From the swift-footed steed of the cavalry soldier, to the strong artillery horse, to the horses that dutifully pulled the ambulance and supply wagons, there is no denying that the horse played an integral part in the Civil War. Many horses paid a high price for their devotion to man; at one point early in the war, more horses than men were being killed. The average life expectancy for a horse used in the war was about six months. In 1997, the Virginia Historical Society unveiled a bronze statue of a horse in honor of all equines that were involved in the war. "The War Horse" stands in front of the society's building in Richmond. The monument's inscription reads: " In memory of the over one and a half million horses and mules of the Confederate and Union armies who were killed, who were wounded or died from disease in the Civil War." Some of those horses, like their famous riders, we still know by name today. 

In the spring of 1861, Thomas Jackson bought his wife a horse named Fancy. However, it was Jackson who was soon riding the horse. The horse, a sorrel-colored gelding, was rather thin and unimpressive. "Stonewall" Jackson was only a mediocre rider, but the small horse suited him well. He renamed the horse Little Sorrel and came to depend upon him. Little Sorrel was strong and almost tireless. He was not easily spooked, which was definitely an important trait in a battle mount. General Jackson rode Little Sorrel throughout the war. He was in fact riding him when he was mortally injured by friendly fire in May of 1863. After the war, Little Sorrel returned to Mrs. Jackson until she was no longer able to care for him. The horse ultimately wound up at the Virginia Military Institute, where General Jackson had been a professor of artillery tactics and philosophy. The horse was sent to VMI by train and many veterans stood along side the tracks to salute the horse as the train passed. Little Sorrel was a sort of mascot to the cadets at VMI until his death in 1886, at age 36. His hide is on display at the VMI museum, but his bones were cremated in 1997. They were buried at VMI near a statue of General Jackson. 

One of General George Mead's horses was Baldy, named for his white face. Mead bought this horse in 1861. He did not think much of the horse at first, but eventually became very fond of him. Baldy had a strange gait that made it uncomfortable for others to ride along side of him. Baldy was ridden by General Mead at Gettysburg and was injured on July 2nd, 1863. This was but one of the at least five times that Baldy was injured during the war. On July 5th, General Mead wrote to his wife: "Baldy was shot again and I fear that I will not get over it." Baldy recovered and was ridden by the general after the war. He outlived his master and marched in General Mead's funeral procession in 1872. Baldy was put down ten years later when old age had made him too weak too even stand. His remains were buried, but they were dug up about a week later by a few veterans who felt that the horse should be preserved for posterity. They cut off the horse's head and a taxidermist did preserve it. (Hopefully, they re-buried the rest of the horse.) Old Baldy's head can still be seen today in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Another famous horse of the Civil War was Rienzi. General Philip Sheridan was given this horse shortly before he raided Rienzi, Mississippi, hence the horse's name. Rienzi was all black, but for three white ankles. He was a strong and fast horse. This speed would greatly aid his master. In October of 1864, General Sheridan was in Washington for a staff meeting when Confederate forces launched a surprise attack on his troops at Cedar Creek, Virginia. Sheridan learned of the attack while on his way back to his men, but he was still twelve miles away in Winchester, Virginia. Rienzi was able to get the general to his troops in time to lead them to victory. The horse was henceforth known as Winchester. He and General Sheridan were together for the rest of the war. Winchester died in 1878. He was 20 years old. Winchester is on display at the National Museum of History in Washington.

Ulysses S. Grant developed a love for horses early in his life. As a small child, he played near the horses at his father's tannery, even crawling among their hooves. "Horses seem to understand Ulysses," said his mother. As Grant grew, he became an accomplished rider. General Grant rode many horses during the war. One of these was a black pony named Jeff Davis. This pony was taken from a farm owned by Joe Davis, brother of the Confederate president. Grant liked this horse so much that he asked the quartermaster to appraise it. The general then bought Jeff Davis and kept him for the rest of the pony's life. Egypt was another horse of Grant's. This horse was a gift from a group of people in southern Illinois. This area of the state is known as Little Egypt, which is how the horse got his name. Grant kept Egypt with him long after the war was over. The most famous of General Grant's horse was probably Cincinnati. The general was visiting his ill son in St. Louis when he received this horse from a man named S.S. Grant. This man was very ill himself, and no longer able to ride the horse. He thought that the general would give his beloved horse a good home and wanted the general to accept the horse as a gift. There was one stipulation: General Grant must promise that neither he nor anyone else would ever mistreat the horse. General Grant accepted the offer and named the horse Cincinnati. The general thought that Cincinnati was "the finest horse that I have ever seen." The horse was eighteen hands high and was descended from Lexington, a record breaking thoroughbred. At one point, General Grant supposedly refused an offer of $10,000 in gold for the horse. Very few people were permitted to ride Cincinnati, but General Grant did make an exception for President Lincoln, who reportedly enjoyed riding the horse very much. Jeff Davis, Egypt, and Cincinnati went to the White House with Grant after he was elected president. There is no doubt that Ulysses S. Grant's love of horses lasted his whole life. No matter the task before him, he always had time for his horses. 

The most famous horse of the Civil War belonged to the most famous general. This horse was of course Traveller, ridden by General Robert E. Lee. The general had several other horses, including Brown-Roan, Richmond, Lucy Long, and Ajax, but Traveller was his favorite.

Traveller was a Saddle-bred gelding, gray in color with black points. He was strong and stood sixteen hands tall. He was also quick. In fact, he got his name because he was such a "good traveler". Traveller was born in Virginia in 1857. General Lee bought him in 1861 for $200 and they were together from that point on. General Lee was a man who greatly respected animals and he forged a strong bond with Traveller. The two completely trusted one another. Of Traveller, General Lee wrote: "Such a picture could inspire a poet, whose genius could then depict his worth and describe his endurance of toil, hunger, thirst, heat and cold, and the dangers and sufferings through which he has passed. He could dilate upon his sagacity and affection and his invariable response to every wish of his rider. He might even imagine his thoughts through the long night-marches and days of battle through which he has passed."

After the war, Traveller went with the general to his post at Washington College. The horse lost many hairs from his tail to admirers who wanted a souvenir of the famous horse and his general. When General Lee died in 1870, Traveller marched in his funeral with reversed boots in his stirrups. The faithful horse did not outlive his master by long. In 1871, Traveller stepped on a nail and developed lockjaw. The veteran had to be euthanized to end his suffering. Washington college displayed his bones until the 1970's. At that time, Traveller's remains were buried at the college, not far from where General Lee is buried.

Horses were an important part of every day life in the 19th century. They were even more important to those locked in a life and death struggle for the fate of our nation. Many Civil War heroes are memorialized atop their horses. This is "altogether fitting and proper", as their horses were not only vital to these men, but in many cases, beloved as well.

"Jine the Cavalry" by Mort Kunstler

Sources:

Books

"Traveller & CO: The Horses of Gettysburg" by Blake A. Manger Farnsworth House Military Impressions
"Don't Know Much About the Civil War" by Kenneth C. Davis William Morrow and Company Inc.
"Traveller" by Richard Adams Alfred A. Knopf
"Human Interest Stories of the Three Days of Battle at Gettysburg" by Herbert Grimm, Paul L. Ray, & George Rose Tem Inc.

Web Sites

Civil War in Miniature by R. L. Curry
Stonewall Jackson Facts - VMI Archives
Roadside America - Faithful Steeds
A Star is Born - Famous Horses
The Ulysses S. Grant Network

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