. over the ground, and every
horse, nca uIr with foam and full Of
animation "a excitement, was strain
inr every muscle us he galloped for
ward; vet IL q med to me that a
straight line l3lwu along in front
would have touched the heads OF the
lead horses III ttout Of the six guns.
That was mn artillery charge, one of
the most t6riuins sights in the evOlu-
tionss Of war.
"lt i .Urrrj,jnr how Quickly they
learn the El,ale= calls. After we had
been in service some timo nv first
serueant once asked me what call that
vas ~ the bu4ic blew some COM
n,na .Ysats ! pretty question for
you % ask, said. How III thunder
IA you.know how to marrl2 'EaoA !
1snsn, ha said .Auf my horse knows. :
Iet.ha ti,.stn natp6f the feed or water call
~ IIa,yn .nd there will liz i terrible
.t.9an;ne, l.j,.Liur and neirhinr Date,
,n.,tI,rinfa storm. o1lr horses and those
- sarp,.ll other batteries broke loose.
owl ,,.r. was = wild l3,h among the
artil1a,t,nen 10 eet horses in the morn
ina In was excitement and tie
l1r.es were hard to uet, but when |
ardar.d tl.n lnoler - mount a stump
and blaw thn feed e4l tie horses al
n,.I}, speh = mad ru,. for our battery
tb,t#th. men could hardly get out OF
-. ,,ar enickk enough.
..1ban il comes to battle n horse
s.a,,.s s. l.nnv everything that Is 70.
,oa'..e :a', L,,t ha aaas ~ aufy noIIy and
.s9nt. to - III his clp4ent. He enters
,..,hn. s4ir4 of the battle like hu
,,on h.inr He shows no fear ot
death, and ii Is singular that II h,'
mate Is shot down he Will turn - iooh
at him and seem pleased. : iolSe :
my battery was once slfuek y I plee'
of Shell. which split his sh'dl 50 'sla
one side was loose. The driver nifns'
him loose, but he walked up ~ ~
side Of tie Gun and watched the niih9S
and when 4 shot vas tired would 100
away IN the direction oi 'lle enemy my a
If tossce the effect Of the Shot. v bel
shell would burst near ~ ae "osl' y
calmly turn and iooh u i. " 'en !, =
saw his own team gong BACK Tor an
munition H. ran to his own place an
galloped back to the eaissoh Win ~
rest. When tie Lieutenant rnshs