The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-20
STORIES OF FAMOUS WAR HORSES.
J"cksen's Charger Marion old
Whitley of the Mexican War. |
Black Tom, the Jumper.

Not even the bloody repulses recently
inflicted by the Beers of South Africa on
the British forces under Gems. Metnuen
and Butler were so surprising or appall-
ing as the losses of Sir Edward Packen-
ham. at New Orleans in January, 1915,
when his command met with the most dis
astrous defeat ever sustained by a British
army. In that campaign the American
commander used three war horses, the
favorite being a bright bay stallion, on
which jackson was mounted on that fate
ful Sth of January. The charger Marion
is mentioned in the popular ballod of
The Battle of New Orleans" So far as
the writer is aware, writes Gen. James
Grant Wilson, in Our Animal Friends,
none of Old Hickory's hiographers affords
any information concerning his battle
steeds, and, curiously enough. the writer
Is inde bted for almost all that Is known
OF his celebrated war horse to Chaplain
General Gleig. the last survivor among
the commissioned officers, who fought in
the battle of New Orleans. The Tennes-
see frontiersman, politician and soldier
was fine rider, an ardent admirer of
horses, and the owner of many fast run
ners that he was fond of racing. Not a
few of them were sons of his charger
Marion. Lieut.. Lavack, the only I'M
wounded British officer who surmounted
the American parapets In the battle OF
New Orleans, was kindly spoken to by
jackson. then mounted on his war horse.
and later described both TO his friend
Gleig, then captain of an infantry regi-
ment. Sixty years after the terrible dis
ester, the venerable chaplain-general of
the British army, under his own roof on
the estate of Strathfeldsaye repeated to
the writer I.auack'a ~
and his magnificent battle charger Marion.
fine portrait of "Old Hickory" and his
horse as they appeared at the time of
MS great victory may be seen
in the City Hall, New YORK.
At was painted by John vanderlyn.
Old Whitley was the most famous
steed of the Mexican War, Gen. William
b. Franklin writes: "Old Whitley was
Taylor's favorite horse. and was as we'll
known to his army as the General him
self He was snow white, and the Gen
ersl always rode him, notwithstanding
the remonstrances of his staff officers,
who were apprehensive that his color
would make him too prominent a mark
in action. He resembled an English cob
in figure. was fine animal. and all who
we're near the General became very fond
of the horse" Gen. Longstreet gays: II
romber clearly Gen. Taylor and his war
horse, Old Whitley. His usual position
when his horse was standing was one leg
over the pommel of the saddle. Stonewall
Jackson's horse, Sorrell, was much of
the style of Old Whitley but was not
white" The last survivor of President
Taylor's immediate family writes: "You
ask about Old Whitley. He was a great
pet with us all. and was never ridden
after my fathers return from Mexico,
and when he went to Washington the
war horse was sent to his plantation
During his term as President there was
so much interest and curiosity expressed
to see the old charger that he had him
brought to Washington, and after my
fathers death he was sent back to the
plantation then the home of my brother,
Richard, where Whitley lived to a good
old age. He was pretty we'll denuded of
both name and tail by sightseers."
Winfield Scot, born two years later than
Taylor, during his campaigns in Mexico
rode two favorite war horses. They were
both about II hands, for he was so large
and heavy that no ordinary horse could
carry him. Rollo was beautiful bay,
stylish and spirited, and the other charger
was bright sorrel named Washing ton.
The battle steed owned by Scott during
the Civil War was, like Rollo, a blood
bay, but nearly IS hands high. He was
probably the largest and most powerful
steed ever ridden by soldier The old
General was greatly attached to Napo-
leon as he named him, and when, owing
to the infrmites of age he could no
longer use him under the saddle he was
driven in harness to SCOTS coupe. The
day before the hero of the two widely
separated wars of 1912 and 1886 died at
West Point, In May, 1866. he called the
groom, who is still living, to his bed
side, and said: Peter, take good care
of my horse" At the military funeral,
which followed four days later at West
Point, the leviathan Napoleon. properly
caprisoned, followed the remains of his
master in the procession to the United
States Cemetery. a procession which in
cluded Grant. seven corps commanders,
and some 300 general and field officers.
all on foot. walking behind SCOTS wa.
horse
Only less celebrated than Old Rough
and Ready's favorite charger was Capt
Charles Augustus Mays Black Tom, a
magnificent and coal-back gelding, such
peerless steed as Theodore Winthrop in
troduced in his finest story under the
name OF Don Fulado. or the Forest King
In Ouida's novel, Under Two Flags"
May, mounted on Tom, was the beau
sabreur Of Taylor's army in Mexico en-
joying the same reputation for dash that
Custer won in the army Of the Potomac
nearly two decades later. Al the head
of his squadron of the Second United
States Dragons Capt. May led a gallant
charge against a Mexican battery in the
battle of Resaca de la Palma, May g. 1886
and leaping Tom over one of the guns
captured Gen. La Vega and the entire
battery OF six pieces. May enjoyed an I'M
surpassed military record for leaping with
Tom, and. IL is possible, one that has