The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-01-04
STORIES OF THE DAY.
Wartime Incidents-The Story of Flight
ing Jim Ste warts Horse.

ing Jim Stewards Horse.
Major James Stewart of Carthage,
O., a retired regular, who commanded
Battery B, Fourth artillery, talks about
two occasions when he was shocked and
saddened. His horse. Tartar. was of
blooded stock, and horse and master
were much attached to Zach other. At
the second Bull Run battle a solid shot
plowed through the rumps of high strung
Tarter, gOuging out pounds OF flesh and
cutting off his tail snug to the body.
The wounded animal frisked about right
briskly for Il minute and then settled
down and carried his rider until the
battle lulled. seeming to know that the
commander could not spare time, in
that iron and leaGeu hail, to change
horses. He had bled to weakness, blu
quickly obeyed every OF the
rein. When Stewart dislnounted and
saw the CHASTITY wound he was, to
use his own language, 'as shocked
rs if I'd lost an arm He supposed
that his favUrite riding horse would die
or have to be killed. When, the next
morning, Tartar slowly and with a
wobbly gait walked to his master while
he was slipping coffee and munchlng
bareback and raw pork, and gently laid
his head upon his shoulder and groaned,
the artilleryman put his arms about his
neck and kissed the Drown name. II
can't kill him. said Stewart. 1--WE
will leave him here to die in his own
way and time"
When Battery 8 and the other troops
moved out ON the retreat to CenteryiAle,
the major, then a lieutenant, OF a new
animal, took u fearful glance at his dis
tressed wal horse, said "Goodby, Tar
tar, and passed on in silence. Between
shutdown and dark that night Tartar,
jaded and broken, struggled into camp
and sought out his master as if to report
for duty. He was tenderly petted and
given an extra feed of oats. The next
morning Stewart summoned the sur
geon. had Tartar examined, and never
l was q boy gladden. over red topped boot
or ANYTHING else than Tartar's master
: when the doctor told him that the horse
would be ready for service within a
month or six weeks. Tartar followed
D the regiment through Washington tc
d South Mountain and Antietam, sticking
close to the horses during the battles
u and when Mcclellan was ready to star
from Bakersville back to Virginia, lat'
in October, he was the proudest horse il
the Army Of the Potomac as he again
I took charge of Battery BIS commander.
,
The story of Tartar's mishap sprea.
= throughout the army. Thousands Of sol
diers visited the battery On purpose t
0 sec him. He Jared like q prince. Moth
o ing was quite good enough for him. /
\ often happened that the battery passe
9 troops resting by the roadside. The ap
o pearance Of Fighting" Jim Stewart an
l. bobtailed Tartar was always a signal TO
!, Q variety Of comments that put every
body in a happy frame Of mind.
,. Tartar never just relished the begin
d ming Of a battle after his Bull Run Oh
perience. He didn't try to sulk, grab
root or dodge behind a tree, but he di
d q good deal Of pranoing. especially whe
ahell and solid shot shrieked an
% whistled in his immediate vicinity. bu
l. after q few minutes he seemed to be
much interested in what was going O
10 a. any one in the command.
Stewart rode Tartar till the war enc
cd and for several years afterwart
"You may laugh, gentlemen" said tn
as major to a cluster Of comrades who ha
70 gathered about him at Detroit durin
rs the national enoampment-''you ma
re- laugh, gentlemen, but it touched me
y the heart when that poor. wounde
TO dumb brute came up to me that morl
E. ing. laid his head on my shoulder an
I'd groaned. I'll admit that q teal skate
y over my hard cheek"
"Let me tell you Of another tin
s, when I experienced a choking sensation
G. 1t was that first day at Gettysburg. Ju
II before we were ordered into the fight
~ had been talking with Colonel Luci'
is Fairohild Of the Second Wisconsin. Bot
j. Of Us were in good spirits. We kne
10 trouble was coming, but were confdel
q great victory for our arms was comlI
also. The order to advance came, and y
saluted and separated. That hot afte
noon, made hotter by the thunder
10 hundreds of cannon and the c%ontinuo'
o. rattle Of musketry. while I y was gettir
the battery through Gettysburg with
little delay as possible. the other fol
being close to US, I i heard some one sho
rs my name. Looking in the direction fro
's, which the sound cane. l saw Colon