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General R. E. Lee's war-horses.

In Vol. XVIII, pp. 388-391, Southern Historical Society Papers, some account is given of the horses ‘Traveler’ and ‘Lucy Long’ used by General Robert E. Lee during the late war. Since that publication, additional interesting information of these and other horses used by General Lee has been furnished by a member of his family, as follows:

Soon after General Lee went to Richmond, in the Spring of 1861, some gentlemen of that city presented him with a handsome bay stallion, who was given the name of “Richmond” by General Lee. After the death of General Robert S. Garnett, who fell at Carrick's Ford, West Virginia, July 14, 1861, General Lee was sent to take command in that locality. He carried “Richmond” with him. Whilst in West Virginia he purchased a horse which was afterward known as “The Roan.” When General Lee returned to Richmond, in the Autumn of 1861, he brought “Richmond” and “The Roan” with him. When he went that winter, to the coast of Carolina and Georgia, he left “Richmond” behind as he was not in good condition, and took only “The Roan” with him to the South.

In February, 1862, General Lee bought from Captain Joseph M. Broun, quartermaster of the Third Virginia Infantry, the grey horse so well-known to the public as “Traveller.” The horse was the property of the brother of Captain Broun, Major Thomas L. Broun, also of the Third Virginia, but who was then in Virginia. The horse was of the “Grey Eagle” stock, and was raised by Mr. Johnston, of the Blue Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier county, Virginia, (now West Virginia.) As a colt, under the name of “Jeff. Davis,” he took the first premiums at the fairs held in Lewisburg, in 1859 and 1860. He was [334] purchased by Major Broun in the Spring of 1861 at the price of one hundred and seventy-five dollars in gold. The price paid by General Lee, (his own valuation, as Major Brown offered to present the horse to him,) was two hundred dollars. General Lee himself gave the name “Traveller.” When he returned to Richmond in the Spring of 1862, he brought back with him “The Roan” and “Traveller.” During the battles around Richmond, that summer, “The Roan” who had been gradually going blind, became unserviceable, and General Lee began to ride “ Richmond” again, and continued to do so until the death of the horse soon after the battle of Malvern Hill. He now began to ride “Traveller” regularly. “Traveller” had no vices or tricks, but was nervous and spirited. At the second battle of Mannassas, while General Lee was at the front reconnoitreing; dismounted and holding “Traveller” by the bridle, the horse became frightened at some movement of the enemy and plunging pulled General Lee down on a stump, breaking both of his hands. The General went through the remainder of that campaign chiefly in an ambulance. When he rode on horseback, a courier rode in front leading his horse. It was soon after this that General J. E. B. Stuart purchased for General Lee, from Mr. Stephen Dandridge of “The Bower,” near Martinsburg, Jefferson county, the mare “Lucy long.” She was low, and easy to mount, and her gaits were easy. General Lee rode her quite constantly until toward the close of the war, when she was found to be in foal and was sent to the rear. About this time some gentlemen of South West Virginia presented to General Lee a fine large sorrel horse whom the General named “Ajax.” This horse had a fine walk but was too tall for the General, who seldom rode him; riding “Traveller” almost constantly until the end of the war, and, indeed, until the time of his death, October 12th, 1870.

After the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse, “ Lucy Long,” who was not with the Army of Northern Virginia, was taken by some stragglers and sold to a Virginian surgeon, who took her home with him. After the close of the war, she was found in Eastern Virginia by Captain Robert E. Lee, who repaid what had been paid for her and took her to his father at Lexington, where were also “ Traveller” and “Ajax.” When “The Roan” through blindness became unfit for army service, General Lee gave him to a farmer, who promised to kindly care for him. Several years after the death of General Lee, “Traveller,” who was turned out for exercise and grazing during the day, accidentally got a nail in one of his fore-feet; this occasioned lockjaw, [335] from which he died despite of every effort for his relief. He was buried in the grounds of Washington and Lee Uuiversity.

Some years after the death of “ Traveller,” “ Lucy Long,” who was also turned out during the day for exercise, in some way injured one of her hind legs. After the leg healed, General G. W. Custis Lee put her in the keeping of the late Mr. John Riplogle, of Rockbridge a (lover of horses), paying for her board. Mr. Riplogle dying, Mr. John R. Mackay, subsequently took charge of her. She was hearty until the winter of 1890-‘91, when she began to fail. She died in the spring of 1891, at the age of thirty four years, and was buried on the farm of Mr. Mackay. Some three years after the close of the war, “Ajax,” who was turned out during the day, when not used, ran against the iron prong of the latch of a partly opened gate and killed himself. He was also buried in the grounds of the Washington and Lee University. General Custis Lee was not in Lexington, either when “Ajax” or “ Lucy Long” received their injuries. “Traveller” up to the time of his injury was apparently as high-spirited and serviceable as he had ever been.

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