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H O R S E P E O P L E WAR The Union cavalry on the move. Each side counted about 80 horses, and that made for impressive columns. We could only wonder about what Gen. Morgan’s forces, which numbered 2,400, looked like. Re-enacting the Civil War, Morgan’s Raid II was as real as it gets. By Holly Clanahan Photos by Carl Staub Peace 44 J A N U A R Y 2007 A M E R I C A’ S H O R S E A M E R I C A’ S H O R S E J A N U A R Y 2007 45 A AROUND THE BEND OF A TREE-LINED COUNTRY LANE, CERTAIN death awaited. The Union cavalrymen, anxious for a fight with the Confederates who had been running from them all day, were chasing a few stragglers who galloped across a bridge, around a corner and out of sight. When the boys in blue rounded the bend, they found themselves facing the Confederate Army in formation and ready for a standoff. Then the ranks parted to reveal an added surprise: a horse-drawn cannon packed with a powerful load of ammunition that promised to send them to their maker. “They killed the whole unit of us right there,” said Craig Croft of Lake City, Florida, remembering the sneak attack earlier in the day. “It was a massacre. “We were tired of trail riding, and we were ready to stop and fight a little. We were just too overanxious,” Craig said, by way of explanation. The Civil War re-enactment the men were on, Morgan’s Raid II, did pass at times for an idyllic fall trail ride, but then the pop of gunfire interrupted, and horses were spurred toward the action. Small talk along the way was abruptly replaced with quick tactical instructions, and a conversation with saddlemaker Doug Kidd of Border States Leatherworks ended with a polite tip of the hat and the drawled explanation: “I have a wa-ar to attend to!” For me, it was my first war. Portraying a Civil War journalist, I rode with the troops just as my 19th century counterparts did. Dressed in period men’s clothing and using a horse and tack borrowed from event coordinator and AQHA member Darrell Markijohn, I tried to blend in with veterans of 20-plus years. I had done a story on the hobby in the March-April 2006 issue of America’s Horse, and Darrell invited me to ride along on the four-day, 60-mile ride back in time, in southern Ohio 46 J A N U A R Y 2007 A M E R I C A’ S H O R S E Early morning fog put a haze over reality, making it easy to believe you had been transported back among 19th century cavalry troopers. in early September. It was one of those invitations I couldn’t possibly refuse. We were to retrace the steps of Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan – portrayed by Darrell – as he invaded southern Ohio in 1863, stealing horses and provisions in an attempt to draw federal troops away from Tennessee. His plan worked, as Union forces took up the chase, following Morgan and his 2,400 men eastward across the state to Portland, Ohio. There, Morgan intended to ford the Ohio River, taking him into the friendlier territory of West Virginia and on further south. As history goes, the Confederates did a decent-enough job of fending off their pursuers (hence the successful cannon ploy) until Morgan made a fateful decision to rest his men and horses. The Union cavalry soldiers caught up with him near Portland, as did a unit of Union infantry and local militia. And the Ohio River had risen enough for Union gunboats to traverse it, so naval forces also played a part in what’s known as the Battle of Buffington Island, the only Civil War battle fought on Ohio soil. Morgan was defeated and many of his men captured. More than 140 years later, 170 re-enactors and their horses were split into opposing sides to play out a realistic version of those events. “There wasn’t much scripting at all,” Darrell said, which made Morgan’s Raid II different from typical re-enactments that are more like public performances, recreating a specific battle. “This was more of a 24-7 kind of event. You essentially fought the ground as you saw it, which resulted in the military commanders making decisions and tactical choices like our predecessors actually did.” Tim Short of Weybridge, Vermont, riding San Peppy Rowdy Roe, served as a scout, riding ahead of the main federal column and searching for Confederates laying in wait. “This is different from your average re-enactment” with was time to feed and water the horses. (Food and water was trucked in for horses and humans, alike, so we didn’t have to actually “raid” the countryside as Morgan’s men did.) After a quick breakfast in the dark for the riders, the buglers played “boots and saddles,” which meant that you’d better hustle your saddle on and mount up. Though the mornings were rushed, there was time for less hurried conversation on the road and later, sitting around fires in camp. “Some of us have been doing this close to 25 years,” said Michael “Iceman” Bailey of Avenue, Maryland, pointing out that the backgrounds of today’s soldiers are just as varied as those of the Civil War soldiers they’re portraying. The ranks include carpenters, masons, farmers, construction workers, railroad workers, lawyers, small-businessmen and retired military men. “I love horses. I love history. My family fought in this war,” Michael said softly. “The