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General R. E Lee's war-horse: a sketch of Traveller by the man who formerly owned him.
It has been incorrectly stated some time ago that
General Lee's famous war-horse ‘Traveller,’ was formerly owned by
Captain ‘
John S. Brown.’
He was owned by
Major Thomas L. Broun, of
Charleston, W. Va., and the following sketch of the horse, written by that gentleman for the Richmond Dispatch, in 1886, is worthy of reproduction:
In view of the fact that great interest is felt in the monument about to be erected to
General Lee, and many are desirous that his war-horse should be represented in the monument, and as I once owned this horse, I herewith give you some items respecting this now famous war-horse, ‘Traveller.’
He was raised by
Mr. Johnson, near the
Blue Sulphur Springs, in
Greenbrier County, Va. (now
West Virginia); was of the ‘
Gray Eagle’ stock, and, as a colt, took the premium under the name of ‘
Jeff Davis’ at the
Lewisburg Fair for each of the years; 1859 and 1860.
He was four years old in the spring of 1861.
When the ‘Wise Legion’ was encamped on
Sewell Mountain, opposing the advance of the
Federal Army, under
General Rosecrans, in the fall of 1861, I was major of the 3rd Regiment of Infantry in that Legion, and my brother,
Captain Joseph M. Broun, was quartermaster to the same regiment.
I authorized my brother to purchase a good, serviceable horse of the best
Greenbrier stock for our use during the war. After much inquiry and search he came across the horse above mentioned, and I purchased him for $175 (gold value) in the fall of 1861, of
Captain James W. Johnson, son of
Mr. Johnson first above mentioned.
When the
Wise Legion was encamped about
Meadow Bluff and
Big Sewell Mountain, I rode this horse, which was then greatly admired in the camp for his rapid, springy walk,
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his high spirit, bold carriage and muscular strength.
He needed neither whip nor spur, and would walk his five or six miles an hour over the rough mountain roads of
West Virginia, with his rider sitting firmly in the saddle and holding him in check by a tight rein, such vim and eagerness did he manifest to go right ahead soon as he was mounted.
When
General Lee took command of the
Wise Legion and Floyd Brigade that were encamped at and near
Big Sewell Mountain in the fall of 1861, he first saw this horse and took a great fancy to it. He called it his colt, and said he would need it before the war was over.
When the general saw my brother on this horse he had something pleasant to say to him about ‘my colt,’ as he designated this horse.
As the winter approached, the climate in
West Virginia mountains caused
Rosecrans' Army to abandon its position on Big Sewell and retreat westward.
General Lee was thereupon ordered to
South Carolina.
The 3rd Regiment of the
Wise Legion was subsequently detached from the army in
Western Virginia and ordered to the
South Carolina coast, where it was known as the 60th Virginia Regiment under
Colonel Starke.
Upon seeing my brother on this horse, near
Pocotaligo, in South Carolina,
General Lee at once recognized the horse, and again inquired of him pleasantly about his colt.
My brother then offered him the horse as a gift, which the general promptly declined, and at the same time remarked: ‘If you will willingly sell me the horse I will gladly use it for a week or so to learn its qualities.’
Thereupon my brother had the horse sent to
General Lee's stable.
In about a month the horse was returned to my brother, with a note from
General Lee stating that the animal suited him, but that he could no longer use so valuable a horse in such times unless it were his own; that if he (my brother) would not sell, please keep the horse, with many thanks.
This was in February, 1862.
At that time I was in
Virginia on the sick list from a long and severe attack of camp fever, contracted in the campaign on
Big Sewell Mountain.
My brother wrote me of
General Lee's desire to have the horse and asked me what he should do. I replied at once: ‘If he will not accept it, then sell it to him at what it cost me.’
He then sold the horse to
General Lee for $200 in currency, the sum of $25 having been
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added by
General Lee to the price I gave for the horse in September, 1861, to make up for the depreciation in our currency from September, 1861, to February, 1862.
In 1868
General Lee wrote to my brother stating that his horse had survived the war and was known as ‘Traveller’ (spelling the word with a double ‘l’ in good English style), and asking for its pedigree, which was obtained as above mentioned and sent by my brother to
General Lee.
