Marye (horse)

Marye was a warhorse owned by the United States Army during the American Civil War who was later captured and pressed into Confederate States service.

Marye
SpeciesHorse
SexMare[1]
DiedJuly 9, 1864
Occupationwarhorse
Employer United States Army
 Confederate States Army

Early life and career
A statue of Marye, with John Brown Gordon atop, sits on the grounds of the Georgia capitol.

United States military service

Marye's early life and original name and master are unknown. She fought with United States forces during the American Civil War at the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862. During the assault against fortified Confederate positions at Marye's Heights, the beast's rider was shot off her and the animal galloped into the Confederate lines. The brigade of Georgia troops of the Army of Northern Virginia captured the steed and brought her to their commander, General John Brown Gordon, whose own mount had just succumbed to exhaustion. At the conclusion of active combat, the horse was surrendered to the Quartermaster but purchased back by the Georgia soldiers and presented to Gordon as a trophy.[2][3]

Confederate States military service

Gordon named the horse Marye in tribute to the location of its capture and is said to have treasured the horse since it was a gift from his men. Gordon used the horse as a mount until 1864 when she was killed in action by gunfire at the Battle of Monocacy.[2]

Characteristics

According to Gordon's description of the horse, she was generally sluggish, however, during battle was "transformed" into an excellent warhorse with a fearless character who would "with its head up and its nostrils distended, bound across ditches and over fences".[2] Gordon would tribute Marye as "the most superb battlehorse that it was my fortune to mount during the war".[3]

Legacy

In 1907 a statue of Gordon atop Marye, by Solon Borglum, was unveiled on the grounds of the Georgia State Capitol.[4][5]

See also

References
  1. Eckert, Ralph. "John Gordon Brown". digitalcommons.lsu.edu. Louisiana State University. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  2. Armistead, Gene C. (2013). Horses and Mules in the Civil War: A Complete History with a Roster of More Than 700 War Horses. McFarland. p. 153. ISBN 978-0786473632.
  3. Brown, John Gordon (1903). Reminiscences of the Civil War. C. Scribner's Sons.
  4. "John B. Gordon Statue Unveiled". This Day in Georgia History. University of Georgia. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  5. Upthegrove, Larry. "Oakland Resident Spotlight: John Gordon Brown". oaklandcemetery.com. Historic Oakland Foundation. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
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