people that died … the horses that died … to make sure it’s not forgotten, that’s the important thing. “We do it ’cause we love it,” he summarized. Not a week after returning from Morgan’s Raid II, the 6th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, of which Darrell is a member, was already planning to attend another re-enactment in Virginia in October. “We do events so we have things to talk about at the campfire,” Darrell joked. But it’s not entirely untrue. “This is what builds campfire stories,” said Louisianan Frank Crooks, “and memories.” Paul “Mad Dog” Rice Jr., the artillery commander who masterminded the cannon ambush, said one of his fellow soldiers told him on a particularly hard-driving day that “it was the best mental vacation he’d ever had in his life. He just got away from reality. We were only concentrating on getting from Point A to Point B, and when you get to concentrating like that, you lose where you’re at in life. … “When you’re re-enacting, that’s the point you want to be. You want to be somewhere else, so you can forget about whatever problems you have in life.” Experiences like that are what Darrell calls “Civil War heavily scripted battles, he said. “This is an ongoing thing, with one group chasing another one and covering so much ground. … You get a feeling of what it was like.” That’s what appealed to David Hauser, commander of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry, Co. C. “I call it an interaction of professionals,” he said. “We’re not putting on a show. We’re out here to be good soldiers.” So tactics were on the cavalrymen’s minds, but so, too, were the horses. After all, in the Civil War, that was the only thing standing between them and the much-derided infantry. Today, a sense of horsemanship prevails, and the horses are never far from their riders’ minds – literally. “It really is a celebration of the horse,” said Darrell, who’s from Canton, Ohio. “It was good to see so many people who work so hard to take care of their animals.” Picket lines were strung up between trees at each night’s campsite, and troopers made their beds not far away. We slept on the ground, on bedrolls cushioned by flakes of hay, and it was pleasant staring up at the crisp stars above and listening to the sounds of horses softly snorting and sifting through their hay. Whatever sweet dreams the troopers might have been having, however, were interrupted by the first bugle call at 5:20 a.m. each morning. It was followed by another 10 minutes later, and troopers barely had time to get their bedrolls rolled away and packed on their saddles before the Darrell Markijohn, at left, portrayed Gen. John Hunt Morgan. His dependable mount was LL Doc A Duedle Dues. “stable call” came, alerting us that it A M E R I C A’ S H O R S E J A N U A R Y 2007 47 moments.” Others call the teleport moments “seeing the elephant.” “It’s a moment during an event where you really feel like you’re back there,” Darrell said. He experienced one the first night, before the soldiers even embarked on the raid. With the horses and riders settled into camp and his administrative duties largely over, he looked over a foggy field, lit by a spectral full moon behind the picket line. No modern intrusions, just soldiers and their horses resting for the start of an arduous journey. “You see horses silhouetted in the fog and the rays of moonlight shining down. That was a good moment. It was Horses and riders alike feel the heat of battle in saber fights. Other authentic weapons used are black-powder pistols and carbines. Riding on the Raid RIDERS HAD BEEN STRONGLY ADMONISHED TO PREPARE their horses for the grueling ride, which required nearly 20 miles the first day. Horses had to be shod and had to pass a vet check before being admitted into camp the first day. Vets and farriers were among the ranks to tend to problems that cropped up, and chase vehicles ensured that injured horses and riders weren’t left to fend for themselves. Thankfully, no horses sustained serious injuries, but even minor mishaps sparked discussion about how Civil War soldiers handled emergencies without our luxuries. Theirs was a much harsher existence. “They either had to do what they could to take care of them or they had to leave them behind,” event coordinator Bob Vance said of the Civil War mounts. “There weren’t too many choices.” Horses who fell out of the ranks because of injury or exhaustion were referred to as “jaded,” and as Darrell Markijohn, who coordinated the event along with Bob, said, “That’s why (Morgan’s men) were out there robbing civilian horses.” In this century, Frank Crooks of Ville Platte, Louisiana, Buglers relayed messages to the troops: everything from when to eat to which direction to turn. 48 J A N U A R Y 2007 A M E R I C A’ S H O R S E was one of those who heeded the warnings about preparing his horse, Wild Turkey Pudden, or “Willie.” “I’ve been preparing him for three and a half months,” he said. “I got the time and distance down, then gradually started adding the equipment.” The cavalry horses, who have to lug weapons, ammunition and bedrolls, in addition to their riders, should be conditioned to carry up to 250 pounds, Frank said. Frank, who is company commander of the 1st Louisiana Cavalry, Co. E, was one of the soldiers who was watching out for the horses’ welfare. He offered friendly reminders to less-attentive soldiers whose tin cups were hanging from their cantles. “If it bangs on the horse’s back, it will sore it,” he said. “And it’s important to balance your load (with equal weight on both sides). You’ve got to be attentive to what you’re doing.” Despite his precautions, by the third day, the dependable 7-year-old Willie was getting tired. “He’ll get a vacation,” Frank promised. Willie’s dam was also a cavalry horse for Frank, as was her half-sister. “I’ve had Quarter Horses since the mid ’80s,” he said. “Everybody swears that their breed is the best, but I’m just sold on Quarter Horses all around.” So are many of the re-enactors, and several of them had to brag just a little about their mounts. Brian DuBois of Wentworth, New Hampshire, bought Sonnys Lonsum Zippo before the first re-enactment of Morgan’s Raid in 2003 and said, “He really took to it. … He’s got such a good, sensible mind. He’s an awesome horse. He’s my best buddy.” Brian, who describes himself as a fairly new rider, loves the fact that his Quarter Horses have always taken care of him. “Anything you ask of them, they give their whole heart and soul to it,” he said. “And this is a lot to ask of an animal.” Cavalry horses must learn to tolerate small-arms fire off their back, the booming of cannon fire nearby and the hand-to-hand saber fights that send them charging at one another. I saw some of what Brian was talking about firsthand when, on the third day, I was mounted on a different horse, 3-year-old Rap Up A Clue, who was at only her second re-enactment. When skirmishes broke out and soldiers near us were firing their pistols, “Sandy,” who is owned by Darrell Markijohn, tossed her head but stayed calm. By the fourth day, the head flipping had disappeared, and she was well on her way to becoming a cavalry veteran. The Bohemian Brigade Civil War journalists – which I was for the duration of Morgan’s Raid II — were nothing if not colorful. Here’s how author and fellow member of the fourth estate James M. Perry put it in his book “A Bohemian Brigade: Mostly Rough, Sometimes Ready”: “They were rowdy and boisterous. They competed hard to be first with the news and got it wrong more often than they should have. They were frequently arrogant and pompous. They lied; they cheated; they spied on one another and on the generals they wrote about. They made up battles they had never seen.” They also did an important service, providing civilians back home with the only news there was forthcoming from the front. They endured many of the same hardships the soldiers did, and they faced the loathing of most generals. (Thankfully, that wasn’t the case for me!) In fact, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman called them “buzzards of the press.” My 19th-century counterparts also didn’t have the liberty to ride with both sides, as I was fortunate enough to do. Perry’s book, however, recounted one Northern journalist who – fortified by Catawba wine – ventured into a nearby Confederate camp. As he took his leave, the Union general told him, “You’re a damned fool anyhow and will be hanged, as you deserve to be.” Fortunately for the journalist, however, the Southern general’s aide recognized his name from an even-handed report of a previous battle, and he was allowed to go about his business, Perry wrote. a defining point where I could step back into the 19th century and experience what this ride was all about.” Other moments, vignettes from the black-powder and saber fighting, are also etched on Darrell’s memory. “Those moments are all fixed in time,” he said. “I won’t soon forget those.” His fellow event coordinator, Bob Vance of Johnstown, Ohio, was portraying the commander of the Union cavalry, Gen. Edward Hobson, and he had his own recollections of tactical triumphs. Friday morning, he took part of his troops on a shortcut that would land them on top of a hill, in front of the Confederate soldiers who were marching toward the Ohio River. Another company of Union cavalrymen took a path that allowed them to come up behind the Confederates. Although the timing was a little tricky, the plan worked, and Bob said “we would have wiped (Morgan) out right there if it had been an actual battle. Of course, nobody dies in our re-enactments. They all live to fight another day.” No doubt, every soldier left reinvigorated with a special memory or two, a daguerreotype of adventurous days. Besides that, there’s the camaraderie among the soldiers, which echoes the kinship felt by real soldiers. There’s the graciousness of the citizens of Vinton and Meigs counties, who welcomed the re-enactors much like the 19th century sympathizers who offered provisions to the soldiers. And there’s the bond felt with the horses, who were the real troopers. “Now do you see why we do this?” asked Roy Prillaman, who rides the “wheel” horse on the six-horse artillery team. Yes, sir. I do. To learn more about re-enacting and about Morgan’s Raid II, visit the 6th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry’s Web site at www.6thohio-cavalry.org. A M E R I C A’ S H O R S E J A N U A R Y 2007 49