Robert E. Lee's Charger

Few people íd this broad land do aot I know that the late General Robert E. L's warhorse Traveler gained almoFt j as mnch f ame as did the celebrated Con, fedérate commander himself. After the j war an artist wrote to General Lee rskj ing for a desoription of Traveler, wi.ich j General Lee wrote for him. This is ! what the general wrote about his favor: Ite horse: "If I was an artist like you, I would draw a true picture of Traveler, representing his fine proportions, musj sular figure, deep ehest, short back, ; Btroug haunches, flat legs, small head, broad f orehead, delicate ears, quick eyes, small feet and black mane and tail. : Such a picture would inspire a poet, ', whose genius could then depict his worth and describe his endurance of toil, ( hunger, thirst, hea and cold, the dan' gers and sufi'erings through which he has passed. He could dilate upon his sagacity and affection and his invari! able response to any wish of his rider. He might even imagine his thoughts through the long night marches and tfays of battle through which he has ! passed. But I am no artist and can therefore only say he was a Confedérate gray. "I purchased hiin in the autumn of 18G1 in the mountains of Virginia, and he has been my patiënt follower ever siuce - to Georgia, the Carolinas and back to Virginia. He carried me through i the seven days' battle, around Richmond, the second Manassas, at Sharpsburg, Fredricksburg, the last day at Chancellorsville, to Pennsylvania, at Gettysburg and back to the Rappahanj nock. From the commencement of the canipaign, in 1864, at Orange, till its I elose around Pittsburg, the saddle was I Bcarcely off his back as he passed through the fire of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and across the James river. He was almost in daily requisition in ; the winter of 1864-5 on the long line of defenses from the Chickahominy, north of Richmond, to Hatcher's run, south of j the Appomattox. In the campaign of 1865 he bore me from Petersburg to the final day at Appomattox Courthouse. You know the comfort he is to me in my present retirement. He is well supplied with equipments. Two sets have been sent to him from England, and one from the ladies of Baltimore, and one from the city of Richmond, bnt I think his favurite is the American saddle from St. Louis. "Of all his coir.panions in toil, Richmond, Brown, Roan, Ajax and Qniet Lucy Long, he is the only one that retained his vigor to the last. The first two expired under their onerous burdens, and the last two failed. You can, I am sure, from what I have said, paint his portrait. " This ends the description, signed with the name-of the famons General Robert E. Lee, Lexington, Va , the snmmer f ore he