San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-07-18
HOW HORSES ACT IN BATTLE.
Bome Remarkable Instances Of Equine In
tclligence.

1T is remarkable how quickly
horses adapt themselves TO the mill
tary service, said Capt Cox to a re-
porter. "Every artilleryman knows
That they learn the bugle calls and the
evolutions quicker than the men as a
rule. For one thing they soon ac-
quire a uniform gait, which Is about
the same as the ''route step" or the us.
ual marching step. II the horses did
not acquire the same gait as the in
fantry there would be varying distan.
ces between the different arms Of the
service-that is, between the infantry
nd the cavalry, artillery and the com
manders and their escorts.
'In the drills in the artillery ser.
vice the horses will themselves pre-
serve their alignment as we'll as
the infantry. ] shall always remem.
Der one illustration Of this trait which
/ noticed at an exciting and critical
period OF battle. In order TO save
some of our infantry from being sur
rounded and captured / quickly
mounted the cannonecrs on the guns
and put tho whole battery at dead
gallop across q stretch of meadow
about half a mile wide. ! was quite
accustomed to such sights, but when
we were half way across the field /!
noticed the array, and for moment !
was lost in admiration of the magniii-
cent picture. Every driver was plying
whip and spur, the great guns were
rocking and laundering over the
ground, and every horse, reeking
with foam and full of animation and
excitement, was straining every mus.
Gle as he galloped forward; yet it
seemed to me that straight line
drawn along in front would have
touched tho heads of the lead horses
in front of the six guns. That was on
artillery charge, one of the most thrill
ling sights in the ovolutions OF war.
1T is surprising how quickly they
learn the bugle calls. After We had
been in service some time my first Scr
geant once asked me what call that
was, ns the bugle blew some com.
mand. That's a pretty question for
you to ask, said. How In thunder
do you know how to march9 Idont
know lie said, but my horse knows
Let tho first note of tho feed or water
call be blown and there will be terri
BILE stamping, kicking and neighing.
Once, In q terrible storm, our horses
and those of several other batteries
broke loose, and there was wild rush
among the artillerymen to get horses
in the morning. All was excitement
and the horses were hard to get, but
when ordered the bugler to mount q
stump and blow the feed call the
horses all made such q mad rush for
our battery that the men could hardly
get out of tho way quickly enough.
"When it comes to battle horse
seems to know everything that is go
ing on, but he does his duty nobly and
seems TO be in his element. He enters
into the spirit Of the battle like hui
man being. He shows no fear OF death,
and it is singular that If his mate is
shot down he will turn to look at him
and seem pleased. A horse In my bat
terry was once struck by a piece Of
shell, which split his skull so that one
side was loose. The driver turned him
loose, but he walked up by the side Of
the gun and watched the firing, and
when a shot was fired would look
away in the direction Of the enemy as
il TO see the effect Of the shot When
a shell would burst near by he would
calmly turn and look at II. When he
saw his own team going back for am
munition he ran TO his own place and
galloped back TO the caisson with the
rest When the lieutenant pushed
him aside TO put in another horse he
looked at the other one sorrowfully
while he was being harnessed up, and
when he seemed 10 realize that there
was no further use for him he lay
down and died. The lieutenant strong
ly asserted that he died Of q broken
heart.
"At the time that Adams, Jackson's
and PreSton's brigsdes charged me at
some officer was killed
and the brigades were driven back.
But the fallen officers horse had not
been taught 10 retreat and he did not
He Just came of full speed through
the battery, and tell you he looked
simply grand he was a large, fine
animal. his nostrils wcrc extended
wide. his eyes fairly blazed, and he
clutchcd the bit with his teeth as he
came on. Hecs like the wind. and
with his saddle flaps flying he looked
Is IL he were flying himself instead Of
running. Everybody gave him a wide
ber1h. and called 70 tie infantry that
would give slO0 10 the man who
would catch him. but 10 one tired IL
md be IS running yet for all | kDow
4 him San Francisco Chrouicle-