Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-07-23
AZ QUICK TO LEARN
3uCLE CALLS BECOME FAMILIAR
TO ARTILLERY HORSES.
Respond to the Martial Sunmona as
Rapidly as Could Their Riders
Evidence of Their intelIi-
gcnce on Record.

Horses chosen for the military
service" said al old artiIleryman,
show marvellous intelligence and
quickness in adapting themselves to
its requirements. Every arti1leryman
knows that they learn the bugle calls
and the evolutions sooner, as rule,
than the average recruit.
They quickly acquire a uniform
gait, which is about the same as the
route step or usual marching step. If
the horses did not fall habitually into
the same gait as the infantry there
would be varying distances between
the different arms of the service. In
the drills in the artillery service the
horses will preserve their alignment
as well as the infantry ranks.
1T is remarkable how quickly the
army horse learns the bugle calls and
their significance Let the first note
of the feed or water call be sounded,
and instantly there will be stamping,
kicking and neighing among the
horses, impatient for that call to be
answered.
Once during storm at night in
our camp our horses were seized with
such terror that those of nearly every
battery broke loose and went scatter
ing about in their fright Next morn
ing there was a wild rush by the ar
tillerymen to capture horses for use.
All was excitement, and the still
alarmed horses refused to be taken.
AN officer ordered the bugler to
sound the feed call. He gave the call,
and instantly horses from every direc-
ton came dashing in to that battery
and the equine discipline was soon
restored.
when it comes to battle the
trained army horse seems to know
everything that is going on and the
reason for it and does his duty nobly.
He enters into the spirit of the fight
like his human comrades.
"a horse in one of our batteries
during the Murfreesboro fight was hit
by piece of shell which split his
skull The driver turned him loose,
but he walked up to the side of the
gun and watched the firing, and when
shot was fired would follow it with
his gaze, as if to note it's effect on
the enemy. When a shell would
burst near by he would turn his head
and look at it.
when he saw the team he had
been working with up to the time Of
his wound driven back for a renewal
of ammunition for the battery he ran
to his old place and galloped back
with the rest. When an officer pushed
him aside he gazed at the new horse
eyes. Then he seemed to realize that
the glory of battle was no more for
him, and he walked tottering away
and lay down and died. The men de-
clared that it was broken heart, not
his wound, that killed him.
During a fierce charge Of Confed-
crate cavalry at that battle of Muir
freesboro an officer was among the
killed in the charge and the cavalry
was driven back. The horse the Of
fcer had ridden was magnificent
animal, and he had not been taught to
retreat. RiderTess, he kept on his
way, and as he dashed through our
battery the sight of him was indie
scribably grand.
"His nostrils were extended wide,
his eyes flashed, and he clutched his
bit determinedly in his teeth as he
came on like the wind, his saddle flaps
flying until it seemed as If he were
himself flying instead of madly run
ming. Every man gave him room as
he dashed along. An officer shouted
that he would give 800 to any one
who would capture that superb ami
NAL, but all seemed so hypnotized by
the sight Of the noble beast and his
riderless charge that no effort was
made to stay him, and he sped on his
way, disappearing in the blue dis
lance"