Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-06
DAILY SHORT STORY
My War Horse.
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CEeHceS 10 SOl(IeT > tEuSly SMOfu OF
trusty rifle and all that, but I tell
you there is nothing so dear to
cavalryman as his horse. A sword or
a rife is an inanimate object, but q
horse is living thing. When a man
is in q tight place his horse knows it
the same as he does himself, and acts
accordingly. / have been lost at night
when I didn't know whether 1 was
riding into-but I'm getting ahead of
my story.
When the civil war came on l vol
unteered in the cavalry service and re-
manned private during the whole
war. don't believe there was another
man-certainly not many-who served
through the war and rode the same
horse from start TO finish. 1t was all
luck. my getting Browny, as l called
him-because he was a sort of brown
chestnut l drew him from the
stock just like any other horse. But 1
hadn't ridden him day before l dis
covered that l had drawn a prize. 1
was lost one night--as l was saying
soon after 1 got Browny, when we
were advancing I'm Virginia after
very hard campaign toward Rich
mond In other words, / got turned
round. 1 was carrying a message as
headquarters orderly between two
corps of the army, and it was so dark
couldn't see the turnpike. For
time l could tell l was on it by the
sound of the horses hoofs on the
stones, but gradually the sounds
ceased and l knew | was on the turf.
dismounted and tried to find the pike,
but couldn't do it. Somehow it was
kind of lonesome out there in the dark,
and Browny knew very well how
felt, for he put his nose over my
shoulder and l embraced him just as
would a human being. Finally 1
mounted him and was starting off,
as 1 supposed, In the right direction.
but Browny turned about. l tried lay
best to get him to go as l wanted him,
but it was no use He simply wouldn't.
While l was struggling with him it
grew lighter and 1 saw that the way
1 was trying for was plumb into the
enemy's lines.
This was the beginning of my friend
ship for Browny. For four years he
carried me everywhere. He was twice
so badly wounded that l thought I'd
have to shoot him, but each time l
stuck to him till got him out of it.
though l admit good luck helped me
by keeping me in one place for some
time after he was struck. During the
whole OF my campaigns the horse
knew danger as well as l and scented
it far quicker than l. But when we
were in it. though he didn't like it,
never failed to manage him with the
greatest ease.
Well, we were coming to the last
fight either of us was destined to take
part in-that is, the battle of Nashville.
l was serving with my company and
was detailed on vcdette duty. One
night shortly before the battle | was
placed under g tree about which
creek wound. 1t would have been
good position, being well screened on
a starlight night. but the night l refer
to was dark as Erebus. / dismounted
and leaned against the tree, with my
rifle cooked. AS for Browny, l left the
reins over the pommel of the Mcclellan
saddle and let him do as he liked. He
had better eyes to see in the dark than
/, or better nose TO feel, for l heard
him drink from the creek, then nihblc
the grass within a few feet of me. But
presently he stopped, and for time L
didn't hear sound. Then l felt
Browny's nose rubbing against me.
put my arms around his neck, and for
n time neither of us moved. We knew
what each was saying perfectly well.
'"This is no fun, old horse, is it?'
said. "Out here, when l should be In
II,
cred stall We're right in the face of
the enemy, who are liable to come
down on us at any moment, and the
first thing either of us knows we may
have a whole regiment right on us, for
we can't see beyond the tips of our
noses, and they'll come so slyly that
we can't hear them"
Then l fancied Browny replying:
81 can hear better than you, M boy,
and If I'm not mistaken there is
movement out there beyond the creek.
That's the reason l stopped nibbling
and came to you. You'd save yourself
and do a service to the command by
withdrawing and tell them that you
suspect an attack"
ST couldn't do that, Browny, till
know they're there. ia be disgraced."
Suddenly Browny raised his head. l
slipped my hand along his ear, and,
as L suspected, 1 could feel that it
was pointed forward. Then, with a
quick movement, he sprang forward,
covering my body. AS he did so l saw
a fash just across the creek, within
twenty yards of me, and heard shot.
Browny gave a shrek and fell dead.
He had received the bullet intended for
me.
1 believed that after the shot If there
was a line of skirmisbers advancing
they would push right forward, and,
turning, / darted backward. Before
1 had taken a dozen steps l heard
scattered reports along the line, which
soon looked like n string of exploding
firecrackers, as far as could see. The
enemy were upon us.
Well, we drove them back and before
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