Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-09-24
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j. HORSES THAT HAVE j
i. MADE HISTORY. j
+ Chargers that Famous Generals i
+ Have Ridden on Battlefield. i

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Much has been written about the
chargers which the worlds heroes
have ridden on historic battlefields,
but there are two or three that claim
special place in the hearts Of those
who love the noble animals that have
do 10 so much to form history and
honor the conflicts in which they
served and the victories they helped
to gain, says the New York Mail.
When Gen. Washington left Mount
Vernon, Va, on June %, 1775, to as
sumo command of the American army
at Cambridge, Mass, he took with
him five horses, his favorite, 1t is
said, being a powerful and spirited
bay, on which he made his first ap-
pearanCe before the troops. 1t is
stated on good authority that before
) the close OF the war he acquired
seven more. His Fairfax, we'll known
in history and story, was so badly
wounded at the battle of Trenton
that he was compelled to leave him
behind.
At Monmouth, June %, 1878, Gen.
Washington rode a white charger,
the one which has become so famil-
lar to the people of the world, as it
has been copied thousands of times
from Col. Trumbull's famous paint
ing. This horse was presented to
Gen. Washington by Governor Liv-
ingstOn, of New Jersey, whose resi-
dence is still standing at Elizabeth,
and is occupied by Ex-senator Kean,
lineal descendant. Such was the
excessive heat at the battle Of Mon
mouth, and soil a deep sandS that the
spirited steed sank under the Gene
raj, dying on the spot. 1t will be
remembered that Gen. Washington
did a great deal Of hard riding" in
consequence Of the misunderstanding
with Gen. Charles Lee, directing per-
sonally the army in several parts of
the field.
According to his diary, after the
death of the noble animal, Washing
ton mounted a high-Dred chestnut
mare with flowing name and tail,
named Dolly. Gen. Lafayette said of
the horse and her rider: "At Mon
mouth I commanded a division, and
it may be supposed, | was pretty we'll
occupied. Still, / took time, amid
the roar and confusion Of the con-
flct, to admire our beloved chief,
who, mounted on a splendid charger,
rode along the ranks amid the
shouts Of the soldiers, cheering them
by his voice and example, and resior-
ing to our standard the fortunes Of
the fight. / thought then, as now,
that never had | seen SO superb a
man. Thomas jefferson called
Washington "the best horseman of
the age"
In connection with this incident it
is of interest to say few words
about another famous horse that has
prominent place in history One
day in 1868 ] remember the late
Capt. G. d. Empson, Of Keyport, Ga
ther Of the late Senator Ephriam p.
Empson,) calling on Major James E.
Yard, in the Office of the Monmouth
Democrat, at Freehold, N. J. In time
the conversation branched off to
horses. Just at that time all the
generals of the Federal army were
pounding" the war department with
hope that cavalry would be recruit
ed. in a more liberal manner.
Capt. Empson said: Major,
rode, when q boy, one Of the most
famous horses that ever had a sad
die on him. 1t was Marengo, Napo-
Icons favorite charger. My father
owned him." continued Capt. Emp
son, "and when he sold him to Napo-
leon I rode him into the French
camp and delivered him personally
to the general"
Louis Napoleon, speaking of this
horse to an American visitor in 1872,
according to Gen. James Grant Will
son, said:
THE Emperor's favorite charger
"do Wal hlohSo, al Aldp VI SOou SlHe
and style, and almost white. He rode
him in the last battle Of Mount st.
Jean, where Marengo received his
seventh wound. / once mounted him
when a youth, and but short time
before the steed died at the age Of
thirty-siX.
Another favorite war horse was
named Maria, and was used by the
Emperor in many Of his hundred bat