Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10
By Major B. w. Atkinson
TT is an old saying that
L Republics are migrate
full" and it is frequently said

T. Is an Ola saying tIdt by MaJOf D.
Republics are migrate
full" and it is frequently said
that our own Republic is not exempt from hav-
ing this statement laid at its doors; but whether
this be true not, it IS well known fact to
those informed that our country has not been
forgetful or unappreciative of services rendered
the country by several dumb animals whose
names have gone down into history, at least IN
military history, and whose services have been
made the subject of many. articles both in verse
and prose.
Who has not heard of the horse that carried
Sheridan from Winchester twenty miles
away" saving the day by turning the tide OF
battle when Sheridan reached the field and
stemmed the retreat? Who has not read
Buchanan Reads beautiful poem "Sherdan's
Ride" and when he has read it failed to be
thrilled by the verse;
With foam and with dust the black charger
gray;
Bv the flash of his eve, and his nostril's play,
He seemed to the whole great army to say,
have brought you Sheridan all the way
From Winchester down, to save the day
AS proof that our country IS not forgetful, one
has only to visit the Museum of the Military
Service Institution at Governors Island, New
York, where he will see most carefully cared for
all that remains of this celebrated horse, and
when one looks at him he cannot fail to picture
to himself how he must have looked on the day
he carried Sheridan on his memorable ride.
When Winchester died. October 2, 1873, his
remains were carefully mounted by an expert
taxidermist and placed in the museum by Cen
eral Sheridan.
General Sheridan placed with the horse the
following story:
Winchester was of Black Hawk blood, and
was foaled at near Grand Rapids, Michigan,
late in the fall of 1859, according to the best of
my information He was brought into service
by an officer of the Second Michigan Cavalry,
of which regiment | was appointed Colonel on
May 25, 1862. Shortly afterward and while the
regiment stationed at the little town of
Rienzi, Mississippi, he was presented to me by
Captain Campbell in the name of the officers of
the regiment, and from that date until the
close of the war he was ridden by me in nearly
every engagement in which took part.
At the time he was given to me he was rising
three years old; so he must have been in the
twentieth year when he died. October 2, 1873.
He was an animal of great intelligence and of
immense strength and endurance. He always
held his head high. and by the quickness of his
movements gave many persons the idea that
he was exceedingly impetuous. This was not
So for l could at any time control him by a
firm hand and few words, and he cool
and quiet under fire as one of my old soldiers.
doubt if his superior horse for field service
was ever ridden by anyone"
Comanche of the Little Big Horn
THIRTY-THREEy years ago the whole coun-
try was dismayed when the sad news be-
came known that Custer and his brave troops
had been annihilated by the Sioux Indians under
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in an engagement
at the Little Big Horn River, Montana. Not
human being escaped to tell the tale of that
awful fight when Custer and his men went down
to their death fighting back to back against
foe outnumbering them many times over.
One creature taking part in that fight
capped; but he could not tell of the ordeal
through which his rider had gone when he was
found wounded on the field. This, and SO far
is known the only animal taking part in the
battle that lived, was the Seventh Cavalry
horse Comanche. When troops reached the
field of the late battle, Comanche was found
badly wounded no doubt having been aban-
doned by the Indians as not worth taking from
the field. He carefully nursed and re-
stored to health, and until his death at Fort
Riley, Kansas in 1892, honored by the
Seventh Cavalry.
Regimenta orders were issued stating I" The
Commanding Officer of Troop l will see that