Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-03-27
HORSE, 80 YEARS IN
CAVALRY, IS RETIRED
''Whiskers" Now Kicks Up
Heels in Pasture.

Washington. pleasant pastures
near an army post In Hawaii four
footed veteran of more than thirty
years Of honorable active service
with the colors Is kicking up his heels
in the peace and comfort of an old
soldier. RS
His name ls "Whlskers." and he
travelled down from his Montana
birthplace to Join the cavalry In Texas
three decades ago. He In now enjoy
ing retirement with Its regular ra-
tons and assurance that he will never
be called upon to work again.
"Whiskers" is just troop horse In
Uncle Sans cavalry. There is q long
list of these faithful mounts for which
troopers themselves have decreed rest
full old age In reward for their long
years of hard duty. The appropriation
for this equine roll of honor comes
out of the troopers pockets IL neces-
sary, but the deeds of hero horses Of
the army have been officially recorded
in general orders before now.
"comanche" Heads Hero Horsessp
"Comanche" probably heads that
list. He was the only survivor of the
massacre Of the Little Big Horn, when
Custer and his gallant detachment
went to their death. Legend has pic
tured this big charger, found wander
Ing and almost dead after the battle
with seven wounds to show the part
he played. The records show he was
troop horse assigned to Troop /,
Seventh cavalry. and was ridden in
the fight by Capt. NJ. w. Keogh, who
died at his chiefs side. A reglmental
order of the Seventh, dated Fort A.
Lincoln. Dakota territory, April 10,
1879, directed that Comanche be pro
vided with suitable quarters .'and that
he viii not be ridden by any person
whatever under any circumstances.
nor will he be put to any kind of
work." as a tribute to comrades fallen
in the fight.
That order was never violated. Go
manche" died at the cavalry post at
Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1891. He lived
two-thirds of his life on the retired
list.
The yellowed records Of the cavalry
show many other famous horses, COM
ing clear down to Pershings kid
ron," bought from the French remount
service to carry the general in France.
and "Jeff." the big, amiable charger
presented to Pershing on his return
to the United States and on which he
headed the victory parades Of the
First division ip New York and Wash
ingtOn.
And.among the old records there Is
none more striking than that OF
BLACK Tom" the mighty coal black
on which Colonel May. the Charles
O'NIalley of the American cavalry In
the '40s. set tongues wagging by his
mad pranks. May was arrested In
baltimore once for leaping his black
'thunderbolt over cart loaded with
firewood. Again he spurred Black
Tom up the front stairs of a Balti-
more hotel and down again after a
| jog about the rooms. The horse won
a wager with leap OF 80 feet just
after the Mexican war. against a
record of "a feet for the greatest
English steeplechaser. Black Toms
greatest achievement came in the war
when May jumped him over Mex
lean field gun to capture the entire
battery and the Mexican general, La
vaga. That deed Is memorialized In
the coat Of arms of the Second
cavalry.
Black Tom stood more than seven
teen hands, jet black Kentucky thor
oughbred, and his dashing master was
more than a six footer.
II TayIor's Mount Lost Tall.
Another army horse of Mexican
war fame was Gen. Zachary, Taylor's
Old Whitley, who carried his master
throughout the war and was never
ridden again. He was sent to Wash
ington to be exhibited after the war
and was well nigh stripped Of his
name and tail on the journey by
souvenir hunters.
Among famous horses Of the war
between the states, Robert E. Lees
Traveller perhaps is best known, al
though Gen. Nathaniel p. Banks
Charlie is credited in legendary way
with having shaped events Of the
war. He was the only horse known
to have thrown General Grant. The
fall put the general on crutches and
kept him from the battlefield at
Chickamauga. Perhaps his absence
contributed to the Union disaster in
that fight.
Traveller, Lees famous gray, was
West Virginia horse and was offered
to the great Confederate commander
as a gift by the owner, but refused.
The owner. Mai. Thomas l.. Broun,
then sold him and Traveller served as
Lees main reliance In the war days