The Mule: A Treatise on the Breeding, Training, and Uses to Which He May Be PutRiley, Harvey
History
The Mule: A Treatise on the Breeding, Training, and Uses to Which He May Be Put
Riley, Harvey
Mules
I have had photographs taken of some of our mules. A number of these
animals performed extraordinary service in connection with the Army of
the Potomac and the Western Army. One of them, a remarkable animal, made
the great circuit of Sherman's campaign, and has an historical interest.
I propose to give you these illustrations according to their numbers.
No.1, then, is a very remarkable six-mule team. It was fitted out at
Berryville, Maryland, early in the spring of 1861, under the directions
of Captain Sawtelle, A. Q. M. They are all small, compact mules, and I
had them photographed in order to show them together. The leaders and
swing, or, as some call them, the middle leaders, have been worked
steadily together in the same team since December 31, 1861. They have
also been driven by the same driver, a colored man, of the name of
Edward Wesley Williams. He was with Captain Sawtelle until the 1st of
March, 1862; was then transferred, with his team, to the City of
Washington, and placed under a wagon-master of the name of Horn, who
belonged to Harrisburg, Pa. Wesley took good care of his team, and was
kept at constant work with it in Washington, until May 14, 1862. He was
then transferred, with his team, to a train that was ordered to join
General McClellan at Fort Monroe. He then followed the fortunes of the
Army of the Potomac up the Peninsula; was at the siege of Yorktown, the
battle of Williamsburg, and in the swamps of the Chickahominy. He was
also in the seven days' battles, and brought up at Harrison's Landing
with the Army of the Potomac. He then drove his team back to Fort
Monroe, where they were shipped, with the animals of the Army of the
Potomac, for Washington. He was set to work as soon as he reached a
landing, and participated in hauling ammunition at the second battle of
Bull Run. He then followed the army to Antietam, and from that
battle-field to Fredericksburg, where he hauled ammunition during the
terrible disaster under General Burnside. The team then belonged to a
train of which John Dorny was wagon-master. When General Hooker took
command of the army this team followed him through the Chancellorville
and Chantilly fights. It also followed the Army of the Potomac until
General Grant took command, when the train it belonged to was sent to
City Point. This brings us up to 1864. It was with the army in front of
Petersburg, and, during that winter, the saddle mule was killed by the
enemy's shot while the team was going for a load of wood. In short, they
were worked every day until Richmond was taken. In June, 1865, they were
transferred back to the City of Washington. It is now August, 1866, and
they are still working in the train, and make one of the very best teams
we have. I refer now to the leaders and swing mules, as they are the
only four that are together, and that followed the Army of the Potomac
through all its campaigns. There is not a mule of the four that is over
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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