The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-02-20
Noted Generals Particular
About Their War Horses
thoroughbred Mounts of General Robert Lee and His Ancestors
.-.Grants favorte Was Small Sized Bay GeIding Called
left Davs---President RooseveIts Texas

mat Will St2lu the narQSnlpS OF an &C
tive campaign. requires keen dis
elimination and judgment. A mere
horse will not do, says the Washing
ton Star. Aside from conformation,
which should be more or less COM
pact, and bone, which should be Of
dense quality and of fairly good size,
he must have some pretensions to
good breeding. Without the latter
no horse can stand the wear and tear
of active service in the field, SER
vice more exhaustive than any other
known, because frequently he must
go on short rations while being rid
den desperately for hours at time
and is often compelled to go supper
less to bed. In addition to breeding
he must have such necessary quail
ties as intelligence, good disposition
and cheerfulness of temperament and
must respond promptly to his mas
ter's commands, whether on the fir
ing line or on review. AS general
proposition, the better the war horse
is bred the better fitted he is for his
arduous duties.
When President Theodore Roose-
welt rode to the war with Spain he
selected Texas bred horse of medi-
um size, bay in color, which he
called Texas in honor of its native
State. 1t proved to be one of those
wiry and tough beasts for which the
Southern plains are noted and of the
breed Fremont rode in his long and
rapid trips in times of stress and
danger in Southern California, some
times covering over 100 miles a day,
the animals only foraging being buff
falo grass. To be historically correct,
however, the President took to Cuba
two horses. one of which died while
being landed, the survivor being Tex
as. The latter was the Presidents
mount during his service in Cuba and
returned with him to Oyster Bay.
There he died few years since, and
the President, out of gratitude for
the faithful service of the beast, gave
him decent burial on Sycamore Hill.
Doubtless some day the President
will erect over Texas body a monu-
ment on which will be inscribed fit
ting words.
General Lees Horses.
General Robert E. Lee, like nearly
all of the Lees, was not only a splen-
did figure on horse, but a fine
horseman and a good Judge of
horse. When young man and in
middle life he liked a dash of thor
oughbred blood in his mounts. His |
father, the celebrated Light Horse |
Harry" of the Revolutionary War,
was, next to Washington, the best
horseman in the Continental army
and the most commanding figure. The
Lees of Virginia inherited their love
for the horse and ease, grace and
skill in the saddle from a long line
Of ancestors who had served their
king in the field. It was one of Rob-
ert E. Lees progenitors. Lionel Lee,
who rode - the Crusades with the
Richard, and it is related
hat the coat of armor worn by this
Lee can be seen in the Tower Of Lon
Ion. 1t was General Lees father
UD imported the celebrated Lind
says Arabian from New England.
The horse stood in the District of Col
lmbia one or two seasons subsequent
o the Revolutionary War, and it is
matter of turf history that his get
we're highly priced there and in vir-
,inia. Washington and Light Horse
Harry" had noticed during the war
hat New England men were mount
d on horses Of unusual beauty,
trength, courage and endurance, and
n inquiry learned that nearly all
we're descendants of horse called
.indsay's Arabian. Whether he was
full blood or not is not known. It
1as at Washington's suggestion that I
henry Lee purchased the stallion.
lure bred Arabians are classed in ,
he stud hooks as thoroughbreds and ,
an be registered as such.
General Robert E. Lees favorite !
larger was cob built gray gelding
allied Traveller, probably named az
er a celebrated running horse that ,
is father once owned. which was a
on of thoroughbred Traveller. The
ray gelding was foaled in West Vir-
mia. where General Lee discovered
i'm, and rode him in every battle !,
a which he was engaged from the ,
lege of Richmond until he surren- ,
cred the Army of Northern Virginia
Appomattox Court House to Gen. :
raj Grant. Traveller survived his !,
laster one or two years, when his .
fe was cut short by lockjaw, one of ,
is feet being punctured by rusty ,
all. While at the head Of the Wash ,
lgton and Lee University, at Licking
IN, General Lee was in the habit of :
king daily outings ON Traveller, :