The National tribune., 1895-12-12
WOULD BE NO CoNscRIPT.
How a Patriotic Horse Put to Flight Band
of Rebels.

VI
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Probably
no incident during the war of the rebellion
which was result of the existence of war,
was more interesting than one occurring in
| the village of Lisburn, Pa on the Sunday
| preceding the battle Of Gettysburg.
AS the Army Of Northern Virginia adj
vanced on its march to irTetrievable defeat
at Gettysburg nearly all horses, cattle, and
indeed stock of all kinds in southern Penn
sylvania were driven off by the owners and
hidden among the mountains to prevent
them falling into rebel hands.
A farmer named Michael Hart, who lived
near Lisburn, had sent away all his horses
except one, a valuable animal, sorrel 10 color,
large, healthy, and well trained 10 work
wherever hitched. On The Sunday named
this horse was as usual in his stall, not dream
ing that within very few hours he was to
become the most famous and popular animal
in all that region Suddenly his owners
premises were invaded by party of six or
eight rebel cavalrymen in search of horses.
Two of them dismounted and without any
ceremony entered the stable and led out the
horse.
In order to protect his horses from annoy
ance by flies, Mr.. Hart had his stable dark
ened, so that the horse could learn nothing
about the character of his visitors from their
dress, but on reaching the yard and seeing
that the men in charge of him and others
near were armed, dressed in gray, and that
the flag they carried was not the same as he
WAS accustomed TO seeing, the noble animal
seemed to appreciate the situation at once,
and began to exhibit unmistakable evidence
that he was strongly in favor Of the suppress
sion of the rebellion. He made vigorous
war against the Johnnirs then and there.
He attacked the two dismounted men, who
fled for life, surprised and frightened, to their
horses and mounted. The Unionist horse,
fully aroused, continued his attack upon the
whole rebel force, using hoos and teeth in
a way that was terrible TO behold.
The wholly unexpected and unprece-
denied attack, its suddenness, together with
tie energy and rage that characterized it,
threw the gray-cOats into such panic that
they seemed to forget they were armed.
Putting spurs to their horses, they rode up
the main street of the village in a body at
wild galop, Mr.. Harris horse among them,
eyes flashing, ears thrown back, nOstrils dis
tended, screaming with rage aud using teeth
and hools wherever they could do the most
good.
The chase was witnessed by the people of
the town from the sidewalks, who did not
fail to encourage the noble beast with ring
ing cheers.
At the distance of about quarter of
mile from the starting point the Infatuated
animal seized one of the hOrsemen with his
jaws by the thigh, and retaining his hold,
appeared to endeavor to drag him from his
seat. succeeding in which effort there would
have been one less living rebel on Pennsyl-
vania soil
The gray-coat realized the danger to the
extent that he thought of his revolver. He
drew it, and, aiming at the horses head,
fred. The bullet imbedded itself in his
neck, intiictiDg painful but not necessarily
fatal wound. The old fellow released his
hold upon his enemy, who was seriously |
hurt, and turning, walked back to his stall |
quietly, but with an air, and manner which |
seemed TO say: SC
Pm for the UnioDs hoofs, teeth, head and |
limbs" "a
The hero of this episode continued to work |
as usual, but died during the same Summer
The bullet was not extracted from his neck,
and it was generally supposed that his death
was caused by the wound he received. Rev.
DIR. Talmage, in writing Of his fathers old
family carriage horse, says: If there be q
better world than this to which good horses
20 after death, old Billy has certainly gone
there" and most surely this patriotic old
fellow has for long years been companion
Of the animal whose good conduct the great
divine loves TO remember.-M. M. HORTON,
New Cumberland Pa