HORSES KNOWN TO BE MORGANS

Rienzi. This horse was of the Black Hawk lineage and General Sheridan devoted a page to his memories of this horse when he penned his memoirs. The photography methods of the day did not readily lend themselves to taking photographs of restless animals. Often, a horse will appear to have a ‘phantom’ leg or head movement due to the long exposure time required. Such is the case in this photo in which Rienzi’s rear leg and lower portion of his tail appear to have been ‘retouched’ from the photo. The more logical explanation is that Rienzi was restless and moved, creating a double exposure in that portion of his photograph.

 

Figure 2: Little Sorrel. This is a very rare photo of Little Sorrel taken shortly after Stonewall Jackson was shot from his saddle with a mortal wound. The negative of this photo was destroyed during the fall of Richmond in 1865. The horse is identified as “Old Sorrel” in this photo and was called “Fancy” by Jackson himself. Historically, this horse has been said to be a Morgan but this picture reveals he was probably a type identified as a “Virginia Riding Horse”; mostly thoroughbred.

 

 

 

Figure 3: Jeff Davis. This horse on the right was captured near Vicksburg during a raid on the plantation of Joe Davis, brother to the President of the Confederacy. He was presented to Ulysses S. Grant who kept him until the end of the war along with his two thoroughbred war-horses, Egypt and Cincinnati.

Figure 4: Jeff Davis. This photo is the one that is more commonly seen of this Morgan horse although not as flattering as the previous photo.

HORSES THAT MAY HAVE A MORGAN HERITAGE:

Figure 5: Baldy. This horse was the mount of General Meade from 1861 until the end of the war. Wounded twice at Bull Run, Meade found him convalescing at a remount station. Impressed with the horse after riding him, General Meade personally purchased the horse at the government price. Baldy had a peculiar rocking walk that was so fast Meade’s staff officer’s often had to trot to catch up. Nothing is known of this horse’s background.

 

 

Figure 6: This horse, the mount of General Rufus Ingalls, is undoubtedly a Morgan. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about this horse other than he was present at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.

Figure 7: General Butterfield was a chief-of-staff and corps commander of the Army of the Potomac. The horse seen in this picture is not identified.

Figure 8: This photo was taken three months before Gettysburg and shows the not-yet-General Custer mounted on a Morgan horse. Along with General Pleasanton, Custer was responsible for stopping Stuart’s charge on the third day of battle at Gettysburg. It’s not known if he was riding this horse.

Figure 9: In repose and resting his hind leg, this horse is enjoying his rest. He was ridden by Captain Harry Page, the quartermaster of the Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac. This was a very arduous job and the three shown here are enjoying a rare moment of rest while awaiting a supply train.

Figure 10: Not only popular as riding horses, Morgans were also appreciated as artillery horses. This group is waiting their turn to be shod.

< Back                     NEXT PAGE >