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These are just a few known horses and their riders known that have made it out from the thousands of unnammed equines in documents linking to the Civil War and or their riders during the Civil War.
Pink - Col. Hammond’s Cavalry mount- 5th NY Cavalry (Morgan)
Mink - Maj. Eugene Hayward’s Cavalry mount - 5th NY Cavalry (Morgan)
Prince- Lt. Barker’s Cavalry mount - 5th NY Cavalry (Morgan)
Billy - Col. James Penfield (Morgan)
Black Hawk - Maj. General William Bate (Morgan)
(related to Winchester)
King Phillip - General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Morgan)
Roderick - General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Morgan)
Highland - General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Morgan)
Beauregard - Capt. W. I. Rasin
Old Fox - Col. E. G. Skinner - 1st Virginia Infantry
Virginia - General JEB Stuart (the mount who jumped a vast ditch saving Stuart’s life)
Highfly - General JEB Stuart
Sardanapalus - General? Jeff Thompson
Nellie - Brig. General Kenner Garrard
Boomerang - Col. John McArthur - 12th Illinois Reg.
Kentuck - General George McClellan
Burns aka Black Burns - General George McClellan’s black horse
Daniel Webster aka Dan - General George McClellan
Billy - General George H. “Rock of Chickamauga “ Thomas - bay horse
Old Jim - Lt. McMahon (owner/rider killed in action and is believed to be the last known Civil War Horse to die--died in 1894)
Moscow - Col. James K. Averill
Vic (Victory) - General George A. Custer (Thoroughbred)
Dandy - General George A. Custer (used on long marches and hunting)
Rienzi/Winchester - General Phil Sheridan
Alde baron - Col. Phil Sheridan to become General Phil Sheridan
Grey John - Capt. Nathan Boone (Tennessee Walker)
Cincinnati - General US Grant (Thoroughbred)
Jeff Davis - General US Grant (Morgan- black in color)
Jack - General US Grant (cream colored horse - raffled off for funds for Christian San. Commission)
Methuselah - Col. US Grant -later to become Lt. General US Grant, President - (white in Color)
Rondy - General US Grant.
Fox - General US Grant - roan
Kangaroo - General US Grant
Egypt - General US Grant
Tom - (rank unknown) William H. Harding (who will become President of the US after the Civil War)
Old Bob - President Abraham Lincoln
Lexington - General William T. Sherman
Sam - General William T. Sherman
Dolly - General William T. Sherman
Traveller - General Robert E. Lee
Lucy Long - General Robert E. Lee (purchased by Gen. JEB Stuart and given to Lee as a gift).
Grace Darling - General Robert E. Lee
Brown Roan - General Robert E. Lee
Ajax - General Robert E. Lee
Richmond - General Robert E. Lee
Old Sorrel aka Little Sorrel - General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
Baldy - General George G. Meade
Dixie - Maj. General Patrick R. Cleburne
Rifle - Lt. General Richard S. Ewell
Joe Smith - Brig. General Adam R. Johnson
Fire-eater - General Albert S. Johnston - (Thoroughbred Bay)
Nellie Gray - Maj. General Fitzhugh Lee
Hero - General James “Old Pete” Longstreet
Grey Eagle - Brig. General - Maj. General John Buford
Almond Eye - Maj. General Benjamin E. Butler
Lookout - Maj. General Joseph Hooker
Moscow - Maj. General Philip Kearny
Decatur - Maj. General Philip Kearny
Bayard - Maj. General Philip Kearny - (light brown)
Monmouth - Maj. General Philip Kearny - (grey)
Slasher - Maj. General John A. Logan
Charlemagne - Col./Brig. General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain - white horse -
Blake - Rev. James McDowell - (Confederate Chaplin)
Respectfully submitted,
M. E. Wolf
Thanks for the information concerning the names of horses. We had a discussion awhile back concerning the number of horses killed during the Civil War. I don't remember seeing the total number killed. Do you know?
Records are sketchy, especially on the Confederate side however, it is 'believed' that at the start of the Civil War, the Union started with 3.4 million horses and 1.7 million on the Confederate side--which most purchased out of pocket by their riders--not furnished by the US Government.
Now, as far as mules go--The Union started with 100,000 mules and the Confederacy started with 800,000.
There are several reports about the horses lost in the Battle of Gettysburg. Some say the total was 1,500 and some say 3,000. I've seen numbers associated with 1,500 as having a break down of 881 Union horses killed and 619 horses killed on the Confederate side.
Tenth Mass. Battery, in the Battle at Ream's Station had horses exposed and out of 30 horses, only two were left standing and were wounded. This 10th Mass. Battery lost 157 horses between Oct 18, 1862 and April 9, 1862. Forty-five more were destroyed, to weak, fatigued and or exhausted to be useful to the Battery.
