The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-08-13
w. @. Dodson Tells Of F'uR With Wheeler's
Cavalry.

oiu DIduua lelSuTely reacueQ over TO
give his fallen foe one more peck, the
latter sprung at him aud with one
sound leg struck the steel gaff nearly
through his enemys head. Brahma
fell back with disgraceful squawk,
and the battle was ended.
The Georgians we're almost wild,
while the Alabamians were CORES
pondingly depressed, and to make the
tragedy complete, General Morgan
drew his knife and cut Brahma head
off-remarking, with more human ma
turc than justice Il always thought
you were dunghill and now 1 know
: it,
: As previously stated, our usual
sport was horse riding, and many aud
exciting were the races we had. In
the best Of these Georgia and Alaba-
ma we're arrayed on opposite sides.
Toward the last the contest was mar
rowed down to two horses Grow
hop and "Claybank. "Crowhop"
was Yankee horse, captured by a
member Of the Sixth Georgia regi-
ment, aud took his name from being
String haltcd" which made him jerk
up one hind foot in rather peculiar
fashion. "Claybank" belonged to
man in my rcgiment-Fif'y-frst Ala,
bama, Partisan Rangers, and obvious
~ took his name from his color.
/ "Crowhop' was fast; could in fact
outrun anything in either the Georgia,
Alabama, Kentucky or Tennessee bri-
gades, provided he could be kept on
the course, but he had way Of flying
the track, sometimes even after he
had the race practically won. In the
last race between these two consider
able money was up, but the Georgians
didn I back their representative with
their usual enthusiasm.
Just before the horses started,
| Lieutenant Hodo, of the Sixth Geor-
gia, after excitedly asking on which
side Of the track Crowhop was to run,
made haste to the end Of the course
and proceeded to climb u tree. This
was after we had crossed the Savan-
nah river: following Sherman in his
infamous march to the sea, and on
each side of the race course were
number Of South Carolina militia.
They were, of course, amazed at Ho-
dos action, and inquired its meaning.
He said:
Boys: there's going to be cyclone
here pretty 5000. and am fixing to
stand from under
The race course was q straight one,
and the judges stood on either side, at
the end. each holding fence rail, by
which to sight which horse passed out
first.
Presently the horses came thunder
ing down the home stretch, Crowhop
about q hu6dred yards ahead, his jock
ey leaning back and riding easy, while
Claybank trailed in the rear, his rider
applying whip and spur.
| just as he appeared an easy winner,
Crowhop flew the track, and the pre-
dicted cyclone came to pass promptly
Oh time. He ran between one Of the
judges ard his fence rail, knocked
both down, jumped into the midst of
the militia, and those he didn't tram
pie he stampeded. While this was
going on Of course Claybank was get
ting in his work, and went under the
string or rather inside of the rail,
away ahead, much to the joy of the
Alabamians and the discontinue of
the Georgia contingent.
But the Alabamians' victory was
shortlived, for Claybank was soon to
meet his Waterloo, and lose his race
and his life at the same time.
After Savannah was captured the
command had few days respite be-
fore the beginning of the end. Of
course, we were never long in place
until sport Tas inaugurated and Geor-
, gia, smarting under her defeat, ban
tered Alabama for another race. This
time Cro"hop, being in disgrace, was
relegated to the rear, and big sorrel
horsc trotted out in his stead to con-
test the honors with Claybank.
Now, Claybank was q fast horse for
his day and time, and was fairly we'll
trained to run on straight track.
But he, like Crowhop. was not with
out an in6rmity, being blind in one
eye This probably woulo have made
but little difference if his rider had
had two eyes, but he was ridden by a
one eyed man, and both horse and
man were blind on the same side.
To make the comedy of errors COM
plete. there was a rather sharp curve