Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

A writer who was among the horses in our late war time, says the army horses, generally speaking, were a knowing set, although many of them were perverse and vicious. The boys had a theory that all the kicking, biting and balky horses were sent to the army. But a majority of these soon yielded to discipline, and the trooper and his horse soon froze to each other.
The horse followed his master, came at a call, obeyed signs as well as words, and at times warned his master of danger. Horses learned the bugle-call readily, as well as their places, and to start the horse it was only necessary to sound “feed or water call.” In action, many horses would about face, turn right or left, halt, move forward, etc., at the bugle sound without a word or sign from the riders.
Coming off Chancellorsville battle-field, the captain of a battery dismounted to look after a disabled gun, the remainder of the battery passing on. His horse broke loose, joined the column, took his place at the head, and would allow no one to approach him until two or three miles had been traveled. The concussions of artillery discharges affected the hearing of horses as it did the men. Often the ears would fall down, instead of standing erect, making so much change in the appearance of a horse that his rider would hardly recognize him. Tired men moved much better under the influence of music, and the horses worked better under the bugle.-Selected.