Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-05-12
Black Hawk.

at is one OF the most pathetic horse
stories Of the war" declared the colonel.
Then, when the veterans OF the blue
pressed him, the old Confederate soldier
closed his eyes and began TO tell OF the
incident he referred to, which happened
at the Battle of Shiloh. General VIM.
B. Bate, who died United States Sena-
tor from Tennessee, was colonel OF the
Second Tennessee. He had two horses,
one an ordinary horse which he used on
the march and for other rough service,
the other, Black Hawk, thoroughbred.
black as a crow and OF great beauty and
stamina.
"The night before the battle the COM
moner horse was stolen, and the next
morning at daylight well remember what
a superb picture our colonel made on
Black Hawk, who looked fit to race for a
kingdom.
"The usual position OF colonel is
thirty feet to the rear of his regiment, and
it was in that position that Colonel Bate
first went into the fight.
''At the second Standard want to
see no stubborner fight than we had down
there amid the woods, round that little
church on the banks Of the Tennessee
the Federals gave il to us hot, and it was
here our lines were nearly broken; twas
here also that Colonel Bate had to put
himself in front of his regiment before
they would charge with enough deter
mination to drive the boys in blue again.
All this time the battle was raging every
where.
"Time and again Colonel Bate led us
against Sherman'S brave boyS-thatthor
oughbred horse and rider always in front.
Once he made us a short speech just be-
fore we had to charge again, having been
repulsed at the first attempt. He said ne
wanted us only to follow him, that ne
would not take us where he would not
90 himself, and we believed him.
This last fight was terrible. Before
we struck the enemy, Colonel Bate was
shot out of the saddle, the men dropped
around us right and left, but we charged
on, leaving all as they fell.
"When Colonel Bate dropped, Black
Hawk seemed to be at loss whatto do
but as the regiment swept on he quickly
fell into his place just in the rear OF the
regiment and followed us on into battle.
We must have fought on for half-mlle
after that, and it touched every man tc
see him riderleSS.
"At the first opportunity an ambulance
was sent back TO find the colonel and
take him to the field-hospital, some three
miles in the rear. In the confusion no
one thought of Black Hawk, but he had
not forgotten his brave rider, for he ac-
tualIy followed the path of those who
carried the colonel to the hospital straight
I'D to the hospital tent. Then, to the sur
prise OF Colonel Bate, who had been bad
" but not fatally wounded in two places
one ball passing through his shoulder,
Black Hawk poked his head in at the
tent door and affectionately whinnied to
his master, who was then in the hands OF
the surgeon.
"The next instant he turned, walked a
few PAGES IN the woods, staggered, and
fell down dead.
"An examination showed what no one
had noticed, that he had several bad
wounds, one of which proved fatal.
"As long as General Bate lived" con-
cIuded the colonel, che used to say that
he could still see the almost human look
Black Hawk gave him as he turned away
with that last gentle whinny. to die"