The times., 1899-02-13
A FoUR-FooTED VETERAN.
An Old Confederate Uors, of Many
Campaigns.

died the other day. ana was accorded
something unusual in the obsequies of
dumb animals military funeral.
The horse was known as old Colonel"
and had lived to an extreme old age on
the farm OF John Dempsey. at Oak Grove.
in this county. He had grown gray and
stiff. and showed marks of longevity in
many ways. When but a colt he was car
ried of 10 the civil war by Walter and
Bill Greer. when they joined Cobb's Le-
gion. both being members OF Company C
Of that famous hard-rding, hard fighting
command.
Colonel was taken along as an extra
horse. He was such an ugly and ungainly
animal that neither OF his joint masters
cared to appear astride of him on parade,
except in cases OF the direst emergency,
but when they would lose horse or one
of their mounts would go lame. or any
thing else would occur which would neces-
state a fresh mount, they would bring out
Colonel
He was big-hesded. deep-chested, and
inclined 10 be knock-kneed. In color he
was of sallow brown. which did not
tend 10 improve his general appearance,
and he was as clumsy as he was ugly.
But his powers Of endurance We're re-
markable. He could march all day and
all night, and after every other horse in
the company was completely jaded. he
would jog along cheerfully. apparently
about as good as when he started.
He was in all the hot engagements of
MechanicsviIle. Seven Pines. Bunker Hill,
Sharpsburg and the innumerable cavalry
fights in which Cobb's legion participated
while part of the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia. The legion. as first mustered in.
was commanded by the gallant Thomas Il.
r. Cobb but after his death was led by
various other commanders, and was kept
in the forefront of those stirring scenes
that cast such romantic glamour over
the cavalry branch Of the Confederate SER
vice.
On one occasion the regiment was at
tackled with such fury. and a movement
from the flank and rear being executed at
the same time, that the baggage and camp
equipage fell into the hands of the Union
troops. Among other things that thus be-
came the spoils of war were a number of
extra horses. including Old Colonel. The
legion fell back until strong position was
reached when it halted and prepared 10
act on the defencive, just beyond Meadow
Bridge. Sentinels were posted. and every
thing made ready for the expected attack.
Suddenly the noise Of hoofbeats rapidly
approaching aroused one of the sentries.
and he cooked his carbine and made ready
to fire on what he supposed was a scout
from the Union forces. Imagine his sur
prise when over the rise appeared Old
spreading his crooked legs from side to
side so as to preserve his equilibrium He
carried a halter around his neck, and it
was evident that he had been carelessly
tied up. or that some camp follower had
allowed him to so unmatched, and the old
fellow had taken the first opportunity of
escaping and rejoining his comrades. When
the sentry reported to the corporal of the
guard what had occurred Colonel was led
into the camp in triumph and amid the en-
thusiastic cheers of the men. From that
day forward he was among the favored
ones of Cobb's legion. Finally the COM
mand was ordered to join Gen. Joseph E.
Johnston. at Dalton, Ga, and Colonel went
with the legion. All through that terrible
campaign from Dalton to Atlanta and
Jonesboro, and back again to Bentonville,
y. c., where Johnston's army surrendered,
Colonel was a faithful follower of the for
tunes of the Confederacy.
Along toward the last days he was in
more frequent reQuisition by his masters,
as forage became scarce and the horses
they rode frequently succumbed to hunger
and fatigue, and on every such occasion
the unfortunate rider fell back on Old
Colonel After the close of the war Colonel
was brought back to his old home, and
for several years he was used as dray
horse in the city of Atlanta.
But even after he had been reduced to
such menial drudgery he preserved much
of the spirit of the old campaigner. The
sound of a bugle would cause the veteran
TO prick up his ears and prance around,
and it was somewhat difficult to keep him
under control until the excitement wore
off. But first one and then the other of his
soldier masters passed into the great be-
yond, and Old Colonel became the property
of John Dempsey, prosperous farmer OF
Oak Grove, and brother-in-law of the
Greers. He had grown so old and stif in
the joints by that time that he was unfit
for active work so in memory of his long
and faithful services both in war and
peace, Dempsey turned him into a pasture
and permitted him to pass his remaining
days in ease. A stall was set apart for him
and he was given plenty to eat, plenty oi
warm straw for bedding, and allowed tc
roam at will between the barn and the
pasture.
To visitors he was pointed out as vet
eran of the war, and one of the survivors
of Cobb's Legion, and he was long an OBJ
lect Of interest to those who cherished the
memories Of the war and the daring deed:
Of those reckless riders. He lost his teeth
that he had to be fed on soft food but
still his master would not agree that he
should be shot. He had determined TO keer
the old veteran as long as he lived, and he
carried out his determination.
Finally, few days ago, Old Colonel wa:
found stretched out in his stall cod in
death, and when the fact was reported tc
his master, the latter declared that OLD
Colonel should have military funeral ST
he had grave prepared in corner of tn,
pasture large enough TO contain the re
mains Of the old hero. The body was sew
ed up in a covering of cotton bagging ant
hauled TO the grave, followed by an escor
of veterans of the Confederacy living il
the ueigfl,Orhood with arms reversed an
all the usual marks of respect paid IN
dead in military funerals. When the so
had been heaped above the yellow noun
a final salute was fired above the grave
and Old Colonel was left TO repose in a
honored grave, after life of fidelity an
fortitude such as any horse might be prou
of, if horses were supposed to take pride j
such things.
He must have been near on 10 fort
years of age at the time of his death, ana
with the exception OF a little Old gra
mule that is still living an active life u
in Floyd county. he is the last four-legge
veteran within my knowledge in this STATE
The mule in question belongs to an Irish
man by the name OF O'Brien. who drOv
the animal in the Confederate artillery ser
vice until the close of the war, and man
aged to bring 1t home with him after tn
surrender. oBrien has been engaged i
truck growing and running a dairy "a
many years, and that old mule has haule
his produce TO Rome, four OF five mile
distant, during all these years, and is sti
in active service. II has the legendar
&C. S. A. branded on its tough hid
which is prima facie evidence that 1t is
survivor OF the JeiI Davis government.
Old Colonel bore the same brand throug
all the yicissitudes Of his many campaign
between Maryland and Georgia, and, a