CHAPTER IV. 



MATTIE HUNTER — SOME OF HER GREAT RACES. 



I FIRST saw Mattie Hunter in the summer of 1875. 

 She was then three years old. She was very hand- 

 some and stylish, a bright chestnut, with white 

 strip in face, white stockings behind, and one in front. 

 I do not think she had then been broken to harness, 

 but could pace quite fast under the saddle. Her con- 

 formation, style and gameness gave evidence of breed- 

 ing of a high character, but beyond her sire and dam 

 nothing can ever be known. At the close of the war, 

 the Government had a large number of horses at 

 Nashville, which had been gathered in by the soldiers 

 from different places, and no one knew from whence 

 they came or anything about their breeding. These 

 horses were sold at public auction, and among them 

 was a tall, rangy, chestnut colt, then three years old. 

 He was very poor, and had every appearance of having 

 been ridden hard and poorly taken care of. This colt 

 was purchased by Major Alman of Cornersville, Tenn., 

 and by him named Prince Pulaski. With rest and 

 care he improved rapidly, and when matured was one 

 of the handsomest and best show horses I ever saw ; 

 and while his breeding was, and probably will forever 

 remain, unknown, his style, beautiful head and neck, 

 perfect legs, and smooth conformation, furnished 

 indisputable evidence of royal breeding, and that he 

 possessed a large element of the best thoroughbred 

 blood then known in that section of the country. In 



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