The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-13
STORIES OF WAR HORSES.
GEN. JACKSON'S CHARGER MARI
ON.
Old Whitley OF the Mexican Vvar-RIack
Tom, the Jumper The Loss of Fire
Eater.


Tom, the Jumper The Loss OF Fire
Eater.
Not even the bloody repulses recently
Inflicted by the Beers of South Africa
on the British forces under Generals
Methuen and Butler were so surprising
or appalling as the Losses Of Sir Edward
Packenham at New Orleans in Janua-
~, 1915, when his command met with
the most di:sa strous defeat ever sus-
tanned by British army. In that cam
paign the American commander used
three war horses, the favorite being a
bright bay stallion, on which Jackson
was mounted on that Hateful Sth of Jan
+. nary. The charger Marion is mentioned
in the popular ballad of 1.-THE Battle of
New Orleans" So far as the writer is
aware, writes General James Grant Will
son, in Our Animal Friends, none of Old
Hickorys biographers affords any in
formation concerning his battle steeds,
and, curiously enough, the writer is in
debted 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 Ten
nessee frontiersman, politician and SOL
der was a fine rider, an ardent admir-
er of horses, and the owner Of many
fast runners that he was fond of racing.
/ Not a few of them We're sons of his
charger Marion. Lieutenant Lavack,
the only unwounded British officer who
4 fYe,,,r hA ~.
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 regiment Sixty years after
the terrible disaster, the venerable
chaplain general of the British army,
under his own roof on the estate of
Strathfieldsaye, repeated to the writer
Lavack's account of Jackson and his
magnificent battle charger Marion. A
fine portrait of "Old Hickory" and his
horse as they appeared at the time of
his great victory may be seen in the
city hall, New York 1t was painted by
John Vanderlyn.
Old Whitley was the most famous
steed of the Mexican war, General
William B. Franklin writes: cold
Whitley was Taylors favorite horse, and
was as well known to his army as the
general himself. He was snow white,
and the general always rode him. not
withstanding the remonstrances of his /
staff officers. who were apprehensive |
that his color would make him too |
prominent mark in action. He reser- !
bled an English cob in figure, was a
fine animal, and all who were near the
general became very fond of the horse" |
General Longstreet says: II remember
clearly General 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, Sorre, was
much of the style Of Old Whitley, but
was not white" The last survivor of
Resident Taylor's immediate family
writes. "You ask about Old Whitley.
He was 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
,harger that he had him brought to
Washington and after my fathers
ieath he was sent back to the planta-
ion, then the home of my brother,
Richard, where Whitley lived to good
Id age. He was pretty well denuded
If both name and tail by sightseers."
Winfield Scott, born two years later
han Taylor, during his campaigns in
Mexico rode two favorite war horses.
They were both about seventeen hands, !.
or he was so large and heavy that no
ordinary horse could carry him. Rollo I.
vas beautiful bay, stylish and spirit +,
ID, and the other charger was bright
orrel named Washington. The battle /.
teed owned by Scott during the civil !
var was, like Rollo, a blood bay, but ..
early eighteen hands high. He was
the largest and most powerful
teed ever ridden by soldier. The old :.
eneral was greatly attached to Napo- !,
.on, as he named him, and when, owing :
D the infirmities of age, he could no !,
niger use him under the saddle, he was :
riven in harness to Scott's coupe. The !,
ay before the hero of the two widely :
eparated wars of 1912 and 1876 died at :
Vest Point, in May 1856, he called the
room, who is still living, to his bed !
Idle, and said: peter, take good care !.
{ my horse" AT the military funeral, =
hitch followed four days later at West :
'oint, the leyiathan Napoleon, proper
caparisoned, followed the remains of
Is master in the procession to the Uni =
ID States cemetery, procession which =
lcluded Grant seven corps command =
~ and some two hundred general and