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| Mules loaded with ammunition. |
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wild, and render them utterly unmanageable, and the driver's best and often his only recourse was to let them.
go if there was room ahead.
But one demoralized, disorganized six-mule team would sometimes so effectively block the way, when the road was narrow, and the pursuit close, as to cause the capture of that part of the train behind it. Were any ex-Johnny m. d. to read this chuckling over the misfortunes of his craft, and not quite appreciate my enjoyment, I
should at once assure him that there are some Yank m. d.‘s who call heartily sympathize with him, having had a like experience.
From what I have stated, it will be seen that the mule would be very unreliable in cavalry service, for in action he would be so wild that if he did not dismount his rider he would carry even the most valiant from the scene of conflict, or, what was just as likely, rush madly into the ranks of the enemy.
The same observations would suit equally well as objections to his service with artillery.
On the 5th of April, 1865, during the retreat of Lee, we came upon a batch of wagons and a battery of steel guns, of the Armstrong
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