Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-01-21
LEES OLD GRAY NAG
SOMETHING ABOUT TRAVELLER.
HIS FANORITE WAR
HORSE.

General Lees favorite war horse. |
Traveller. was almost as well known |
TO the soldiers OF the Army OF North
ern Virginia as the majestic form
OF the great commander himself SO |
many erroneous descriptions and sto-
ries OF the old horse have appeared |
in print that a true history OF Trav
eler is OF interest
In 1856 Thomas L. Brown wrot
the following article for the Rich /,
mond Dispatch, which was published |
August 10:
He (Traveler) was raised by Mr..
Johnston, near the Blue Sulphur
Springs. in Greenbrjer county, Va,
(now West virginia.: was OF the
Gray Eagle stock, and. colt. took
the first premium under the name
of Jeff Davis at the Lewisburg fair
for each OF the years 1859 and 1850
He was years old in the spring of
1861.
When the Wise Legion was en-
camped on Sewell Mountain OPPOSING
the advance OF the Federal army un-
der General Rosecrans in the fall o.
1861. l was major to the Third Regi-
ment of infantry in that legion. and
my brother, Capt, Joseph NJ. Brown
was Quartermaster TO the same regi-
ment. | authorized my brother to
purchase good, serviceable horse of
the best Greenbrier stock for our use
during the war. After much inquiry
and search, he came across the horse
above mentioned, and I purchased
him for $175 (gold value) in the fall
of 1861, of Capt. James w. Johnston,
son, OF Mr.. Johnston first above men
toned When the Wise Legion was
encamped about Meadow Blue and
Big Sewell Mountain / rode this
horse, which was then greatly adj
mired in camp for his rapid, springy
walk, his high spirit, bold carriage;
muscular strength. He needed Meth
or whip nor spur, and would walk
his five or six miles an hour over
rough mountain roads Of Western
Virginia with his rider sitting firmly
in the saddle and holding him in
check by a tight rein, such vim and
eagerness did he manifest 10 go right
ahead as soon as he was mounted.
When General Lee took command
OF the Wise Legion and Floyd Brig
AIDE, which were encamped at and
near Big SewAl Mountain in the fall
OF 1861, he first saw this horse and
took a great fancy to it, He called fl
his colt, and said he would need IL
before the war was over. Wheneycr
the General saw my brother on this
horse he had something pleasant to
say to him about my colt as he des-
ignated this horse.
GAS the winter approached the
climate in the West Virginia noun
tains caused Rosecran's army TO
abandon it's position on big SewelI
and retreat westward General Lee
was thereupon ordered to South Car
DINA. The Third Regiment Of thu
Wise Legion was subsequently dc
tached from the army in Western
Virginia and ordered to the South
Carolina coast, where it was known
as the SIxtieth Virginia Regiment
under Colonel Starks
Upon seeing my brother on his
horse near Pocataligo, in South Car
DINA, General Lee at once recognized
the horse and again inquired Of him
pleasantly about his colt My broth.
or then offered him the horse as
gift, which the General promptly de-
clined, and at the same time remark
ed "If you will Willingly sell me
the horse, ] will gladly use il for a
week or so to learn its qualities
Thereupon my brother had the horse
sent to General Lees stable. Gen
eral Lee returned the horse, stating
that the naimal suited him, but that
he could no longer use so valuable
a horse in such times, unless it were
his own; that II he (my brother)
would not sell, please TO keep the
horse with many thanks This was
i'm February, 1862. At that time
I was In Virginia on the sick list