- Joined
- Apr 1, 2015
Thomas Livermore, originally of the 5th New Hampshire and later a staff officer and colonel of the 18th New Hampshire, penned one of the best memoirs of service in the Army of the Potomac, entitled Days and Events.
In May 1864, while serving on the staff of Gen. Edward Hinks of the 18th Corps, he was summoned to report to the general to carry an order. Livermore had recently drawn a new mount, "a rat-tailed horse of a beautiful bay color. . . fat, sleek and exceedingly tough, and was a very good-natured horse and feared nothing." The captain also noted that this horse had a strange proclivity: "He would always stand where he was left, but had the uncontrollable habit of rearing up and falling over on his back when his bit was pulled a little too hard, and although sometimes he could be knocked down on his feet by a quick blow between the ears (!), he was ever ready to go over."
Livermore rode up to General Hinks, who was conversing with General Baldy Smith at the time, to receive the order he was to carry, but, he recalled, "I reined up from a gallop a little too harshly [pulling the bit roughly in the process], and as I jumped from the saddle, the horse rose and went over. I paid no attention to him, but made my salute and had the conversation. . . and when I turned around again to mount, the horse, having had his fall, stood meekly waiting for me, and I mounted him and rode off." Hinks laughed at the incident, telling Smith that his staff obviously got better horses than he, the general did, leaving a surprised Smith to remark on the jockey-like propensities of his staff members.
Here is Livermore:
In May 1864, while serving on the staff of Gen. Edward Hinks of the 18th Corps, he was summoned to report to the general to carry an order. Livermore had recently drawn a new mount, "a rat-tailed horse of a beautiful bay color. . . fat, sleek and exceedingly tough, and was a very good-natured horse and feared nothing." The captain also noted that this horse had a strange proclivity: "He would always stand where he was left, but had the uncontrollable habit of rearing up and falling over on his back when his bit was pulled a little too hard, and although sometimes he could be knocked down on his feet by a quick blow between the ears (!), he was ever ready to go over."
Livermore rode up to General Hinks, who was conversing with General Baldy Smith at the time, to receive the order he was to carry, but, he recalled, "I reined up from a gallop a little too harshly [pulling the bit roughly in the process], and as I jumped from the saddle, the horse rose and went over. I paid no attention to him, but made my salute and had the conversation. . . and when I turned around again to mount, the horse, having had his fall, stood meekly waiting for me, and I mounted him and rode off." Hinks laughed at the incident, telling Smith that his staff obviously got better horses than he, the general did, leaving a surprised Smith to remark on the jockey-like propensities of his staff members.
Here is Livermore: