Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1900-10-25
4mUaS,ASnHnsaSa1nSaS
Z HELEN BLAZES I
by Frederick Van Ressseiser. Z
Observation-Disclosures

THIS is story OF mare that made
her reputation during the weeks
Of almost iucessant lighting before
Petersburg and Bermuda Hundred.
She lost her life in a scrimmage In
which she was nearly the whole thing,
for she had way OF taking matters
into her own control and carrying her
rider into the thickest Of the fight,
whether he liked it or not.
She was such warrior herself that
when she got worked up 10 the proper
pitch she paid no attention 10 bugle
calls or orders. and always started In to
thrash the enemy single banded. That
was one reason why she was called
Helen Blazes. But there was another
her temper.
The name was not spelled just that
way by the boys OF the Third New York
cavalry, but Jeb Smith, the man who
rode her-and the only man who ever
could ride her-wes minister before
the war broke out 50 be changed the
original three words OF her name into
two, thus quieting his conscience and
sa,isfying "the boys" at the same time.
cbo nas nioled M ono nigb, on n
.co,,i,a expedition Wink Tomkins
brnugh, her iJto comp the next morn
hin s,,earing a, pIezes when thew were
a mia av,y and between his curses
,nd ,ba l,nohter ~ his compapions
and The plunpine and kicking. biting
and striking Of The mare as they ap-
pro,ched il made A pretty sight for
tired cayalrymeu.
.There by tbunderl" said Wink.
"I.ye landed her here. COS I said
would The fellow that cnn ride her,
can bnye her. for all / care" and he
pitched tbe lend rome TO me.
plo,e. wss n beou,v there was no de-
nyi,o tbat md old McNamnra-our
csntain-bnd his c,e ON her from the
momon, be saw her.
VIII ,ber.,s No r,e IN descr,bing mn
,ha, h,nnened ,ben 7, ,ook s;y ~ MS
a. ~, = saddIo and hr;dIo nm ber and
,hree On, ~ ,bo CIV were laid nm unat
tar dnty tor n uoeL .f,er Il. and nf,er
,h,, 10 ,trew ono af,er ano,her
ore,,v nenr tho whole compnnv.
Nobody could ride her until .leb Smith
rame nlong He bad ms, been relieved
from gnard and WINS tired. but when
b;s sye. lighted on the mare he bright
,ned nm
.sr,a,,. , ho,r,r hoy.r be .,id for
r.. ra. a areo, lover q, borseaesb n
no ,,,s A. nnr,on Tbe marc wns stand
Ino ,dl. n, ,ho, uomen, as doc,le ns n
kis,en. and nobody in The world would
ssys rnessed whe, d.viI ,bere wos in
her Tomnl ins drawled ont.
.oe, on ber back narson md trv
herr
Mind vou there wn, NOT one In the
crowd who bnd NOT tried her. and who
could NOT show n substantial bruise
for his ,emeritv. But the parson never
rouob, on nj nj, and we nil stood bock
while be handed His niece 10 n com.
rade and wi,bort n moment,s bexita-
,ions walked .traigbt nm 70 the mare
and hegon IN rub her nose. and what's
more she seemed ,o like n
W. oo,,Ia h.vo nnrcho,ed Tho v,o,s
connany for n very small sum n, that
ro,ar; for ,yo ,eI, m;,b,v cbpan We
d,dnt t,ow whe,ber II w.s irgglerv
or wb,, I, wo. hu, tbo mo, yemeined
,h,, ,hs na,re d,d M, ,rea, him os sbe
bad rented n.
.say. parson." bawled Wink Tomp-
Tins "baye Won ever seen the critter
hoforoor
.Cer,.,n,v mn, xya. IN. calm renIv.
.why ." :,
aNoii I'm, .h,owed, pov. +bere's
.n,h,n, H. ral,a,on auor oIIn
Win. ha ,ss ,,n. oxnro..,nn him.
al, ,ah Iced I ,a,o esaAd,a ga In \
,ao,,., ss, - S - 49, G ,,d,a'' asonna ,ha
r,oaa =. 49, ao.s "a" n,aa,a p,o.as
paot pi,s'.,. - 1sa,aS ' =" ssoi,sS ,ou 80
80 80 "a s,,,,a T e. ,,,aot, u, 900,
ct,,',n., "nu ,ysu - ny Sersa 90, al
a. a. ,i,Sss ~ ~ ,te'.a5 eos H.. IT, ~ SO U.s.
80 .wsa 80 o,.a. ~ 30" .,u a'ras,ta % ,.
.vn,' Wv % Iah. M ron,~a ' onrnaS ~. G son. 800
..;5 IA A., "a l. .r,,,s ,,t,.
= ~ .oo,.I v on ri. M taoa ' wa
w -, =" ,u -,
w" 80 Nas ue.'s wv, "no nc
, ,.n'u WIN i'1,u,' allaAenleu' Nnei We 'o,u
@ hiui "ua' .l,'.s We p.eu nnN'ug, ~
:, ""s p'",n 'nut u. u,u uo' uv,'s.' VI, ~ o'
~ ~ a." p'ss'.,'y y. ,ru ~ "T"y " .ue
''ao''' 'ooN '"e s"uu'e on ""u ''u u.''
mere was on'y po'e between tue
horses' onu 1eo haont gov na' way
Daeh 10 "nere we were el'ung' "nen
mere was 'ne worst raoke' 10 ,oat s,n-
pic you ever nearu' iouu nave 'hough'
'he reos were ailer Us ior lhe
noise ~u 'umui| inc horses
heigueu ana squea'eu ana you eoulu
neut ooarGs spuhterlhg ana umoers
in''ne, blazes hnd Neked herseif
loose lhu up TWO horses' Scared ior