The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-21
ARTILLERY TACTICS ON A FARM.
BchaviorofTwo Horses That Knew o .
... TIf,0c in Jbofr TuofnfnO

E~cbaviorofTwO Horses That Knew o. .
~ Three Things in Their Training.
Horses in the artillery are required to
know just three things. When they know
these three pieces OF Information they are
called battery broke and they are re-
Heved from all obligation to know another
thing during their careers. The first item
in the education OF the artillery horse is
that when he is standing still he Is to
stand still. regardless of everything, until
he gets the next order. Tho next point
u.s.. that when he IS ordered to 20, then
80 he shall for all there Is in him. The
third point Is, that when halted he shall
swing around in the direction from which
he has come and stand stock still, and
that is the p%rettiest Of all, for It goes to
the tune Of battery front into action"
When a horse in the artillery knows
those three things he's battery broke"
and he never needs TO know any more.
If there IS need Of a few bits Of miscel-
laneOus information the horse looks to
the artlleryman to know them.
The simplicity Of all this is what raised
hob on the farm. The commanding Off
Ger Of the farm had bought a pair Of con-
demned horses at an army sale. Fine. big
heavy beasts they were and there is sci
dom too much the matter with a horse
when the army comes to sell hin so there
IS many a good bargain TO be had in that
way so long as one doesn't mind the ~.
S" and the condemned brand on his bit
OF stock. This farmer maybe didn't know
the difference. or perhaps he forgot 10
make sure. and there was nobody at the
sale 10 tell him that these were battery
broke horses that knew only three things
and would never know more nor less.
The farmer had out his pair in a big
field. where ne was busy about some Of
the tasks which keep farmers busy at
this time OF year. Thoy We're hitched up
10 a good. big farm wagon. which took
up about as much room as the caisson
and timber did in the light battery I'm
which these horses had served, but IL
didn't begin 20 weigh anything like as
much. and was Just easy for those two
horses. AL went we'll so long as IT was
a question of using the first idea those
horses had. The field was q big one. and
they were stopped at one ed OF 81.
There they stood. The farmer C|hirrupfd
AZ them to follow him along the row he
was setting out. When that was Without
result he yelled Get api' witt O. innings.
The order was not military. but The trim
mines seemed natural: they reminded the
horses of the artillery. Still. The order
for the forward march had not ,1mo and
the horses were too well trained 90 budes.
At last the farmer came running up with
a whole lot Of almost genuine artillery
language and grabbed the whip and
dashed the horses. He did not hurt them
they were far too tough for that, but he
did convey the impression that the time
had come 20 bring their second idea into
play. They started for the other end Of
that field fun tint. as they had been
taught 10 go under all circumstances. and
with the fine scOrn Of what may he In the
way which character'Zes the artillery.
Along toward the other end OF The field
81 seemed 10 strike them that things were
not altogether as they used TO DE in the
old battery. there We're no drivers 10 keen
the pace ND and 10 use language. But
they found q farm road which worked
them around fho Geld roarf- -o v-ro-o
they started. THIS brought them back 70
the farmer. and the way in which he was
swearing made them feel natural once
more. Therefore when he got close
enough 10 them to enforce his order. al
though whoa was not quite fhe SOME
MS "halti' they wound up I'm fine shape
they swung The farm wagon clear AROUND
with n good imitation OF bat cry front
into action. Blu the wagon was 80 much
lighter than the piece 10 which they were
used that damage resulted The contents
Of the wagon were shot out upon the ad-
vancing former and left him buried under
a heap. The WAGON body was hur'od fa~
away through the air and came 10 grief
By striking the trunk Of a tree, the wheels