The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-02-13
HORSES IN BATTLE:
TWO GOOD STORIES
Major J. A. Watrous, u S. A., in the
Kansas City Star.

Major J. A. Watrous, U. S. A., in the
Kansas City Star
rAMES F. LYON, of the First Wis
consln cavalry, told me this story
about a good horse in battle-a
story which General o. H. La
- Grange, of that regiment, now
governor Of the national home for
soldiers in California confirms:
I'VE had in our company a young
German named Schultz. His horse was
his especial pride. Sometimes Schultz
went to sleep without rations, but his
horse never. No matter how scarce or
young Germans horse always had an
evening feed, a thorough rubbing down,
loving pat and good night, Frank
In two languages-broken English and
German. Many time have T seen
Schultz skirmish for a lunch for his
horse when we halted to make coffee
instead of preparing his own lunch.
While the rest OF us stayed in our tents
and read or played cards, Schultz would
keep Franks company for hours, some
times talking German to him and some
times English. Some of our horses
showed lack of care; Franks showed
overcare; was always in good order; in
camp he glistened like a new plug
hat and seemed as fond of his master
as his master Of him. When the At
lantic campaign opened, in May, 1854,
prettier horse than Schultz and Frank
in the First.
Our first fight Of note in that cam
paign was at Varnells station May 9.
Somebody-never mind who-made
mess of it. Our little brigade, the
Second of the First cavalry division,
consisting of the Second and Fourth
7r1I TU
manded by Colonel : o. H. LAGRANGE,
was thrown against General Joe Wheel
er's entire, command and we fought 1t
all day." We started to charge, but
were ordered to fight on foot. We were
already under fire and in considerable
confusion and only portion OF the
command heard the order, so it hap
p 1 that some of US fought as cav
airy and some as infantry. Schultz re-
manned mounted and did heroic SER
vice. Early in the fight his pet was
shot. AS the animal made. but little
fuss over it and steadied down quickly
his rider remained in the battle all day,
having Travelled many miles in the per-
Torrance of important and dangerous
tasks the wounded animal SEEMING
to enter into the spirit of the work as
at O'Clock the brigade camped
II
he lay down. shultz thought it was
because the horse, like himself, was
red, and, after patting him and tell
ing him in both languages what a
splendid fellow he had been that day
and thanking him for carrying him
safely through one of the hottest bat
ties, he busted himself with supper
getting. In the forage bag were sew
eral ears of corn. After his own re-
ct of o11y ooir1
| cooked white pork, such banquet as
| many a soldier has been more thankful
for than he was for the feast of last
Thanksgiving, Shultz shelled the corn
and took it. to Frank. The horse did
| nos welcome him as usual, did not rest
his head on his masters shoulder and
| look, if he did not speak, thanks Tor
such master. He didn't hear Shultz
| announce in German that he was COM
| dead and stiffening, showing t'lat soon
after lying down life had departed.
| when Schultz realized that his pet
| was dead he threw the corn down,
dropped by the side of the animal, ten
! derby laid one hand on his neck and
with the other gently rubbed his head,
as he had done many time before, and
sobbed like u child. In talking about
his loss the next day he said: MY poor
| HAd1lh Cou1u lOl lell lie He was Udu1y
hurt and ask to go to the hospital, as
would have done had I been shot.
He carried me all day as if he thought
1t was his duty and that things would
90 wrong if he didn't, and when the
battle was over and was getting sup
per he lay down and died. That horse
was better soldier than I am-than
any man in the regiment. No one
would have expected it of us, yet
| II Esron1r and ho did not
fail me. I shall never think as much
Of anything again as long as I live.
| With this outburst the poor fellow
broke down again, and none of his
comrades made light of the young Ger
mans sorrow; they knew it was sim
| cere."
That was d story Of good horse and
good soldier. Now let me tell you
about one Of the trials of a good soldier
with a bad horse.f The late General
John A. Kellogg, Who fought his way
from lieutenant> Of a company ito COM
manGer of brigade, bought mag
nificent roam a few days before General
| Grant began the closing campaign. It
was high spirited creature, tall, pow
| erfully built and speedy. Kellogg was
greatly pleased with his new possession
His staff had to do good deal Of fast
riding for "a week. before the closing
scenes Of the great contest began. The
general seemed to want everyone In the
so he; rode from camp to camp, making
social calls, his stan, made up, largely
Of new riders, bobbing and jolting be-
hind him. There was, not a man of
Kellogg's military family but regretted
I the birth Of thai Ioa IN He WAS tplting
their young lives away. 5 s5s ~
The day frrecko nins came at the
~ sSVr