The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-06-20


1--WE had not occupied this position
when it was discovered that our am
munition was growing low. 1 volun-
teered to go back to the point we had
started from, report our position TO
General Twiggs, and ask for ammunl-
ton to be forwarded. We were az
this time occupying ground off from
the street, in rear Of the houses. My
ride back was an exposed one. Before
starting I adjusted myself on the side
of my horse furthest from the enemy
and with only one foot holding the
cantle of the saddle and an arm over
the neck of the horse exposed. l
started at full run. 1t was only at
street crossings that my horse was
under fire, but these I crossed at such
a flying rate that generally l was
past and under cover of the next
block of houses before the enemy fired.
l got out safely without scratch
During the Civil war Grant had
several horses whose names are well
known. Among them were Egypt
presented by admirers in southern
Illinois, and Jeff Davis which had
been captured from the Confederates.
But his favorite was Cincinnati" a
big bay, sired by Lexington, the lead
ing racer and sire of his time. Gin
cinnati" was presented to him by a
resident of the Ohio city after Grants
victory at Chattanooga and the gen.
eral rode him almost daily during the
Wilderness campaign of 1864 and until
the close Of the war. Cincinnati"
was seventeen hands high, an animal
of great endurance and Grant re-
garded him as the greatest mount
any army commander ever had.
Grant was so fond of him that he
rarely permitted anyone else to mount
him, although he made at least two
exceptions. One was in favor of Ad-
miral Daniel Ammen, who saved
Grant from drowning when he was a
boy, and the other was President Lin
coin. When Lincoln visited Grant at
his headquarters on the James river
he placed "Cincinnati' at the Presi-
dents disposal and in his memoirs"
he writes that Lincoln "was a fine
horseman and rode my Cincinnati
every day." He once refused an offer
of $4,000 for the animal and after
Lees surrender retired him from
active service. "Cincinnati' died On a
Maryland farm in September, 1874.
But riding horses were not Grants
only horseflesh interest. He was also
fond of fast harness horses, acquiring
his first one when he was stationed
at Detroit in 1850. She was black
pacing mare, which he called the
"Cicotte mare" because he had bought
her from a Frenchman Of that name
for 5000 after she had covered a
mile in 2:55, hitched to buggy, in
which the seller and the purchaser
rode. At the time of his election to
the Presidency he is said to have
owned stock farm near st. Louis
with fully a hundred horses on it.
Dexter" 2:171s, the first horse to
beat "Flora Temples" record of
! 2:19A, was a great race horse but too
spirited for any but aemaster to drive
on the road. However, when his own
err, Robert Bonner, invited Grant to
try his hand with the horse, Grant
took the reins and Dexter" recogniz-
! ing the touch of master. trotted
along with never "a sign Of trying to
cause trouble. There is an interest
ing story of how Grant acquired' his
| best known trOtter. Driving in to
| Washington from his home at George
| town Heights one day, butchers de-
livery turnout suddenly came up from
behind and passed him.
A short distance farther on 1t
stopped, but later caught up, and, de-
spite the fact that Grant himself had
pretty fair road horse in front of
| him, he again had to take the dust
| Seeing that the butcher had a real
i, trotter, he noted the name and adj
dress on the wagon, sent a friend to
the owner few days later and bought
the horse for $3.50. In recognition OF
| the horses former occupation, Gen.
| eral Grant called him Butcher Boy.'
| 1t was Wnlle stepping him along one
| morning in the outskirts of Washing.
ton that policeman arrested the gen.
eral for fast driving. Instead of max
ing himself known and asking the of,
ficer to forget it, Grant said nothing
but set good example by appearing
at the station house and paying a fine
| During his years in Washington
Grant visited the stables every day al
the close of business in the White
| House.