Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-28
WON THE RACE.
An Officers Horse Race During the
Civil War
In Which General Richards Participated
Winning With a Sorry Animal.


all who have visited the camp during
the musters at which he has been
present, during the past spring when
the troops were here and again those
who have seen him ride his fiery
charger to and from his office. from
his home in Gardiner. He has n per-
feet animal, whom many would be
afraid to ride on account of his high
spirits, but the general sits him as
calmly as though this particular horse
was the most docile one in the world.
At one time during the encampment
of the two regiments here in Nav. the
general gave a great exhibition of his
horsemanship when one night on dress
| parade the animal acted very badly
and all expected to see the general
thrown. They We're wrong there, as
the horse was soon under the control
of the general. who was as cool as ice
throughout the bad antics Of the ami
| nal.
On another night, however, the horse
scored a point though it could not be
called a fair throw. General Richards
was about to mount the horse in front
of the headquarters building, when the
animal bolted, the general had one foot
in the stirrup ana the other from the
| ground and as the horse started he at
tempted to throw himself into the sad
| die. In the attempt he grasped for the
name of the animal, but it is closely
cropped, and his hand slipped, making
him lose his balance. ana fail
1t was not the intention at the start
| of this little narrative. to dwell upon
to tell of n little race in which the
| general participated when in the Civil
| War.
| He was at that time an officer in
the cavalry branch of the service, and
| at this particular time was camped
near the Fairfax court house 1t was
| in the fail of the year. when he was
| sent in charge of n detail of officers
and men to select some horses from
a lot quite a distance from where they
were camped.
one of his own horses had been
wounded in an engagement. and the
other was we'll used up. and he had
obtained the permission of the COM
handing general to select horse
from those of the government to ride
while his was given a little time to
rest.
While a the corral where the horses
We're kept he took great care to Sc
lcct only good horses and one in par
tlcular soon attracted his attention.
not. by its good looks, but rather from
his resemblance to a thoroughbred. 1t
was in poor condition, and its name
and tail were of the order that would
have done credit to a rat.
He asked the man who was riding
the animal what kind of a one it was,
and the man replied that he thought
ii was not a very good one as he
stumbled badly, and had many other
falinSs.
Nevertheless General Richards Sc
lectcd the animal as the one he would
temporarily claim as his own, and
L.. I,n
animal. the other officers had great
sport with him, about his efficiency in
selecting horse. Yet he saw great
possibilities in the horse SO he did
not let the jibes of the other officers
disturb him.
Il cared for that horse for several
days" said General Richards. "and |
saw that my confidence in his ability
was not misplaced | rode but little
on him when on duty, hut rather Kept
to the horse of my own. About every
night, however, | took my new horse
out for Il little exercise. making it
harder and harder as he became in
better condition.
zone night | rode with some officers
to Il point about three miles away, and
as was the custom, we had an in
formal race on the way back TO camp
They had expected to see me fall be-
hind but they were surprised when
they saw me keep right up with the
leaders. and finally lead them into
camp.
"The next day | had several chances
to trade the horse for another, but !
told them | thought he was good
enough for me.
"Thanksgiving day was approach
ing, and on that day it was the GUS
tom to have n shoot for the men in
/