TROTTIN' ABOUT TOWN WITH HAIRY TROTTER

Thank you, Dan, for such a wonderful and reflective post.  Here is the link to view President Obama's Memorial Day proclamation entitled Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2011:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/27/prayer-peace-memorial-day-2011.


It is my personal pleasure to tell you about the famous war horses of the Civil War!  Check out civilwarhome.com for more detail on the horses - it is absolutely fascinating!  The horse of the commanding officer was as well known to the troops as the general himself, and the soldiers were as affectionately attached to the animal as was the master.  Here's a list of some of the Confederates and the horses they owned and rode into battle:

• Gen. Robert E. Lee: Traveller (above) - this was the best-known horse of the war and was Lee's favorite.  Earlier he owned and rode Richmond, Brown-Roan, Lucy Long, and Ajax.
• Nathan Bedford Forrest: King Philip - possibly the favorite horse of Forrest.  He also owned and rode Roderick and Highlander.
• Maj. Gen. Jeb Stuart: Virginia - credited with preventing capture by jumping an enormous ditch. In addition to Virginia, Stuart frequently rode Highfly.
• Stonewall Jackson: Old Sorrel - formerly a Union officer's horse.  Because the mare was so small that Jackson's feet nearly dragged the ground, she was often known as Little Sorrel.

The same is true of the horses owned and ridden by Union officers.  Both sides relied heavily on their horses, and it's been said that had neither side been provided with mounts, the war may have ended in about 90 days.   

• Lt. Gen. U. S. Grant: Cincinnati (above) - presented to Grant in 1864 and was his favorite horse.  Grant first rode into battle on the back of Rondy and during the war also rode Fox, Jack, Jeff Davis, and Kangaroo (very interesting story about this horse and how he got his name).
• Maj. Gen. John A. Logan: Slasher - ridden into battle by Logan and depicted by an artist as dashing along a line of battle with all four feet off the ground.
• Col. John McArthur: Boomerang - named for his tendency to move backward!
• William T. Sherman: Lexington - possibly the favorite of Sherman, who also rode Dolly and Sam.
• Col. Philip Sheridan: Aldebaron (an early mount of Sheridan) gave way to a gelding named Rienzi.  Rienzi's name was changed to Winchester after his famous ride to the town of that name.  Rienzi/Winchester was so revered that when he died, his stuffed body was presented to the Smithsonian Institution.
• Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker: Lookout - stood 17 hands high and was cherished by Hooker.  He was acquired at Chattanooga and named for a battle of that campaign.   

Just a note on how important the horses were to men, in and out of war:  As part of the surrender terms at Appomattox in 1865, General Lee insisted that every Confederate cavalryman was entitled to take his horse home with him.  This was accepted by Grant when he was told that once they returned to civilian life, former soldiers wouldn't be able to plant spring crops without their war horses.  (The officers were also allowed to keep their side arms, which spared Lee from the humiliation of a classic surrender of his sword.)