46 



good horses as the country could supply. Many gentlemen possessing 

 fine horses willingly lent them to their friends. Mr. Ravenel's Lucy got 



into the hands of Col. , who never rode her himself, but mounted 



his servant on this, the finest horse in his command. Mr. Ravenel was 

 detained at home by unavoidable circumstances when his favorite mare 

 went out of his stable, but soon after, mounted on a common plantation 

 tackey, but properly armed and accoutred for service, he presented him- 

 self at the head quarters of Col. . 



"Sir," said he, "I have come to serve ray country, but as it is indis- 

 pensable I should be well mounted, I desire you to let me have the use 

 of one of my own horses." He named Lucy. 



To his great surprise and mortification Col. declineil. alleging, 



as an excuse, that he had already appropriated and could not spare her. 



"Then," said Mr. Ravenel, "I do no duty until you alter your deter- 

 mination." 



Soon after this conversation Mr. Ravenel was invited to breakfast with 



Gen. Marion. On entering his tent, he found Col. present. In 



the course of the repast. Gen. Marion introduced the subject of his refu- 

 sal to do duty. The circumstances having been explained. Gen. Marion, 

 drawing a slip of paper from his portfolio, promptly wrote an order, ad- 

 dressed to Col. himself, for the immediate and unconditional sur- 

 render of the mare. He handed the order to Mr. Ravenel. remarking 

 that, as no man had bred finer horses in the country, so no one deserved 

 to be better mounted. "Besides, sir," the General added, " who has the 

 best right to the mare, your servant, or Mr. R., who owns her ? " 



There is another anecdote of a mare, celebrated during the Revolu- 

 tion, fi'om which some of our present stock has descended. It is of an 

 English mare, known in those days as the " Red Doe" She belonged, 

 dui'ing the war, to an ofiicer in the British army, in Col. Coates' com- 

 mand, it is believed. An American soldier, by the name of Hunter, 

 having been taken prisoner, was thieatened with instant death if he did 

 not give the British commander some information he deemed it import- 

 ant to procure. The man, hesitating, was ordered to be shot, but the 

 officer to whovn this duty was assigned, not wishing " to kill his unpre- 

 pared soul," gave him a little respite for i-eflection and prayer. This offi- 

 cer was the owner of the Red Doe, and was mounted on her at. the time. 

 Hunter, saw but one chance of escape left to him, and bravely resolved to 

 avail himself of it if possible. He entreated the ofticer to dismount a 

 moment, as he had something of importance to communicate. The offi- 

 cer complied, but no sooner was his foot clear of the stirrup, than with 

 one bound Hunter jumped into the saddle, and uiging the affrighted 



