Grant's horse

[yeoman]

Sir and ma'am, General Grant's horse, Jeff Davis, at City Point Va..., any thoughts on the saddle?





Thanks for the consideration.

For a bit more of General Grant's horses, http://faculty.css.edu/mkelsey/usgrant/hors2.html

[U.S Dragoon]

Re: Grant's horse

looks like the Grimsley i have from Doug Kidd.............this paticular grimsley in the photo is now in the quartermasters mueseum on ft Lee virgina, i happen to been fortunate enough to see it when i was stationed there for M.O.S training while in the marine corp back in 2000...........nice clear blow up of the saddle awsome photo......anyone notice how the blanket is folded?



Jason Klug
SGT 7th Mich co "G"

[Lance Stifle]

Re: Grant's horse

Hello Jason
it's a great pic alright, great reference as to horses, size and confirmation, tack, and the clothing worn by the holder ( civilian or military?)

As for the blanket folding I was suprised to see it's folded "open edges near and rough to the rear"; identical to that prescribed as late as the 1940's.

Kim Stewart-Gray
7th Tenn Cavalry.
& Buttermilk Rangers (Scouting out in the great southron land)

"I am with the South in death, in victory or defeat...I never owned a Negro and care nothing for them,
but these people have been my friends and have stood up to me on all occasions."
Patrick Cleburne 1860.

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Grant's horse

Thornton Grimsley (Col) St Louis, patented his saddle design in 1833. He also made civilian saddles and officer saddles based on the same cantle / pommel design. General Sherman was also a Grimsley and Co. customer / rider.

August 1860 - " Mr Ewing presented me with a horse which I took down the river with me and en route I ordered from Grimsley & Co a full equipment of saddle bridle etc the same that I used in the war and which I lost with my horse shot under me at Shiloh" General W.T Sherman from his self-penned memoirs - 1891

Grant was a M'Streamer....look at his double pommel holsters.

on EDIT: It just dawned on me I think the 47' "Dragoon" Grimsley has a cartridge box hanging on one side ?

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[U.S Dragoon]

Re: Grant's horse

Old king crow,

hello,

long time no see.........well to correct you a little this style of saddle was not patened in 1833, the saddle that you are thinking of was the model 1833 dragoon saddle that thorton grimsley made for the 1st Dragoons , it had the look simular to a texas saddle........in the mid 1840's he patened a newer saddle which is the grimsley you see above.

http://www.militaryhorse.org/features/1833.php

and grant had a set of double pommel holsters which were common for officers .........not enlisted (then it would be M' streamer) and the pommel holster you were thinking that had a cartridge box was the 1840's and 50's enlistedmans pommel holster (they didnt carry revolvers on there belts at that pount in time) so a trooper would carry a revolver in the holster on the near side of the horse and there was a pouch that held the horse bursh, hoof pick or curry comb that hung off of the offside of the horse.


and heres a photo of the same saddle , after the war:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15600330@N03/4464257607/sizes/o/

Jason Klug
Sgt 7th Mich Co"G"

[OldKingCrow]

Re: Grant's horse

Old king crow,

hello,

long time no see.........well to correct you a little this style of saddle was not patened in 1833, the saddle that you are thinking of was the model 1833 dragoon saddle that thorton grimsley made for the 1st Dragoons , it had the look simular to a texas saddle........in the mid 1840's he patened a newer saddle which is the grimsley you see above.

JK.....

You are abosutley correct, it wasn't the high cantle / pommel tree in the m1833. Winging it I stepped on my surcingle and I sure didnt mind my lane on that one. As penance, I am going to eat a handful of raw seed corn out of a biled linseed oil haversack and say three hail baby Rob Hodges.

I never knew ol' Uncondtional Surrender toted a brace of pistolas...I am motivated to support this and determine their type.

CJ Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[English Doc]

Re: Grant's horse

Here is a nice '47 Grimsley - currently lot #36 @ Cowans Auction Rooms - est. @ $6,000 - $8,000 dollars, from the Richard Lea collection....Anybody give me a loan?:cry_smile