The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-30
The Mule In War.

An element of strength in a war be-
tween the United States and Spain would
be the superiority of the United States IN
the matter of mules 1t is remarkable
fact that in this contest Spain is alse a
mule country. The ceremonial team of
the royal family of Spain is composed of
white mules. But in this point of COM
parison, as in every other, the superiority
of the United States is manifest. Spain
has, during the three years contest with the
insurgents, been forced to draw her mule
supply from the United States. With war
this supply will be cut off, and the Ameri-
can mule, no longer being subject to draft
in a cause he must despise, will be used in
the service of his own country.
The mule became prominent in history
at the time of our Civil War The long
cared champion seemed to spring from the
earth. Many volunteers from certain sec
tions of the country who had never before
seen pair of mules harnessed lived to see
thousands of them hauling army wagons.
Teamsters, also, seemed to be created for
the OCCASION While the art of driving
mules is a separate and distinct science,
thousands of fully qualified drivers appear
ed, ready to climb into the saddles, armed
with the resonant 'blacksnake' and full,
free, rich and rolling vocabulary.
The mule, it is needless to say, has de-
veloped in war the highest military quail
ties-endurance, patience and courage.
The war horse, eulogized by job and many
writers since, has never displayed the prac-
tical traits of the army mule, which have
never yet been preserved in blank verse
or flowing rhyme. The mule is ever ac
tive, alert and watchful, and his clarion
voice ''rouses the soldier e er the morning
star Usually the mule does not go where
glory waits him, but is condemned to the
heavy labor Of the quartermaster' and
commissary' departments But in what
soever lot-feed lot or any other-in which
he is placed, he does his duty. He has
been accused of quick and even vindic-
tive temper, but in trying times it was
never allowed to interfere with the per-
formance of his public duties. And it was
in the darkest days and nights of the war,
as his soldier associates will now remember,
that the brightest qualities of the mule ap-
peared In the darkness and storm, with
the mud to the hubs, he leaned to the col
lar and pulled the heavy vain, calm and
imperturbable, although his director wrap
ped himself with curses as with garment
and rode along -enveloped in light blue
halo of profanity. And when the muddy
march was over the mule, who for days
had dined and supped on next to nothing,
released from harness and his long vacant
interior decorated with a few quarts of
corn, ran and raced and squealed and kick
ed and played with his fellows as if he saw
already spanning the horizon the rainbow
of peace.
In war and Southern regions the ser
vices of the mule are indispensable. While
he can live anywhere, he seems sort of
tropical beast. 1t is believed that his am
pie ears first unfolded in the sun of the
equator, and that palm leaves and similar
vegetation stirred to his first high and vi
brant note. In Cuba he has found in
peace, and will find in war, wide field of
exertiOu.