The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-07-11
MY WAR HORSE
tOr!ginal /

lOr!ginall
The story books are full Of ref.
erences to a soldiers trusty sword or
trusty rifle and all that, but | tell
you there is nothing so dear to a
cavalryman as his horse. A sword or
a rifle is an inanimate object, but a
horse is living thing. When man
ks in n tight place his horse knows ii
the same as he does himself, and acts
accordingly. | have been lost at night
when | didn't know whether | was
riding into but I'm getting ahead OF
my story.
When the civil war came on | vol
unteered in the cavalry service and re-
maned private during the whole
war | don't believe there was another
man certainly not many served
through the war and rode the same
horse from start TO finish. 1t was all
luck, my getting Browny, as | called
him-becauSe he was a sort of brown
chestnut since | drew him from the
stock just like any other horse. But
hadn't ridden him n day before | dis
covered that | had drawn Il prize. |
was lost one night-as | was saying
soon after | got Browny, when we
We're advancing in Virginia after a
very hard campaign toward Rich
mond In other words, ! got turned
round | was carrying a message as
headquarters orderly between two
corps Of the army, ana it was so dark
l couldn't see the turnpike. For "A
time | could tell was on it by the
sound of the horses hoofs on the
stones, but gradually the sounds
ceased and | knew ! was on the turf.
l dismounted and tried 10 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 embraced him just as
would human being. Finally |
mounted him and was starting off,
as | supposed. in the right direction,
but Browny turned about. | tried my
best to get him to go as wanted him,
but 1t was no use. He simply wouldn't.
While | was struggling with him it
grew lighter and | saw that the way
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
30 badly wounded that thought Id
have to shoot him, but each time |
stuck to him till | got him out of II.
though | 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 | and scented
II far quicker than |. But when we
were in 1t, though he didn't like If, |
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.
| was serving with my company and
was detailed on vedctte duty One
might shortly before the battle | was
placed under tree about which
creek wound. II would have been a
good position being well screened on
a starlight night but the night | refer
to was dark as Erebus ! dismounled
and leaned against the tree, with my
rife cooked. As for Erowny, ] left the
reins over the pOmmel of the Md lellan
saddle and let him do a. he liked. tie
had better eyes to see IN the dark than
[, or better nose to feel, sor ! heard
him drink from the creek, then nlhbic
the grass within a few feet of me But
presently he stopped, and for a time
didn't, bear sound. Then felt