It is believed that at the end of the Civil War, they accounted that 825,000 horses were used in the Union side. This does not include horses purchased, donated by individual Generals, officers and soldiers. Since they were not government property--they didn't appear on the Quartermaster's ledger.
These are just a few known horses and their riders known that have made it out from the thousands of unnammed equines in documents linking to the Civil War and or their riders during the Civil War.
Pink - Col. Hammond’s Cavalry mount- 5th NY Cavalry (Morgan)
Mink - Maj. Eugene Hayward’s Cavalry mount - 5th NY Cavalry (Morgan)
Prince- Lt. Barker’s Cavalry mount - 5th NY Cavalry (Morgan)
Billy - Col. James Penfield (Morgan)
Black Hawk - Maj. General William Bate (Morgan)
(related to Winchester)
King Phillip - General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Morgan)
Roderick - General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Morgan)
Highland - General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Morgan)
Beauregard - Capt. W. I. Rasin
Old Fox - Col. E. G. Skinner - 1st Virginia Infantry
Virginia - General JEB Stuart (the mount who jumped a vast ditch saving Stuart’s life)
Highfly - General JEB Stuart
Sardanapalus - General? Jeff Thompson
Nellie - Brig. General Kenner Garrard
Boomerang - Col. John McArthur - 12th Illinois Reg.
Kentuck - General George McClellan
Burns aka Black Burns - General George McClellan’s black horse
Daniel Webster aka Dan - General George McClellan
Billy - General George H. “Rock of Chickamauga “ Thomas - bay horse
Old Jim - Lt. McMahon (owner/rider killed in action and is believed to be the last known Civil War Horse to die--died in 1894)
Moscow - Col. James K. Averill
Vic (Victory) - General George A. Custer (Thoroughbred)
Dandy - General George A. Custer (used on long marches and hunting)
Rienzi/Winchester - General Phil Sheridan
Alde baron - Col. Phil Sheridan to become General Phil Sheridan
Grey John - Capt. Nathan Boone (Tennessee Walker)
Cincinnati - General US Grant (Thoroughbred)
Jeff Davis - General US Grant (Morgan- black in color)
Jack - General US Grant (cream colored horse - raffled off for funds for Christian San. Commission)
Methuselah - Col. US Grant -later to become Lt. General US Grant, President - (white in Color)
Rondy - General US Grant.
Fox - General US Grant - roan
Kangaroo - General US Grant
Egypt - General US Grant
Tom - (rank unknown) William H. Harding (who will become President of the US after the Civil War)
Old Bob - President Abraham Lincoln
Lexington - General William T. Sherman
Sam - General William T. Sherman
Dolly - General William T. Sherman
Traveller - General Robert E. Lee
Lucy Long - General Robert E. Lee (purchased by Gen. JEB Stuart and given to Lee as a gift).
Grace Darling - General Robert E. Lee
Brown Roan - General Robert E. Lee
Ajax - General Robert E. Lee
Richmond - General Robert E. Lee
Old Sorrel aka Little Sorrel - General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
Baldy - General George G. Meade
Dixie - Maj. General Patrick R. Cleburne
Rifle - Lt. General Richard S. Ewell
Joe Smith - Brig. General Adam R. Johnson
Fire-eater - General Albert S. Johnston - (Thoroughbred Bay)
Nellie Gray - Maj. General Fitzhugh Lee
Hero - General James “Old Pete” Longstreet
Grey Eagle - Brig. General - Maj. General John Buford
Almond Eye - Maj. General Benjamin E. Butler
Lookout - Maj. General Joseph Hooker
Moscow - Maj. General Philip Kearny
Decatur - Maj. General Philip Kearny
Bayard - Maj. General Philip Kearny - (light brown)
Monmouth - Maj. General Philip Kearny - (grey)
Slasher - Maj. General John A. Logan
Charlemagne - Col./Brig. General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain - white horse -
Blake - Rev. James McDowell - (Confederate Chaplin)
Respectfully submitted,
M. E. Wolf
Thats a darned good list, Howlin'.
-
__________________
"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
Thought I would add some more equine tid bits of information. Perhaps explaining how much horses had to do with things.
The ideal pulling weight for a healthy horse is 700 lbs. With a rider, the weight a horse on average is 300 lbs. If used as a riding horse and pulling a wagon/limber and gun, this reduced the horse's capacity to half (1/2 being roughly 150 lbs) and if a well energy stock horse, which Morgans would suit, would be able to carry a rider and pull roughly 300 lbs.
