The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1912-03-22
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IFEARL EssLY FACE 4 cliAR0E3
Veteran Soldiers Assert Thst ths Co.,
rassous Animals viii Nest N Attasle
Made Dirsetiy Upon Them Niitlssse
Sign Of Flinehins. 81 e
Traits Of horse character. % wen -
Of human character. otherwise unn0.s
ticed are brought out In the stress Of
war. Familiarity with danger prob
ably has its effect In making horses
fearless. AZ ignorance Of danger doubt
less does. Horses are creatures q
habit. In battle az well an In the oceu-
pations of peace. and this fact has
been the cause of many an exciting In
cident on the field Of action. There
have been recorded many interesting
illustrations Of the manner of riderleeo
horses under fire. and when wound
ed.
War horses when hit in battle trem.
BILE In every muscle and groan deeply.
while their eyes show deep astoniah.
ment. During the battle of Waterloo
some of the horses as they lay upoa
the ground. having recovered from tho
first effect of their wounds. fell to eat.
ing grass about them. thus surround
ing themselves with circle Of bare
ground. the limited extent Of which
showed their weakness.
Others were observed quietly graz.
ing Old the field between the two hos
tile lines. their riders having been shot
of their backs and the balls flying over
their heads. and the tumult behind. be-
fore and around them caused no inter-
ruption to their feeding. 1t was also
observed that when charge of cav
airy went past near to any of the stray
horses already mentioned the latter
would set off. form themselves In tho
rear Of their mounted companions and
though without riders. gallop strenH-
ously along with the rest. not stopping
or hinching when the fatal shock With
the enemy occurred.
The faculty of war horses Of know
ing on which side they belong has
more than once made it awkward Tor
an enemy who ventuled to capture ono
and get upon his back.
At the battle of Kirk. 1745, Maior
Mcdonald. having endorsed an Eng
lish officer. took possession of hio
mount. which was very beautiful, ana
Immediately jumped upon its back
When the English cavalry ded tho
horse ran away with its captor. not
withstanding all his efforts to restrain
it. nor did 1t stop until 1t was at tho
head Of the regiment of which appar-
emily its master was commander. The
melancholy and at the same time To-
dicrOus figure which Mcdonald pro-
scented may be easily conceived.
Besides the sagacity of army horses.
which enables them to respond to the
various bugle calls and to take their
places in the ranks when their riders
have been killed. they may also be
said to show true heroism. Veteran
soldiers say that horses have q won
derful power Of enduring an attack
made directly upon them. keeping their
places as long as they can stand.
In 1854. ut Reams Station. nearly
sixty horses belonging to one company
became the target of Confederate
sharpshooters. who intended to kin
them OF and then by charging to take
the guns.
The animals were harnessed in teams
of six. When one was hit peculiar
dull thud indicated that bullet had
pentrated his flesh. hut after q mo-
mentary start he would settle down
quietly again. evidently realizing that
bullets were an incidental evil which
1t was his duty to endure.
One horse when bullet entered his
neck only shook his head as if annoy
ed by a fly. but others would perhaps
fall. only to regain their feet after lying
quiet for awhile.
At the close Of this battle General
HancOck's horse received bullet tn
the neck and. falling. appeared to b
dead. The general mounted another,
but In few minutes the fallen animal
rose. shook himself and was again
ready for service. He survived the war
many years.
One horse among those attached to
the artillery was shot in the leg, the
bone being broken. He fell. but in
stantly scrambled up again and stood
in his place on three legs. remaining
there until vitality wounded. Another
animal was struck by seven bullets be-
fore be fell for the last time. and but
four horses were taken alive from tho
field.-Harper's Weekly.
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