The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-10
WAREHOUSES; AND RIDERS.
General Hsmphill in the Abbeville Me-
dunn Gives Bit of History
On this Subject.


On this Subject.
"Stonewall Jackson was, it is said,
| the worst rider ia both armies. He
Wabbled about in the saddle like a
| drunken man, and seemed every mo-
ment about to fall off his horse"
The above item is going the rounds
of the newspapers. We would like to
know by whom lit is said. "There is no
truth that Stonewall Jackson "wab-
| bled about in the saddle like a drunken
man and seemed every moment about
10 fall off his horse" He was taught
to ride at West Point aud no man was
ever turned out as a graduate of that
academy who would cut such figure
as is represented in tho above item.
It was our fortune to see Stonewall
Jackson many times for We followed
him from Cedar Mountain to the day
Of his mortal wound. There was no
'wabble' about him. He sat on bis
horse firmly and there was no peculiar
awkwardness>abou him that would
attract attention.
There was no "wabble" about him
when, in 1862, in rear of Pope, We
turned into the town Of Manassas in q
swinging gait and he rode erect by our
side. Afterwards at the railroad cut,
when the enemy were working ma
chine gun for all that it was worth
against US, what should appear among
Us but the warlike figure of Stonewall
Jackson sitting immcvably upon his
torse. Summoning detail he led it
across the cut right in among the enc
MY, seized the gun and brought it out.
None Of US saw any wabbling in the
saddle.
StoneNall jackson was not as grace
full in the saddle as some other riders
We have seen, but the picture drawn in
the item quoted is mostly imaginary.
EIe was no object for ridicule or criti-
cism but was more graceful than eighty
ont of a hundred riders we see these
days.
The best rider we ever saw in the
army was Gen. Van Dorm, who COM
manded a division in the early part of
the war. Gen. Lee aud Gen. John G.
Breckenridge were next to him accord
tt g to our observation. Gen. Lee had
more imposing presence than any
man we ever saw, but Van Dorm was
ahead of all as horseman.
There was nothing striking about
ice Johnstone. Beauregard was
model of grace, but about the gamest
man we ever saw on horseback was
Joseph B. Kershaw. Wade Hampton
had the advantage of J. Z. B. Stuart
and Magruder made the biggest show
when he put on all his trappings.
From this county Gen. MCGOWAN
rode stout grey until a canon ball
knocked off the head of Troubadour at
Reams' Station and then he rode
large bay. Col. G. McD. Miller rode a
lor 2, rawboned sorrel. Col. Wyatt
Aiken rode q h;gh-stepping black as
dark as ,aidnight. Col. J. Townes
Robertson bay pony that stepped
about six inches high and nine inches
forward when in a trot. When we
double-quicked the pony had to gallop
to keep up.
OTHERS WHO RODE WE'LL.
In speaking of "Warhorses and Ri
ders" in our last issue we neglected to
mention Gen. NJ. l.. Bonham, whose
appearance on horseback was magni-
ficent. He rode dark bay aud wore
ma magnificent uniform. y brilliant mil
italy sash encircled his waist, heavy
gauntlets encased his hands and his
hat was adorned with handsome
black plume. He sat erect and firmly
in the saddle. We never saw him jos
tied but once in the saddle and that
was at a review Of the troops by Gen.
Van Dorm at Kinchcloe's field near
Rull Run in the Winter Of lS6l-G2.
Then his horse slipped and fell to bis
! Launches but the rider did not get his
fine uniform soilcd.
At the first Manassas Col. i. B. {.
Cash rode thoroughbred black stall
lion with flowing name and long tail,
horse that would attract attention al
any time.
We doubt if many Of our people
know how many men Gen. Bonhan
commanded ct first Manassas and VIZ
will put it in print for the information
of such as desire to preserve such facts
He held the centre at Mitchell's ford OF
t Bull Run. His own brigade consisted
t of the second, third, seventh and eighth
l South Carolina Volunteers. In addl
D ton to these regiments he com
manded Col. Radford's Virginia caval
rv, two batteries Of artillery unde
S Capt. Del Kemper and Capt. Shield:
:, kirkland's North Carolina regimen
and kelley's Louisiana Battalion.