The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-01-22
A BAD HORSE.


/ York City, fully determined 10 enlist and get
to the front at once. On arriving in New York
/ City, we walked leisureiy mp Broadway, until
our attention was attracted 10 a large poster IN
the window Of a recruiting Office, which read
/ /" Manted-100 picked men for the cavalry
/ service, 10 act as Gen. MOols B0dyEuard at
/ Fortress Monroe, Va" ] asked Comrade Tuni-
son how he liked that for high? lie answered
/ that he thought 10 was a picnic. Both OF us
| being OF the same mind we entered the Office,
and there for the first time met with the dash
ing little cavalry officer Fitzpatrick, who had
I just returned from the battle OF Little Bethel,
/ Va, aud was just recovering from a wound re-
ceiyed in that engagement. lie made us well
come, saying he was Jerseyman himself, and
wanted good JeTseymen, and that we should
/ have good horses aud be well armed with re-
volvers sabers and ch-lOading carbnes.
We thought this would Oh the bill good enough
| for us, and made no more delay, but had our
names enrolled, and were examined by an
| Army Surgeon aud were pronounced sound
enough 10 make targets for rebel bullets.
Then we were presented with the regulation
uniform. ] need not tell you about the fit OF
| our suits. Enough IL is 10 say that the Govern
ment WAS generous to a fault IN the amount OF
/ goods used in the making Of them. However,
we felt quite important in our new clothes as
we strutted up aud down Broadway. Nearly
every one we met recognized us with a nod OF
4 their head some even stopping and shaking
4
us: hoped we would he successful and soon put
down the rebellion. In less than a week we
sailed into Fort Monroe. The rebs had set fire
! 10 the town of Hampton the night before. We
could see the blaze for miles before we arrived,
and we began 10 think we were getting pretty
near 10 the front without having any carbines
or revovers to defend ourselves with. As soon
as we landed we were marched 10 Hampton
Seminary, where we enCamped within stones
throw OF the burning town. In the afternoon
/ we had CarbHGs issued TO u.s. which proved 10
/ be a lot OF old condemned ones which had prob
ably been used in the Mexican war, FOR there
was not one in dozen that would shoot.
Nevertheless they were very dangerous look
/ ing rife aud gave US the appearance Of a body
/ of soldiers that 10 would not be well for anyone
TO try TO knock a chip of our shoulders
That night i was placed on picket for the
1 first time, with orders TO shoot anyone j saw
coming from Hampton. j tried the old car
bine several times, but it would not snap a cap.
As luck would have il. ] had no occasion to
shoot. Next morning we were ordered to fall
! in line, aud Fitzpatrick marched us 20 some
sheds outside the fort, where he halted us,
and gave the command front" which placed
every man with horse in front Of him. Kill
/ patrick in few words told Us that he had ex-
Rmined every horse in the stalls, and that
every one Of them a good one and that
every man should take the horse in front Of
] him.
The one in front Of me proved to be a long
legged gray horse that ii would take a ladder TO
mount aud had pair OF eyes in his head that
meant mischief i had never ridden a horse
but once in my life, and that was when a
! boy 10 years old, rode horse TO a pond Of
water and as the horse stopped 10 drink j
went ever his head into the middle OF the
/ pond. This sad experience came fresh TO my
mind as gazed on the big gray in front Of me.
As we had no saddles or brides issued 20 US
as yet, we were obliged TO ride back 10 camp
4 with nothing bat the halter 10 hold our horses
! Those who we're more experienced than was
/ had put slipplng-nOOse an their horses mouths
] which gave them more control over them. i
being ignorant Of this united my big gray and
led him out aud with the assistance Of Com
rade Tunis0n got on his back had no sooner
mounted than he started with me like shot
out Of a cannon. Fortunately his head faced
towards our camp, aud away we few like
lightning.
At that time there was floating bridge across
Hampton Creek, which sWayed back and forth
when crossing il. When i arrived at that
bridge j was hugging that big gray around the
neck as though he was the best friend had on
nh6rth. IN about three jumps be was over that
bridge and nay beautiful regulation hat was
floating down Hampton Creek. felt 50 morti-
fed that ] would not have cared il my head
had been In ii.
We soon arrived in camp, and seeing that he
did not slacken his pace j thought j would
slacken my embrace Of his neck, and by
number Of moves aud motions not laid down in
Hardics tactics i found myself sprawling on
the camp-ground.
The next day, after having our saddles and
brides issued 20 us, we were ordered 30 saddle
mp and fail in for mounted drill. Ny heart
was IN my throat. ] had tried 10 trade my big
gray for any other horse in the company, but his
record Of the day before was against him, for
not even the best riders in the company would
have anything 20 DO with him. had read OF
a man who would have given kingdom for a
horse, but if il had been in my power that
morning ] would have given world TO have
! got clear Of mine.
/ Capt Fitzpatrick, for that was his rank az
that time, ordered Us 10 count Of by fOurs from
/ the right, and we marched OUT Of camp. / was
u IN the second set Of f0urs, and got along pretty
well for a while until he gave the command,
form platoons" Now was the time for my
4 big gray 10 show how well he could execute
/ that movement; although had curb bit on
/ him, he gave a couple Of lnnges which sent me
flying about 20 feet in the air over bis head,
aud away lac ran for all he was worth, and the
dasbing little Fitzpatrick after him. gathered
myself together, picked myself Up, wondering
/ II there had not been a cyclone. BY this time
Fitzpatrick had got back leading my horse.
| T" Are you hurt, my man :" he asked. No,
sir" j answered, although il WAS the biggest
lie ever told in my lle for j was terribly
shaken up. We'll, then, learn 20 keep on
/ your horse IN future, for you won't always
/ have me 10 catch him for you"
j thanked him, and real y wished from the
bottom Of my heart 10 be able 10 keep on the
back Of that horse. We drilled every day for a
week aud j began 10 have more confidence In
my ability 10 ride my big gray horse but, alas
for me, just Al this time there was to be grand
review Of all the troops in and about Fort
Monroe. They were 10 be reviewed by Gen.
Wool, Gen. Mansfield and Gen. b. y. Butler
We were in line, with our sabers al a carry,
waiting for the three Generals 10 pass Soon
they came IN sight, and when they were with in
hundred feet Of us the band struck up " Hail
10 the Chief" Now this was too much for my
spirited gray; lie had never heard a band Of
music before, and never meant 10 again il he
could help il. He dashed out Of the ranks his
eyes looking like two balls Of fire. Away he
went, faster and faster, and away went my
confidence and ability TO hold him. i held on
10 the bride with both hands, the ssbcr hang
ing 10 my wrist. Soon the saddle slipped down
Oh his side, and there hung with my arms
around his neck, thinking every moment would
be my last, until Comrade TunIsOn and Com
rade Decker by flank movement, got 10 his
head and i was saved. But saved for What2
To be ordered back 10 camp ia disgrace, and all
owing 10 circumstances over which had no
control.
] began 10 think that II had 10 put down
the rebellion with that gray horse, the
war would be a failure Az last ] succeeded ia
making a trade with a sick cOmrade who was
unable 10 do mounted duty, and got a horse
I that WAS well broken 10 Ile saddle. Then 4