The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-04

IN his attire. and somewhat fond OF display.
but he did good service for his side OF the
ge1at national quarrel, AID is dessryealy
popular among the men Of the south. One
OF my comrades who saw hin ride over a
Held while the former lay q wounded pris-
oner, tells me that Hampton made plendid
figure In the saddle, which he sat while on
the gallop with rare ease. scarcely a swine
being noticeable. despite the rapid pace. He
was always msgoiicently mounted, and
could ride Ike the devil, as my friend ex-
pressed il.
Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler could sit
on horse and ride without fatigue. but 10
the eye of a riding master h would be a
source OF humor. Not that Butler was a
bad horseman, but he was too heavy a man
for easy carriage, while the porteutous boots
ne always wore in the field made him look
ike DIRK Hatteraick suddenly lifted into
q saddle. Whether it was his huge blots or
the saturlne temperament OF the man, he
nevertheless rode as If the horse was a
mechanical one aud not maze OF flesh and
blood. Ii he tried a gallop, which was sell
dom, 1t looked as if rider aud steed would
soon part company, for his body rose aud
fell violently ar every stride But Butler
never prided himself on his feats OF horse
manshia, and active field movement was not
his forte.
4haJs 0ou JOnu rope mdue Dlu1S9lL Ia
nous in 1862 by issuing graudilOQuent bul-
letln TO his army that until further orders
headquarters would be in the saddle. Then
the reverses to Mcclellan began, and Pope's
headquarters we're kept on the steady run
by Lee all through the Virginia valley. The
soldiers used TO say that Pope's hiudquarters
were in the saddle and his headquarters no.
where. But soldiers are always sarcastic.
Gen. Pope was fine horseman, and looked
exceedingly well in the saddle.
Gen. Sheridan did not appear to advan-
tage on foot. In the saddle he was a cen
taur. When astride OF horse the Shenan-
doah valley hero gained in inches, for he
was longer in stature above his sword belt
than below it. Sheridan always sat well
back, unconsclously leaning against the
rear pommel of his military saddle. This
attitude brought his fee5 little in advance
OF the correct line but did not detract much
from his appearance as horsemau. The
fierce bundle of nerves that were iucased i'll
his small body would not permit Gen. Sheri-
dan to long sit still. and he was always on
the gallop, even when his army was lying
idle and the pickets were silent.
Maj. Gen. Custer was the beau ideal Of a
perfect horseman. He sat in the saddle as
If born in it, for his seat was 80 very easy
and graceful that be aad his steei seemed
one. AT West Point he was at the head of
all the classes in hOrsemanshlp, and de-
lighted in being on the tanbark It is re-
lated of him that he could cut down more
wooden heads on the gallop than any other
one of the cadets. Unlike most ardent
raiders during the war, Gen. Custer seldom
punished his horses. 1t was only when the
moment for charging arrived that he
loosened rein for a headlong dash.
Mai. Gen. Alfred Pleasanton was an ex-
quisite horseman, both ia his dress and
manner Of riding. Slightly under the av-
erage hight for military men, Pleasanton
would have looked boyish in the sad lie but
for his neatly trimmed and glossy beard.
He always wore tight-ftting riding boots
that came just to the bend of the knee, and
he had a habit of tapping them while in
with the feminine riding whip
be invariably carried Ia his hand. As
cavalry leader he had few equals, despite
the fact that Sheridan subsequently became
so prominent in that branch of the service.
Mai. Gen. Hancock looked exceedingly
we'll in the saddle. Those who only remem-
Der him when his hair became gray can
have no idea of the change in his personal
appearance. During the war Hancock had
a swarthy complexion. the result of being
so much in the open cir. His dark hair and
huge g0atee gave his face look of stern
ness, though il was frequently lighted up
by a pleasant and engaging smile. His
figure was rather slender then. which made
him seem taller than he really was. He sat
on his horse bolt upright, bride hand well
forward, and with scarcely a bend in the
knee He had usually tall horse, which
added toythe imposing effect Of his figure.
Maj. Gen. Logan made conspicuous hg-
ure in the saddle. His coal black hair and
tremendous mustache gave him a ferocious
appearance, though in reality his DISPOSE
3 al hA of hod 70
Of passion, aud then bis eyes blazed; but
these ebullitions Of temper were evanescent
and they usually occurred on the battle
field. Logan was an exceedingly good
horseman. his ssat being firm yet easy.
When galloping he used 20 lean backward,
his feet we'll to the front. At critical mo-
ments in an engagement he was wont to so
at tremendous speed toward the threatened
part OF his line OF battle. Then he was
magnificent. His hat jammed down over
his eyes, his eyes bright and his long mus
tache waving in the air gave him an odd
look, while the terrific pace OF his steed was
appalling. He overcame every obstacle
with ease and it was a beautiful sight to see
his horse go flying over fences, bitches, or
fallen trees, while the rider sat IN the saddle
with ease and apparent reckless inditfer-
ence.
Lieut.. Gen. Thomas Jonathan Stone
wall Jackson was great norsema1. lie
sat the saddle easily, while there was Ii sort
of abandon visible which showed his fani-
liaritv with horsehesh from boyhood. His
seat was very erect, and though 1t had
none of the stiffness of the cavalry style, it
was very correct. His stirrups were short
ened to give a slight bend TO the knee and
enable him TO just his body to the move
ments of his steed without apparent exsr-
ton.
Mai Gen. James Ewell Brown Stuart
tbest known as "Jeb," from the initials Of
his nsme) was grand horseman. lie was
the Pleasonton or Sheridan OF the confed-
crate army. No man could ride better or
faster than Stuart. He carried careless
rein. gripping the sad lie with knee clasp
which prevented his being Unssatel. He
was always well dressed, and as the uni
form of O. confederate general was very
handsome one, Stuart made a das sing APP
pearance.
Mai. Gen. Martin T. Mcmahon was
debonair rider, from the days when he rode
as q captain in McClellan's staff until he de-
servedly rose to higher command. | once
saw him walk across battlefield having
had his horse killed under him, and be was
swearing away at terrible rate. just then
an orderly rode up aud surrendered hls own
horse. Mac stopped swearing aud, leaping
into the saddle with an angelic smile, gall
loned off TO deliver his interrupted orders
Mai Gen. Philip Kearny, who was
killed among he pines at Hanover Court
House, Va, during McClellans peainsular
campaign, mad left au arm in Mexico. Like
Howard, he depended on the knee for
guiding his horse. He was brave but ex-
csedinglv rash man. During the first year