Interesting reference..

[Outrider]

This -IS NOT- an attempt to raise ,once again, the Great Horse Debate. There are much more interesting and informative discussions than that going on these days in the Cav folder. ...Good Job fellers!

However , I found a very interesting primary source reference in the un- likeliest of places so I thought I would share it with yall.

The book is - Civil WarPrisons - and the quote is found on page 25 in the first chapter- Prison life at Andersonville - the reference is to the guards habit of loading and firing cannon to intimidate the prisoners:


....Perhaps a fairly accurate idea of their reaction may be gotten from the diary of a prisoner:

"The Rebbs tried to show us how smart they could be shot 12lb guns (as a signal; it took 1/2 hour to fall in) we could take all they have got here in half that time they scared some of our boys half to to Death while others called the rebbs every thing they Could and laughed at them and they soon played out"

Apparently some of the guards, as well as residents of the neighborhood, were not informed of the drill. According to one prisoner,

" as soon as the alarm was given, they commenced 'skedaddling' for the woods, making as good time as a quarter horse....."



I thought this interesting in that here is a prisoner who was evidently familiar enough with QH's and what they were known for, that he made a reference to one in a "shot" at the rebs and the townsfolk.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Interesting reference..

" as soon as the alarm was given, they commenced 'skedaddling' for the woods, making as good time as a quarter horse....."

Oh yeah, that's way common in the period. He broke and ran like a quarter horse. I think I've used the phrase a few times in living history myself.

Quarter horses running short races on quarter-mile tracks was a well-known concept in the period. It's my guess, though, that if someone said they actually had a "quarter horse," the obvious first question would be "How fast is he?" or "Has he won much?" In other words, the picture that would come to mind first would be of a race horse.

It'd be like saying today, "I have a stock car." Well, actually, I really do. It's not been modified from the way it came out of the factory, so it's "stock." But if I said that, anyone hearing me today would assume I raced it, because that's the context the phrase is used in today.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Outrider]

Re: Interesting reference..

I agree with you Hank. Most certainly the picture -I see- in my head is of a race horse. I owned and ex QH racer and as has been said before, the conformation is quite different than the more common/ modern "bulldog" type.Then too it most definitely is no TB I see.
I didnt realize that was a comm0n phrase in the period. I suppose I should have.. shame on me.... I didnt really see it as anything of relevance about the QH reference so much as it just struck me as an unlikely source for it but your saying it was a common phrase explains that nicely.

Thanks Hank!