Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-02-09
HORSES IN BATTLE
They Show sagacity and Bravery
In Times of Danger.
FEARLESSLY FACE A CHARGE
Veteran Soldiers Assert That the Cou-
raoeous Animals Will Meet an Attack
Made directly Upon Them Without
a Sian of FIinchins.

Made directly Upon Them Without
a Sign of FIinchins.
Traits of horse character, as well as
of human character. otherwise unno-
ticed are brought out in the stress of
war. Familiarity with danger prob
ably has it's effect In making horses
fearless, as ignorance of danger doubt
less does. Horses are creatures OF
habit, In battle as well as in the occu
patinns 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 riderless
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 astonish'
ment. During the battle of Waterloo
some of the horses as they lay upon
the ground. having recovered from the
first effect Of their wounds. fell to eat
ing grass about them. thus surround
ing themselves with a circle Of hare
ground, the limited extent of Nlch
showed their weakness.
Others were observed quietly graz
ing on the field between the two hos
tile lines, their riders having been shot
off 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 the
rear of their mounted companions and.
though without riders, gallop strenu'
ously along with the rest. not stopping
or finching 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 1t awkward for
an enemy who ventured to capture one
auu SeL upOu Ills UaSh.
At the battle Of Kirk. 1T45. Major
Mcdonald, having unhorsed an Eng
lish officer. took possession or ms
mount, which was very beautiful, and
Immediately jumped upon its back
When the English cavalry fed the
horse ran away with its captor, not
withstanding all his efforts to restrain
it, nor did it stop until it was at the
head of the regiment Of which appar
emily its master was commander. The
melancholy and at the same time lu
dicrous figure which Mcdonald pre-
sented 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 won
derful power Of enduring an attack
made directly upon them. keeping their
places as long as they can stand.
In 1864, at Reams Station. nearly
sixty horses belonging to one company
became the target Of Confederate
sharpshooters, who intended TO Kill
them off and then by charging to take
the guns.
The animals were harnessed in teams
of six. When one was bit peculiar
dull thud indicated that bullet had
pentrated his flesh. but after a mo-
mentary start he would settle down
quietly again, evidently realizing that
bullets were an incidental evil whlch
it 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 in
the neck and, falling, appeared to be
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 vitally wounded. Another
animal was struck by seven bullets be
fore he fell for the last time. and but
four horses were taken alive from the
feld.-Harper's Weekly.