The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-11
A BATTLE OF HORSES.
A Fierce Fight Between Army Steeds
and Wild Animals.

A Fierce Fight Between Army steeds
and Wild Animals.
Just at sundown, and while we were
at supper, drove Of wild horses num-
bering 88 suddenly emerged from
Thatcher's pass and deployed on the
level ground of the valley. They had
made use of the pass to cross from
Climax valley, where grass and water
might have failed them or horse hunt
ers had appeared to give them alright.
They emerged from the pass in single
file, led by a spotted stallion whose
name reached almost to his knees and
whose tail touched the ground when
he was at rest. he wasn't as hand
some as some of the drove leaders to
be met with in the days of the wild
horse, but he was yet king among
horses. OF the remainder of the herd
about 30 were fine animals. The
others would hardly be worth the
catching. Three or four were recog-
nized as cavalry horses abandoned on
the march, and twice that number had
collar marks to prove that they had
stampeded from some immigrant train.
When clear of the pass, they formed
in line and advanced upon us to within
a quarter of mile. We had IS hor-
ses at the lariat pins, and for half an
hour we had all we could do to pre-
vent a stampede. The wild horses
were finally driven down the valley by
two mounted men, but they did not
seem to have much fear Of us. On
the contrary, the leader Of the drove
exhibited such temper that the men
feared they would have to shoot him.
It was an hour before our cavalry hor-
ses calmed down in the slightest.
Every animal seemed enraged at the
sight Of the free herd, and the cap
tain's Kentucky stallion acted as if
possessed by fend. He had been
doubly fastened at the beginning Of
the excitement, and later on this
proved a fortunate thing. he made
the most tremendous efforts to get
free, and when at length he realized
the futility of further efforts in that
direction he uttered shrill screams Of
rage and lashed out with his heels till
no one dared approach him. All night
long he stood on his feet paving and
snorting, and the camp sentinels re-
ported the wild horses as hanging
about within half a mile of US.
Daylight had come, and the senti-
nels Of the night were coming into
camp, when the wild horses rushed
into view mile below US. On the
instant We discovered them, and while
four-ffths of the men were yet under
their blankets, the captains horse
uttered scream which must have
been taken as signal. He reared up,
shook his head like an angry lion and
freed himself Of his halter. In the
same instant every other horse in the
command secured his liberty. Some
pulled up the pins, some worked their
heads clear of the straps, and away
went the whole drove down the valley.
It was not stampede, as we naturally
feared. Even had our animals desired
to join the ranks of the free they
would have been rebuffed. Our hor-
ses were punched, and in "a solid bunch
they drove right through the lines OF
the wild horses and left four Of them
lying crippled on the grass as they
passed. The prairie drove retreated
up the valley half mile and then
wheeled about in a single line. When
our drove halted and turned, there
was distance Of three-quarters of a
mile between the combatants. We
were ordered to fall in, with view Of
advancing upon the wild horses and
driving them off, but before we had
gotten into line it was too late.
The sight was a wonderful one.
The two leaders advanced as if they
meant to decide the issue by q fight
between them, but when within 40
yards Of each other they wheeled and
returned to their respective lines.
Then we witnessed something which
only a cavalryman will credit. Our
horses fell into a double line and
dressed to the right as perfectly as if
a trooper had occupied each saddle,
and while we looked the lines suddenly
moved forward on charge. When
they swept past US, the alignment was
absolutely perfect, with the captain
horse on the right and leading by
about 20 feet. The line Of wild hor-
ses bent and wavered, but did not
break until struck. 1t was like 'strik-
ing a drumhead with sledge hammer.
I believe that fully DO horses went
down under the shock, but all except
four were speedily on their feet again.
From this on it was a melee, the whole
drove circling around, and each horse
biting and kicking and displaying
such ferocity as to astonish US. The
mob fought past us down the valley
and back, and right in front Of the
camp the climax came. The battle
had been raging half an hour, when
GQe SpOCCSU SGdlllOu 0opUASu Wv "
on three legs and bleeding from half a
dozen wounds, and that seemed to take
the pluck out of his followers. Some
ran up the valley and some down, but
of the S9 only 81 got away. When
the hottest of it was over, we dashed
in and secured horse here and there,
and in this manner We finally got hold
of the last one, which was the cap
tain's.
OF the rs only 5 had escaped scot
free. Every one Of the others had
been bitten and kicked, and IL Of
them were so crippled as to be worth
less. In almost every instance our
horses had kicked off both hind shoes,
and in some cases the front ones were
gone as well. There were Z dead and
36 crippled horses on that battlefield
when hostilities ceased, and of the 81
wild horses which made their escape
many were limping badly. Before
breaking camp we turned to and put
an end to the sufferings of the Grip