The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-04-14
An Army Horse Under Fire.

cago Times-Herald as follows:
We had in our company a
young German named Schultz.
His horse was his pride. Some
times Schultz went to sleep with
out rations. but his horse never.
No matter how scarce or how
hard it was to get forage, his
horse always had an evening
feed, a thorough rubbing down,
loving pat, and a good night,
Frank. Many a time have |
seen Schultz skirmish for 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,
sometimes talking German to
him and sometimes English.
Some of our horses showed lack
of care; Franks never. and
seemed as fond of his master as
his master of him. When the
Atlanta campaign opened IN May.
1864. there was not prouder
soldier or a prettier horse than
Schultz and Frank in the lst.
Our first fight Of note in that
campaign was at Varnells, Sta
ton. May 9. Somebody-never
mind who-made a mess of it.
: Our little brigade. the I'd of the
first cavalry division, was thrown
against Gen. Joe Wheeler's entire
command, and we fought it all
I day. We started to charge. but
. were halted in a piece of woods
and were ordered to fight on foot.
We were already under fire and
? in considerable confusion. and
only portion of the command
G heard the order. so it happened
o that some of US fought as cavalry
r and some a. infantry. Schultz
n remained mounted and did heroic
J.. service. Early in the fight his
{. pet was shot. As the animal
c made but little fuss over it and
; steadied down quickly his rider
i thought it was only a slight
r wound and remained in the bat
q tie all day, the wonderful animal
seeming to enter into the spirit of
e the work as completely as his
t master. That night at 8 O'Clock
e the brigade camped.
e The moment Frank was un-
y saddled he lay down Schultz
y thought il was because the horse,
, like himself, was tired, and,
70 after patting him and telling him
4 in both languages what a splend, d
n fellow he had been that day, and
It thanking him for carrying him
IS safely through one of the hottest
battles. he busted himself with
le supper getting. In the forage
L bag were several extra ears of
IS corn. After his own repast of
IS black coffee, crackers and un-
ID cooked white pork, such banquet
TO as many a soldier has been more
thankful for ian he was for the
Te feast of last Thanksgiving,
ID Schultz shelled the corn and took
y il to Frank. The horse did not
re welcome him as usual, did not
ts rest his head on the master S
It shoulder. and look, if he did not
10 speak. thanks for such a master.
Df lie didn't hear Schultz announce
Is in German that he was coming
st with double ration. Frank was
r dead and stiffening. showing that
n soon after lying down life had
y departed.
10 when Schultz realized that
to his pet was dead he threw the
ne corn down, dropped by the side
of the animal. tenderly laid one
hand on his neck and with the
other gently rubbed his head, as
he had done many times before.
and sobbed like a child. In talk
ing about his loss the next day
he said: My poor Frank couldn't
i. tell me he was badly hurt. He
carried me all day as if he thought
it was his duty, and when the
battle was over and | was get
! ting supper he laid down and
died.
~ That horse was a better soldier
~ than | am-than any man in the
~ regiment. Not one of us woulC
!, have fought all day with such Z
- hurt as that. No would hav,
4; expected it of US, yet Frank die
not fail me-. With this outburst
the poor fellow broke down again
and none of his comrades na l.
light of his sorrow"