For hundreds of years, the horse has been the faithful servant and friend of man. During medieval times, heavy horses carried armor-clad knights into battle. They pulled farmers' plows, and drew wagons and coaches, once the only means of transportation over land. Horses carried man onto hunting expeditions for food, and pulled stagecoaches and wagons as the pioneers sought new homes across our nation.
The horse has been used by man since before the time of history. Although it is not known exactly when the horse was tamed, which was after the time of man hunting it and eating its meat, the first book of the Bible, Genesis, mentions the use of horses for pulling war chariots. The early Greeks and Romans were expert horsemen and used them for war, for racing and for sports. Horses were particularly important in war, not only enabling soldiers to move faster from place to place, but soldiers mounted on horses could often charge and defeat foot soldiers. Although the horse has made even more important contributions to agriculture and commerce than to war, until late in the 900's, the horse was considered too valuable in war, transportation and sports to be considered for use in pulling a plow and other farm purposes. During the American Civil War, horses and mules were the main means of transport for both the Union and Confederate armies.
The horse is among the most intelligent of animals, and responds readily to kindness. It can also remember an injury for a longtime. Well-trained horses can carry riders safely through the darkest night if they are given a free rein and can also find their way back home by themselves.
One such incident happened right here on the first day of fighting at Stones River. Capt. William S. Sadler, Co. G., 8th Tennessee Infantry, was killed on Dec. 31, 1862. His horse had carried him to war from his home in Jackson County, near Gainesboro, at the time of his enlistment just six months before. When William fell on the battlefield during first day’s fighting, family legend holds that his horse, on its own, returned home to Jackson County, a distance of almost 100 miles, and family members feared his demise even before receiving official word.
It has been noted by numerous authors that the horse was the backbone of the Civil War. They moved guns and wagons and ambulances, carried generals and messages, and usually gave their all in the process. While the common rank and file soldiers were obliged to march on foot, most officers of the rank of captain and above in both armies were mounted. Generals often had several mounts, which they would alternate, so that their favorite would not become fatigued. In fact, some generals and their horses became so intertwined in legend that one cannot imagine one without the other. Gen. Robert E. Lee and his beloved Traveller immediately come to mind.
The total number of horses and mules killed during the Civil War has been determined to have been more than one million. During the early days of the war, more horses were killed than men. It was the great misfortune of the horse that it ever allowed itself to be tamed and saddle broken. Had it been more like the ox, and not suited for riding, wars throughout the ages would have been much different. But once tamed, no matter what fate horses were forced to endure, they soldiered on – serving their masters to get the job done, and doing what they had to do.
At the beginning of the war, the Northern states held approximately 3.4 million horses, while the Confederate states held the lesser number of 1.7 million. The border states of Missouri and Kentucky had an additional 800,000 horses. The North also had more than 100,000 mules, with 800,000 in the seceding states and 200,000 in Kentucky and Missouri. During the war, the Union used more than 825,000 horses, with the average price per head being $150. The South involuntarily furnished many horses to the North, since most of the fighting was on Southern soil, and local horses were seized by the invading army.
Early in the war, the Confederate cavalry was superior to the Union cavalry and Southern cavalry horses were superior to Northern horses. Southerners loved horse racing and from this sport came a stock of pure-blooded, fleet-footed animals. Northerners preferred a stocky, strong draft horse, more suited to working their fields than to riding. It would not be until mid-1863 that the Union cavalry was considered comparable to the dashing, daring boys of the South, and this would definitely become a factor in the outcome of the war.
As men drilled and trained for war, horses did likewise. Artillery and saddle horses had to endure great dangers in battle, and remaining manageable and relatively calm, without panicking under heavy fire, was a requirement. Unfortunately for the horse, one effective tactic used when attacking a battery was to shoot the horses harnessed to it. The same principle applied to the cavalry, so if the enemy couldn’t hit the man, then simply shoot his horse and he would thus become an easier target on foot. Yet, statistics still how that despite the thousands of horses killed or wounded in battle, the highest number of fatalities could be attributed to either disease or exhaustion.
Although mules were used by both armies to pull guns and wagons outside of the actual battle, it was a generally accepted notion that horses, if available, were preferable in the line of fire. Mules panicked easily and there are numerous reports of them “becoming frantic, unmanageable … kicking and squealing … impossible to quiet them … it took three or four men to hold one mule and keep it from breaking away.”
Yet, these same disastrous traits could also prove advantageous in certain situations. At the Battle of Chattanooga, Union mule teams stampeded and broke from their wagons at the first sounds of gunfire. They ran head on toward the Confederate line as fast as they could go, “with trace chains rattling and wiffletrees snapping over tree stumps as they bolted pell-mell into the enemy … who believing it to be an impetuous cavalry charge, the line broke and fled.” Obviously, horses and mules made their presence known during enemy engagements and their lack of presence would also be a factor on the battlefield. There were no “time outs” from battle for either man nor beast. |
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