The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-27
War Horses.

the Dugle calls and the ev0lutl0nS
quicker than the men, as rule. They
soon acquire a uniform gait, which is
about the same as what we call the
route step or the usual marching step.
If the horses did not acquire the same
gait as the infantry there would be
varying distances between the different
arms Of the service-that is, between
infantry and the cavalry, artillery and
the commanders and their escorts. In
the drills in the artillery service the
horses will preserve their alignment
as we'll as the infantry rank.
"I shall always remember one illus
tration Of this trait which | noted at
very exciting and critical moment of
battle during our civil war. In order
to save some of our infantry from
being surrounded and captured the
commander of one our batteries quick
ly mounted the cannoneers on the
guns and put the whole battery at
dead gallop across a stretch of meadow
about half mile wide. I was quite
accustomed to such sights; but when
that dashing company was half way
across the field I noticed the inspiring
array, and for a moment was lost in
rapt admiration of the magnificent
picture. Every driver was plying the
whip and spur, the great guns were
rocking and laundering over the
ground, and every horse, reeking with
foam and full of animation and excite
ment, was straining every muscle as
he galloped forward, yet a straight
line drawn along in front would have
touched the noses of the lead horses
in front Of the six guns. That was
an artillery charge, one Of the most
thrilling sights in the evolutions Of
war.
"It is surprising how quickly hor-
ses learn the bugle calls. Let the
first note of the feed or water call be
sounded and instantly there will be
stamping, kicking and ighing among
the horses. Once, during a terrible
night storm in camp, our horses were
seized with such terror that those of
nearly every battery broke loose and
scattered about. The next morning
there was wild rush among the artil-
lerymen to capture horses for use.
All was excitement, and the horses
refused to be caught. An officer
ordered the bugler to give the feed
call. Horses. from every direction
came dashing into that battery: and
the rush was so great that it was with
difficulty the men could get out Of the
way Of the eager horses.
"When it comes to battle horse
seems to know everything that is going
on and the reason for it all, and does
his duty nobly. He enters into the
spirit Of battle like human being.
He shows no fear of death, no sign Of
being overcome by panic in all the
wild tumult of the battle roar. A
horse in one Of our batteries during
the Murfreesboro fight was hit by a
piece of shell, which split his skull so
that one side was loosened. The
driver turned him loose, but he walked
up to the side of the gun and watched
the firing, and when shot was fired
would follow it with his gaze Us if to
note its effect on the enemy. When
shell would burst near by he would
turn his head and look at it. When
he saw the team he had worked with
being driven back for ammunition he
ran to his old place and galloped back
with the rest. When an officer pushed
him aside to have another horse put
in lie gazed at the new one with a
most sorrowful expression in his eyes.
Then he seemed to realize that the
glory of battle was no more for him,
and he walked away and lay down and
died. The officer declared that it was
a broken heart. not the wound, that
killed him.
During fierce charge of Confedc
rate cavalry at Murfreesboro an officer
was killed and the cavalry driven
back. The horse the officer had rid
den was Il magnificent animal, and he
had not been taught to retreat. Rider
less he kept on his way. and as he
dashed through our battery the sight
of him was indcscribably grand. His
nostrils were extended wide, his eyes
fairly blazed and he clutched the bit
dctcrnincdly with his teeth as he
came on like the wind, with his saddle
flaps flying, until he looked as if he
were himself flying instead Of wildly
running. Everyone gave him room
as he dashed toward us. An officer