The Washington times., 1901-06-30

speed. put spurs TO Am. and. lying al
most fat upon the horses neck, speedily
came to the front and. amid the widest
cheering from the thousands present,
overlook the runaway, seized the bride
and the President was saved from a fate
that might have been even more serious
than that which befcII Grant at New Or
leans in the previous September IincoIn's
lost hat, trampled under foot by the
horses OF the pursuing cavalcade of gem
erals with their staffs. was replaced by
an army cap and the review closed with
oot further incident.
Gen. Nathaniel P Banks, an accom-
plished horseman, possessed two beauti-
ful bay chargers while IN command of the
Department of the Gulf. When General
Grant visited New Orleans in September.
1853. review of the Thirteenth Corps. re-
Gently arrived from Yicksburg. was held
IN his honor. Banks rode his greatest
favorite, Shenandoah, purchased In Vir-
sinia, and Grant was mounted on his
other horse. Charlie. who had been
wounded in the battle of Cedar Noun
tain, August. 1862.
4 GREAT SOLDIERS MISHAP.
After the review the above officers. with
their staffs and many others. including
Lorenzo Thomas. the Adjutant General
of the United States Army, then organ
izing regiments of colored troops in
Louisiana, were invited by a wealthy
planter to luncheon party Before the
entertainment was concluded a trial Of
speed on the shell road was arranged by
General Thomas between Grant, mounted
on Charlie. and young cavalry colonel,
who was the owner OF a Kentucky thor
oughbred bay called Donna. As they
sped along neck and neck, on the Car
rolton road, the riders, in turning a sharp
bend of the road. came suddenly face to
face with an approaching train. which,
together with a shrek of the locomotive,
caused the spirited Charlie to swerve
from his course, throwing the general
over his head
This unfortunate accident confined
Grant to his bed for several weeks, and,
perhaps, was in d measure responsible
for the defeat OF the Northern Army at
Chickamauga, when otherwise he would
have arrived in season to avert the dis
aster that overlook the Union forces COM
manded by General Rosecrans. As soon
as the general was able to move about
on crutches he proceeded to Chattanooga,
and soon relieved that beleagured town
by gaining a great victory over General
Bragg For two months after his fall
Grant could not walk without the aid
Of a cane and crutch.
AT the close of the civil war Charlie
was brought to the North and for many
years was kindly cared for at the Massa-
chusetts home of General Banks, in Wal
than, where he died and was buried.
The beautiful Virginia bay enjoys the
unique distinction Of being the only horse
among many score that he mounted that
ever unseated the iIlustrious soldier,
Grant, who was noted for his consum-
mate riding in boykood and as cadet
at the United States Military Academy
OF the class of '43. OF which there are
now ds0D but three srryivors-Deshon,
French. and Franklin.
TWICE WOUNDED IN ACTION.
The favorite war horse of the hero of
Gettysburg was raised in the West.
Baldy. who was bay with a white face
ana feet, saw his first service at the
battle of Bull Run, where he received two
wounds. He was ridden at that time by
Col. David Hunter. Having entirely re-
covered from his injuries. he was pur-
chased by General Meade in the follow
ing September Badly was shot, though
not badly hurt. in the second battle Of
Bull Run. and was wounded through the
neck at Antietam, but this also proved
to be slight. and he soon recovered. He
received his last and most serious wound
in the afternoon of July 2. 1868. in the
battle OF Gettysburg
General Meade had just ridden to the
front of the left centre of the long battle
line as the re-enforcemeuts were being
hurried forward to the support of that
part of the army, when a bullet passed
through the right pantaloon leg of Meade.
as well as the flaps Of the saddle, and
then into Baldy's body between the ribs,
where it remained. When shot, the steed
came to a standstill and staggered a
little. but very soon recovered. He could
not, however. be induced to go forward,
and endeavored to turn away to the rear;
no amount of coaxing or urging on the
part of his master could induce him to
move on. The general. dismounting, re-
married.: "BaIdy is finished this time,
for Il is the first occasion that he ever
refused to go under fire" He was then
led to the rear, Meade being supplied with
another charger.
In the hope that Baldy would recover
he was kept until the following spring
though the general was never able to ride
him again. Just before the Army of the
Potomac crossed the Rapidan he was sent
to Philadelphia, and soon after placed in
charge OF Capt. Samuel Ringwalt, of
Downington, Pa. who had served under
General Meade in the early days of the
war, and who knew all about Baldy. He
remained under his care until the war
closed, when his master returned to Phil
adelphia TO find his favOrite horse fully
recovered and in as good condition as
ever. He used him constantly for sever
al years. until. from long service and ad
vancing age, he became unsafe as a sad
die horse.
Badly was then presented to friend in
Montgomery County. who took the best of
care of him until his death, in December,
1882, when he was believed to be thirty
years of age. His last service was in No
vember, 1872, when he was present in the
hero's funeral cortege, following the re-
mains of his old master to their resting
place, in Laurel Cemetery. Philadelphia,
near the grave of Commodore Isaac Hull.
After Baldys death, his head and neck
and fore-hoofs were secured and are now
cherished relics of the George c. Meade
Post, No. l. Department of Pennsylvania.
c. A. r. At its headquarters in Chestnut
Street, Philadelphia, may be seen the
head, handsomely mounted on an ebony
shield with a record of wounds emblazon-
ed on either side; also two hoofs of Baldy.
finished in gold and the shoes of silver.
preserved on gIass-covered ebony brack-
ets.-Sen James Grant Wilson in "Our
Animal Friends
rTr7 uATr pENNv MERCHA