The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-25
MULES AS GUN CARRIAGES.
Unlocked for Result OF an Experiment
With a Jackass Battery.

ALBANY, Ore, March l9.-Many strange
and peculiar tests are on record in the
! ordnance annals OF the army, but the fact
that the experiment Of using mules as gun
carriages was once made Ia not to he found
there. The army's experience with the
jackass batteries is unwritten history.
II was in the Indian wars OF the late EOS
| down in New Mexico that the mule was
brought into service as a carriage for artil-
lery. A force Of regular soldiers had been
sent into New Mexico and Arizona to sub
due the Comanche and Kiowa tribes. AL
supplies were transported by means OF mule
| pack trains.
The soldiers took along with them noun
tain howitzers, which were carried on the
backs OF mules. 1t required several minutes
I O take the guns from the backs OF the
animals, mount them and load n fire
them. Before this operation could be gone
through with the Indians would pick oil O
few men and mules and would he far away
| before the howit2ers could be again put
on the backs Of the mules and the onward
| march resumed.
Then one army officer suggested firing
the howitzers from the back Of the mules.
This experiment was made at old Fort
| Union, n. NJ, in the summer. Of 1869. John
| Catlin. a resident Of Albany, who was a
trumpeter in the Second United States
Cavalry, was present, and his story of the
test follows:
Aorowd gathered tosee the test. The target
was across a canon from the parade ground.
An old patient looking mule was backed up
to the bluff over the canon and a we'll cleaned
and carefully primed mountain howitZer
| placed on its back. Under the direction OF
a young Lieutenant q sergeant loaded the
gun and adjusted the mule 80 the shell
would hit the target.
The howitzer was fired by means Of q
fuse about six inches long. The mule stood
patiently, half asleep, and taking little
interest In the proceedings until the fuse
began to spit, spit, spit, as those howitzeI
fuses were accustomed to do when lighted.
Then the animal began to exhibit mild
interest in the experiment, and to turn lite
head to see what was doing.
As the fuse burned nearer the howitZer,
the mules curiosity, grew pr~oportionately,
and a further turning of the head neces-
Stated a change in the animals position,
Like a dog following. its tail, that mule
kept turning to see what was causing the
disturbance on its back, n in a moment
the crowd OF soldiers, Mexicans, &C., were
looking into the mouth OF a mountain
howitzer just ready to send q shell some
where with considerable velocity.
Officers and men alike scrambled for
cover. Some lay down, others ran In all
directions. The howitzer soon went Off and
the shell went screeching straight for the
officers quarters.
It tore through the roof of the post
adjutant's house, smashing the chimney
and sending the ceiling down on q French
man who had been detailed to cook for
the adjutant and who was tossing flap
jacks in the kitchen. The frightened
mule fell over the bluff, and the United
States Governments first official expert
ence with a jackass battery was at an m
1t is a matter of unwritten history. how
ever, that jackass batteries were afterward
used with varying degrees Of success In
the Comanche campaigns. Shells were
actually fired from mountain howitzers
mounted on the back Of mules, but the
system never became popular.