Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-30
A BATTLE OF HORSES.
A FIERCE FIGHT BETWEEN ARMY
STEeDS AND WILD ANIMALS.
Equine Passions That Became Ffendish
When Fully Riderless Cavalry
steeds That Showed the Results of Their
Military Training.

when Fully Observation-Disclosures Cavalry
steeds That Showed the Results Of Their
Military Training.
Just at sundown, aud while we were
at supper. a drove of wild horses num-
bering IS suddenly emerged from
Thatcher's pass and deployed on the lev
Ell ground Of the valley. They had
made use of the pass to cross from Gil
max valley, where grass and water
might have failed them or horse hunt
ers had appeared to give them a fright.
They emerged from the pass in single
file. led by spotted stallion whose
plane reached almost to his knees and
:;hosc tail touched tine ground when he
was west. He wasn't as handsome as
some of the drove leaders to be met
with in the days Of the wild horse, but
he was yet u king among horses. OF
the remainder of the herd about 80
were fine animals. The others would
hardly be worth the catching. Three or
four were recognized as cavalry horses
| abandoned on the march, and twice
that number had collar marks to prove
that they had stampeded from some i'm
| migrant train.
When clear Of the pass, they formed in
| line and advanced upon US to within
| quarter of q mile. We had 75 horses at
the lariat pins, and for half an hour we
had all we could do to prevent stam-
| pede. 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 tenn
per that tho men feared they would
have to shoot him. 1t was an hour be-
fore our cavalry horses Gained down in
the slightest. Every animal seemed ell
ragged at the sight of the free herd, and
the captains Kentucky stallion acted as
if possessed by fiend. He had been
doubly fastened at the beginning Of the
excitement, and later on this proved q
fortunate thing. He made the most tre-
mendous efforts to get free, and when
at length he realized the futility of fur
ther 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 SEN
|
ing about within half mile of us.
Daylight had come, and the sentinels
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-fifths
of the men were yet under their blank
cts the captains horse uttered a scream
which must have been taken rs q sig
nal. He reared up, shook his head like
an angry lion and freed himself of his
halter. Tn the same instant every other
horse in the command secured his lib
erty. Some pulled up the pins, some
worked their heads clear Of the straps,
and away went the whole drove down
the valley. 1t was not stampede, as
we naturally feared. Even had our ami
mails desired to join the ranks of the
free they would have been rebuffed.
Our horses We're punched, and in a SOL
id bunch they drove right through the
lines of the wild horses and left four of
them lying crippled OH the grass as they
passed. The prairie drove retreated up
the valley half n mile and then wheel
! ed about in single line. When our
drove halted and turned, there was a
distance of three quarters of mile be-
{ tween the combatants. Wewere ordered
,. to fall in, with a view of advancing up
{ on the wild horses and driving them off,
. but before we had gotten into line it
was too late.
The sight was wonderful one. The
} | two leaders advanced rs if they meant
J. to decide the issue by fight between
& them, but when within 40 yards of each
other they wheeled and returned tc
their respective lines Then we wit.
messed something which only cavalry.
man will credit. Our horses fell into a
double line and dressed to the right as
perfectly rs if 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 captains horse On the right ant
leading by about 20 feet. The line o.
wild horses bent and wavered, but die
not break until struck. 1t was like strik
ing drumhead with sledge hammer
believe that fully 40 horses wen