Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-07-27
NOTED BATTLE HORSES.
STEEDS THAT CARRIED FAMOUS
MEN IN MANY CONFLICTS.

Horses in war suffer more fatalities
than men. Out of the many thousands
who have given their lives, perishing
in their duty toward their masters,
only few return home to spend their
lives in the ease and honor they de-
serve. One warhorse, however, which
has made splendid record for him
self, and now has his virtues, name,
and noble deeds engraved on fitting
tombstone, was the little chestnut the
great Duke of Wellington rode at the
battle of Waterloo. Copenhagen, named
after the capital OF Denmark. from
which country and city he came, was
q spirited thoroughbred, standing if
teen hands high, and $4,000 was the
price paid for him. Copenhagen served
under Wellington during the Spanish
war, and for eighteen hours he carried
his master at Waterloo. After this he
was sent to the dukes home, Strath-
feldsayc, in England, to take his ease.
A member of the Royal Academy of
English painters was paid to make a
handsome portrait of Copenhagen,
which the duke loved and petted to
the day of his death. The last years
of the faithful horse were, however,
sadly cmbittered by the teasing of
thousands of curious persons who
came to visit him in his paddock, and
his groom would clip hairs from his
tail and name to sell for n few shil-
lings to the visitors. When the duke
heard of this he put Copenhagen in a
hig cage, where he lived in peace.
His funeral was we'll attended, and ut
Strathfeldsaye his tombstone, ordered
by the duke himself, is still to be
seen, in excellent preservation.
Nine years after the Emperor Ma
poleon died at st. Helena an old white
horse perished of old age and pneu-
monia in England. The skeleton of
this animal is set up in the Royal
United service institution in White
hall yard, London, and to all visitors
it is pointed out rs Marengo, the
charger Napoleon rode at the battle of
Waterloo. Marengo came originally
from Egypt and was left to wander on
the dismal battlefield when the empe-
ror was forced to fly for his life. An
English officer found and took him,
and he was sold to an English general.
in English pastures, cared for by rev.
erent grooms, this noble horse passed
the latter years of his life far more
peacefully and happily than his great
and unfortunate master. His portrait
also was painted by famous artist
and now hangs in q country house in
England.
General Robert E. Lee and General
Ulysses S. Grant, General Stonewall
Jackson and Sheridan all brought
their favorite chargers safely through
many bloody battles, and both Cen
eral Lee and Jackson were outlived by
their warhorses. Cincinnati, General
Grants most famous horse, was pre-
sented to him by mau also named
Grant, bat not related to the great
commander Cincinnati weathered the
war and died as sincerely lamented rs
he had lived respected.
A sober brown horse, the one he
rode at the surrender OF Lord Corn
wallis, was hung with elaborate mourn
ing robes and, led by groom, fol-
lowed quietly behind the coffin of his
dead master, General George Wash
ingtop. A true Yirginiau. Washing
ton was splendid horseman ; but he
never settled his affection on any one
horse. Two or three times he lost his
horses in battle, and on one particu-
larly handsome white horse, Dolly, his
portrait was painted.
None of his chargers weathered any
number of severe engagements, as did
Old Sorrel and Traveller, the horses of
Robert Z. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.
Traveller carried his master through
nearly all the battles atwhich he COM
manded, was never himself wounded,
and in mourning attended the generals
funeral. 1t is said he whinnied sadly
when the coffin was borne before him,
and shortly after in grazing about his
peaceful pasture he stuck q nail in
his foot and died Of lockiaw. He, like
Copenhagen, had honorable burial,
and, unlike most warhorses, he lived
out his full allowance of fifteen years.
1t was on the back of Sorrel that
Stonewall Jackson received his death
wound, and the plucky little horse
then passed into the Keeping of his
masters father-iu-law,a a clergyman. In
1856 he died death natural to vener-
able horseAesh after having seen nearly
ten terrible battles, and his body, very
skillfully mounted, now stands in
glass case in tue library of the Sol
diers' home, Virginia.
There are very few American chill
dren who do not know that General
Sheridan's most noted black warhorse
was called Rienzi He, too, outlived
all the perils of war, not dying until
1876, when his body was mounted,
and now can be seen i'll the museum
of Governors Island in New York
Bay.
General Andrew Jackson was nm
ardent horse lover, and three fine
chargers were always set aside for his
use when he was with the army. Ira
dition, however, does not say that he
favored or loved any special horse, but
it does say that when his men, ex-
hausted and downhearted, were max
ing forced marches along the heavy
roads, lie usually preferred to leave
his saddle and march with the SOL
diers.
General Fitzhugh Lee rode the
handsomest horse in the confederate
army-a Thoroughbred mare named
Nellie Grey. But, spite of her beauty
and her bold, brave spirit, poor Nellie
fell in the thick OF the fight at the
battle of Winchester.-New York Sun.