11 December 1997
Importance of the Warhorses Under Robert E. Lee’s Command
Importance of the Warhorses Under Robert E. Lee’s Command
Many successful generals throughout history had memorable horses – Alexander the Great’s Bucephalus, Napoleon’s Marengo, “Stonewall” Jackson’s Old Sorrel, and General Robert E. Lee’s Traveller. Lee’s warhorses, both personal mounts and cavalry horses, affected his success as a General of the Confederate Army and were integral components of his strategies during the United States Civil War. Horses were important to the people of the South during the 1800s and demand increased for suitable horses for use in the Civil War. General Robert E. Lee recognized that his personal mounts and cavalry horses were highly
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instrumental to his command as a General, as well as to his strategies during the Civil War. General Robert E. Lee was an experienced and skilled equestrian, graduating second in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point. From 1837 on, West Point taught a course on cavalry tactics. After Lee served as superintendent of West Point from 1852 to 1855 and educated many men that served under him or fought against him in the Civil War. In 1855, Lee left West Point for a position in the cavalry. Robert E. Lee’s rank as a Civil War General made it necessary that he be able to move effectively among his troops, travel efficiently, and battle strategically while the General’s value as a strategist for the Confederacy required that he be protected. The army’s efficiency was dependent upon the cavalry .The horses provided a swift means of transportation of soldiers and supplies, and the flanks and infantry of the army were protected by the cavalry. The cavalry improved the overall efficiency of the army by acting as the eyes and ears of the army, gathering intelligence about the enemy or overseeing their own army and bringing up stragglers. Reports from Lee’s scouts alerted Lee to the enemy’s weaknesses and position which allowed him to form a battle plan. J.E.B Stuart, who graduated from West Point a year before Lee, alerted Lee to the exposed right flank on General Hooker’s forces, resulting in a victory for the Confederates in the Battle of Chancellorsville. During battle the highly maneuverable cavalry often attacked the flank or rear of their enemy forces while protecting their own flanks. During the Civil War the three main means of transportation were by boat, train, or horse.
The troops relied heavily upon the horses and mules for transportation of men and equipment. Draft horses pulled the ambulances to aid wounded men and wagons which contained the soldiers’ supplies, personal baggage, and medical supplies. The horses were able to transport the artillery such as cannons quickly. The horse provided a swift transport from battle to battle. One example is when Union Major General Phillip H. Sheridan rode 22 miles from Winchester to Cedar Creek on his horse Rienzi to fight in the Battle of Cedar Creek in a single day.
One aspect of the role of the horses was to provide protection. The horses provided swift transport during battle and their riders often used them as shields. Captain George Baylor from the 12th Virginia Cavalry stated “the cavalryman might lie low on the neck of his horse as the missiles of death hissed about him.” As an important Confederate General, Lee was targeted by Federal sharpshooters. In one charge in the Wilderness Campaign, the men of the Texas brigade refused to advance unless Lee went to the back of the charge instead of leading
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it. Robert E. Lee’s station as General required that he boost the morale of his troops and present himself as a strong leader, as well as a daunting figure to the opposing army. The noble combination of Lee and his favorite horse Traveller helped raise the spirits of Lee’s troops while his skill as a tactician bolstered Lee’s troops’ respect of him; Lee could go up against a larger army and still gain a victory because of his skill. War was a harsh environment for any horse, and some horses were better suited for it than others.
General Lee prized certain attributes in his horses that enabled him to concentrate on the surrounding circumstances and lead his troops more effectively during the Civil War. The battle horse had to trot and gallop easily with smooth, even gaits. If the rider had to kick constantly to move from place to place, then they wasted energy and concentration that would have been better spent engaging their enemy. Lee described his favorite horse Traveller as having “fine proportions, muscular figure, deep chest and short back, strong haunches, flat legs, small head, broad forehead, delicate ears, quick eye, small feet, and black mane and tail.” Ideally, artillery horses were about 15 to 16 hands high, a hand being a unit of four inches, with a strong build and large shoulders for fitting the collar. Strong legs and short backs allowed the artillery horses to pull the heavy loads with efficiency and lengthened the use of the horse. A warhorse, whether it carried a rider into battle or transported artillery and supplies, was required to not be
skittish. Traveller was a young gray when Lee bought him after taking a liking to the spirited horse. Traveller had an energetic walk and Lee never had to use his spurs or whip to press him forward. When an incident with Traveller resulted in both of Lee’s hand being injured, J.E.B. Stuart gifted a quiet mare named Lucy Long to Lee that did not need to be held back with the reins.
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