Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-06-14
Life of the War Horse.

| According 10 the estimate OF Joseph
Chamberlain, horsehesh in the war
with South Africa will cost the British
$1,000 ,OOO,which means So, 900 horses
will have been sent to the Transvaal
before the waris over. As a rule, the
mortality among war horses is greater
than the mortality among soldiers
Some time ago members Of a humane
society in England petitioned the
Queen TO have special means taken to
put quickly out of their misery all
horses that We're mOrtally wounded on
the field of battle. Victoria promised
to do all she could in that direction,
but the petitioners were made to un-
derstaud tnat the alheyiauon Of AMI
nal suffering was necessarily a minor
consideration in warfare At Grave
lotte the German Artillery lost 500
horses to $50 men, and the cavalry
lost 200 horses to 100 men. At Won
Vile the German guns lost 900 horses
to 73O men, and the cavalry 1000
horses to ! 400 men, The Austrian
cavalry lost l 800 horses and the Ger
man cavalry $40 horses at Koniggra;z.
In the charge of the Six Hundred at
Balaklava the Light Brigade lost $50
horses and $50 men out Of GO. In
the old days, when cavalry fought at
exceedingly close quarters, the loss Of
horses was slightly less than that OF
men. Napoleon entered Russia with
10000 horses and left it with less than
1000. A large percentage Of this
loss, of course, was due to disease In
Egypt, in 1882, half of the British
horses had to be treated by veterinary
surgeons, and 600 horses had to be
killed as incurable.
Besides the ordinary diseases OF
horses on land, the experiences Of a
long sea voyage, such as it is necessary
to make to place an army into South
Africa, are destructive Of the animals
and, even with the best of care, har-
rowing to the humane person. Horses
get seasick lust as their masters do,
and even in the best constructed box
stalls the rolling and pitching of the
ship causes them great discomfort
But the suderings Of war horses in
this manner are not marker to the
torture of animals that ale transport
ed by water in the ordinary course Of
trade.
When the wal horse gets on land
far away from home be Is subject to
an ailment which most persons sup
pose troubles only mankind. He is
as much a prey of home-sickuess as
his rider-more so, in fact, for be can
not bring a philosophical turn Of mind
TO bear upon the situation. Nor can
he be shamed out Of it, like many
man. For many weeks horses that
are taken a long wav from home fret
and worry refuse to lie down and, if
not watched, will pound their feet to
pieces In our civil war it is said
more than a third of the horses were
affected in this way
In most respect. the horse in battle
behaves abont .e same as his rider.
Wait;p, makes him fearsome. He
trarobIes and ewo,ts When at lepotb
tho Ior,-avract..I eo,,r,pd comesapd
the line moves out the instructive
inclination Of man and beast is TO bolt.
Tho man v;I1 not and tbo bo,st can.
not for the crneI cnrb Is held in too
strong q hand In few minutes all
timidity is lost, the nostrils spread.
the eye flashes fire, and if the old fel-
low could fight he probably would.
If he is a cavalry horse and his rider
falls he continues with his set Of fours.
When thrown ont Of line he gallops
about, but, finding other riderless
horses, Joins them, and the rally call
of the trumpet brings them into ranks
in body each TO his troop The