Abraham Bonnifield of Tucker County, WV, was a legless cavalryman. Here he is with his nephew
"Born in the days before automobiles, Abraham’s main mode of transportation was horseback. His saddle had a brass rail around it that kept him from sliding off. However, despite his lack of legs, he was an excellent horseman, and his learning to “trick” ride in New York may have served him well during the Civil War. He served as a messenger, and when in a tight situation, he rode by enemy lines hanging from the side of his horse—one hand hanging on the saddle, the other holding the reins, no legs to weigh him down or to dangle below the horse to reveal his presents. Thus he evaded enemy fire, for all the enemy thought they say was a riderless horse. The strength in Abraham’s arms were such that he could maintain this style of riding over an hour without fatiguing.
He was regarded as among the very best riders in the Confederate cavalry. His weight was about seventy pounds; and being thus light, his horse, which was a powerful one, was about the last to give out when it came to a long raid or a long retreat. He remained for the most part in the Valley of Virginia; but he was frequently in other parts. He accompanied the Imbodens in some of their memorable raids. As he was always in the very front in every kind of adventure, he was often in the hottest part of the battle, and in the foremost rank of the charging columns. If he was cut off from his men, and in danger of being shot, he would throw himself from his horse, hang by his hand to the horn of the saddle on the side least exposed to the enemy’s fire, guide his horse with the other hand, and thus escape. In the tumult of the battle the foe would not notice but that the horse was rid-erless; and thus he often dashed through the very lines of the enemy unseen. Such was the strength of his arms that he could hang by them for an hour without very great fatigue.
http://uebelephoto.com/download center/Bonnifield 02c.pdf