184 THE HOKSE. 



of, and proceeded to the estate of Mr. Bel a Badger, adjacent 

 to Bristol, in Pennsylvania, distant from the Union course, about 

 ninety miles, where, having a fine course upon which to exer- 

 cise and try their horses, they had made a halt. 



Tlie horses selected for this great occasion, as also to contend 

 for the three purse races to be run for, on the three days subsequent 

 to the match, heats of four, three, and two miles ; were Betsey 

 Richards, five years old ; her full brother, John Richards, four 

 years ; Sir Henry, four years ; Flying Childers, five years ; all 

 by Sir Archy ; and Washington, four years old, by Timoleon, a 

 son of Sir Archy. "With one of the three first named, it was 

 the intention of Mr. William R. Johnson to run the match. 

 Of these, at the time he left home, John Richards was his fa- 

 vorite ; his next choice was Sir Henry, and thirdly, the mare ; 

 altliough some of the Southern gentlemen — and amongst others 

 General Wynn — gave their opinion in favor of running the 

 mare, fearing lest Henry might get frightened by so large a 

 crowd of people and swerve from the track. 



Unfortunately for the Virginians, their favorite, John Rich- 

 ards, in a trial race, while at Mr, Badger's, met with an accident, 

 by receiving a cut in the heel or frog of one of his fore feet, 

 which rendered it necessary to throw him out of train ; Wash- 

 ington also fell amiss, and he and Richards were left behind at 

 Mr. Badger's. With the other three the Southern sportsmen 

 proceeded to the Union course, where they arrived five or six 

 days previous to that fixed upon for the match. 



The ill-fortune which befell the Yirginians, by laming their 

 best horse in the onset, seemed to pursue them, for scarcely had 

 they arrived at Long Island, and become fixed in their new 

 quarters, when Mr. Johnson, the principal on their part, upon 

 whose management and attention their success in a great mea- 

 sure depended, was seized with indisposition, so sudden and 

 violent, as to confine him not only to his room, but to his bed, 

 which he was unable to leave on the day of the race. Thus 

 the Southrons, deprived of their leader, whose skill and judg- 

 ment, whether in the way of stable preparation, or generalship 

 in the field, could be supplied by none otlier, had to face their 

 opponents under circumstances thus far disadvantageous and 

 discouraging. Notwithstanding these unexpected and untoward 