Food horses consume on an ideal situation for an Artillery Horse, would be 14 lbs of Hay (Timothy most likely and or Timothy and Clover mix which is less robust than pure Timothy or Alphalfa). The Artillery Horse in addition to Hay, would be fed 12 lbs of grain. Be it oats, barley or corn.
Oats are 'high energy' feed. Most Thoroughbreds racing then and presently are fed pure oats. Corn is a heat producer and weight. This would be extremely important in winter. Barley is a 'filler' with little energy and or nurishment. As the Civil War went on, the fields, labor in producing grain, hay was near non-existing. Most of the battles were fought in the South. Northerns had an opportunity to farm and produce the needed grain and hay for horses and mules.
The McClellan Saddle was created by General McClellan prior to the Civil War and having traveled in Europe, modified the Hungarian saddle as to become what we know of as the McClellan Saddle. In 1859, the US War Department adopted it as the official saddle for the military. The Confederates on the otherhand, started off using their personal riding saddles which really did not accomidate the gear needed for the mounted soldiers. Those who were able, used a Jenifer Saddle. However, towards the end of the Civil War, the Confederates had to stop using the Jenifer Saddle as it was extremely painful to the thinning and starving Confederate horse's withers. The McClellan saddle was then adopted and since the South was suffering a leather shortage--used canvas and painted the canvas black.
The Manual for Mountain Artillery adopted in 1851, for transporting the "Mountain Howitzer" was transported by mules. Because of the mule's sure footedness and ability to carry the burden and transport--was the cause for putting up with a mule's 'nature.'
There is a 'story' (not confirmed or not) that in the campaign and or Battle of Chattanooga; many Union mules had become wild with fear and broke free of their handlers. With a herd of unattended mules, with their rattle of harness, chains, banging wiffletrees trailing behind--startled the Confederates to which thought a Union Cavalry Charge was taken place and the Confederates retreated in mass due to the sound that was more than the total sum of the stampeding mules. [Would have loved to see that]
Hope this helps understand how the equine was instrumental in the Civil War.
Champ - General A. P. Hill's favorite war horse (steel gray in color).
General A. P. Hill rode this horse when he was killed.
Mayre - General John B. Gordon (mare, named after Mayre's Heights were she was
captured ) This horse was the favorite of all of his war horses. General Milroy - General John B. Gordon (black horse captured but proved to be of
a treacherous disposition, running from the guns) He got rid of it quick. Georgia's Brigade - General John B. Gordon (Thoroughbred Bay) Gift from his Georgia
Brigade from their pay - Killled in Wilderness campaign in 1864 General Shaler - General John B. Gordon (captured war horse that belonged to Gen.
Shaler) Rode this horse to Appomattox and sold to Gen. Curtin of PA, paid in
Union money.
I recall reading in (I think) The Gates of Richmond (Penninsula Campaign), there was an officer whose horse would turn its rump to the sounds of battle. The officer would then sit backwards on the horse to direct his troops.
It's been a long time since I've read the book, but the story stuck. Any recollection of that?
How about Grant's acquisition of Little Jeff?
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
I haven't heard of that story about "The Gates of Richmond" (Penninsula Campaign) so--that will give me something else to search and hunt down. I'm sure it would make a great story! [Grins]
General Grant's troops captured the farm where President Jeff Davis' brother had a farm and the little horse named "Jeff Davis" --believed to be a Morgan horse; was then taken up by the Quartermaster. All captured property, e.g. horses; went through the Quartermaster.
Anyway, General Grant had designs on giving Jeff Davis to his son, Fredrick Dent Grant to ride however he was suffering from something as to desire an easier horse to ride and more even tempered. So, Jeff Davis became one of General Grant's war horses.
And who doesn't? I'd read that Grant personally bought the horse from the Quartermaster. (You'd think he wouldn't have needed to bother.)
Had the opportunity to ride a horse like that in the Superstitions many years ago. It was named Sweet Thing. On that horse, you were barely aware that you were on a horse; so smooth was its gait.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
When an officer found the horse they wanted to keep--they could afford to buy it. Many 'war horses' that were bought were then private property, even though they remained on the battle front.
As for smooth walking horses --there are breeds that are tested for their smoothness. One being the Tennessee Walking horse, to which a rider should be able to hold a glass of wine on a small tray. The Paso Fino horse, also is 'tested' in such a way.
In showing Western Pleasure in the American Quarter Horse circles, my mare Kara Dot was very smooth and the jog (very slow trot) and lope (slow canter) were very smooth. Just sit back and relax and shift of body weight was all to really guide the gait and direction.
Thank you for sharing your experiences of riding 'Sweet Thing.'
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