Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1914 — ARE QUICK TO LEARN [ARTICLE]

ARE QUICK TO LEARN

BUGLE CALLS BECOME FAMILIAR TO ARTILLERY HORSES. x v Respond to the Martial Summons as Rapidly as Could Their Riders-*-Evidence of Their Intelligence on Record.

“Horses chosen for the military service,” said an old artilleryman, “show marvelous intelligence and quickness in adapting themselves to its requirements. Every artilleryman knows that they learn the bugle calls and the evolutions sooner, as a rule, than the average recruit “They quickly acquire a uniform gait, which is about the same as the route step or usual marching step. If the horses did not fall habitually into the same gait as the infantry, there would be varying distances between the different arms~of the service. In the drills in the artillery service the horses will preserve their alignment as well as the infantry ranks. “It is remarkable how quickly the army horse learns the bugle calls and their significance. Let the first note of (he feed or water call be sounded, and instantly there will be stamping, kicking and neighing among the horses, impatient for that call to be answered.

‘‘•Once during a storm at night in our camp our horses were seized with such terror that those of nearly every battery broke loose and went scattering about in their fright. Next morning there was a wjld rush by the artillerymen to capture horses for use. All was excitement, and the still alarmed horses refused to be taken. “An officer ordered the bugler to sound the feed call. He gave the call, and Instantly horses from every direction came dashing In to that battery and the equine discipline was soon restored. , “When it comes to battle the trained army horse seems to know everything that Is going on and the reason for it and does his duty nobly. He enters into the spirit of the fight like his human comrades. “A horse in one of our batteries during the Murfreesboro fight was hit by a piece of shell which split his skull. The driver turned him loose, but he walked up to the aide of the gun and watched the firing, and when a shot was fired would follow it with his gaze* as if to note its effect on the enemy. When a shell would burst near by he would turn his head and look at it. “When he saw the team he had been working with up to the time of his wound driven back for a renewal of ammunition for the battery he ran to his old place and galloped back with the rest. When an officer pushed him aside he gazed at the new horse with a sorrowful expression in his eyes. Then he seemed to realize that the glory of battle was no more for him, and he walked tottering away and lay down and died. The men declared that it was a broken heart, not his wound, that killed him. “During a fierce charge of Confederate cavalry at that bhttle of Murfreesboro an officer was among the killed in the charge and the cavalry was driven back. The horse the officer had ridden was a magnificent animal, and he had not been taught to retreat. Riderless, he kept on his way, and as he dashed through our battery the sight of him was Indescribably grand. “His nostrils were extended wide, his eyes flashed, and he/clutched his bit determinedly in his teeth as he came on like the wind, his saddle flaps flying until it seemed as if he were himself flying instead of madly running. Every man gave him room as he dashed along. An officer shouted that he > would give SIOO to any one who would capture that superb animal, but ail seemed so.. Hypnotized by the sight of the noble beast and his riderless charge that no effort was made to stay him, and he sped on his way, disappearing in the blue distance.” -