Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-21
WAR HORSES i'm BATTLE

general mounted another but in a 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 ar
t.llery was shot in the leg. the bone be-
ing broken. He fell. but instantly scram-
bled up again and stood in his place on
three legs. remaining there until vitality
wounded. Another animal was struck
by seven bullets before he fell for the
last time and but four horses Were taken
alive from the field.
The most conspicuous. as Well as the
proudest OF all the horses Of an army ID
the animal that fills the position of drum
horse In the regimental band. In certain
armies cavalry bands are mounted, ana
the most honorable position In all the
band is that of the bearer of the kettle
drum This horse Is selected for his
distinguished appearance. He is often
piebald. although sometimes pure white:
but whatever his color. his appearance
must be consistent with the conspicuous
position he has to fill
More than mere beauty of form is re-
ouired of the drum horse. He must Do
trained until he becomes dignified and
graceful bearer of the trappings that
pertain to his high calling. His education
is severe and prolonged. His nerves are
tried by the booming of the large drums
he carries, but in time he becomes as
Indifferent to their noise warehouses
do to the singing bullets. In the parade
his rider has his hands full in the use
OF the sticks. He controls the horse by
means Of reins fastened to the stirrup-
cup near the foot.
A year or two ago the War Department
decided to discontinue the service of
white and gray horses in the cavalry
on the ground that they afforded too
conspicuous target for the guns OF
the enemy, and that by reason of their
color they We're apt TO interfere with the
efforts of cavalry to escape the observa-
ton of the enemy.
Thus did modern military administrA-
ton dispense with an old superstition
From time immemorial the white horse
has been regarded by people at large as
q harbinger of good luck. The poets of
mythology sang of him. typifying him in
Pegasus The story-tellers OF other times
introduced him into their romances when
they whispered in the twilight OF the
great twin brethren flashing by on their
white horses, as much alike and as won
drous as themselves. through the roar
and tumult OF the battle. The pagan
priests believed in the merit Of the white
horse they sacrificed as the best and
noblest of creatures to the sun god on his
festival days. A temple was reared by
the Romans on the spot in the Forum,
where the mystic white horses OF castor
and Pollux are said to have slaked their
thirst. Roman conquerors were drawn
through the streets of the Eternal city
by horses Of milk-white color.
Nations have marched to victory under
the banner Of the white horse. which
was the first great heraidfc emblem OF
the Anglo-Saxon race. Alexandria the
Great rode a white horse. Bucephaius.
through all his campaigns. Napoleon be-
strobe white horse at Marengo. Voio-
mel, the snow-white charger Of Lord Rob-
erts which was decorated with three
war medals by Queen Victoria, carried
its owner on the historic march from
Kabul to Candahar.
At Vienna and at Berlin no one out
the sovereign is permitted to drive teams
of white horses through the streets OF
those capitals. In every country OF Eu-
rope It seems to be provided by law or
by custom that white horses are TO pc
used only for drawing the edufpaees OF
royalty.
from the ealiest days are not astonishing
when 1t is learned that there are Few
rarer animals than a horse foaled entire
ly white.