THE MULE. 31 



because they do not get enougli of this straw and meal. 

 The same committee say, also, that in no instance have 

 they known them to be inflicted with disease other than 

 inflammation of the intestines, caused by exposure. I 

 only wish that the members of that committee could have 

 had access to the afladavits in the Quartermaster- 

 General's department — they would then have satisfied 

 themselves that thousands of Government mules have 

 died with almost every disease the horse is subject to. 

 And I do not see why they should not be liable to the 

 same diseases, since they derive life and animation from 

 the horse. The mule that breeds closest after the jack, 

 and is marked like him, is the hardiest, can stand fa- 

 tigue the best, and is less liable to those diseases common 

 to the horse ; while those which breed close af*"er the 

 mare, and have no marks of the jack about them, are 

 liable to all of them. 



In the beginning of this chapter I spoke of the color 

 of mules. I will, in closing, make a few more remarks 

 on that subject, which may interest the reader. "We 

 have now at work three dun-colored mules, that were 

 transferred to the Army of the Potomac in 1862, and 

 that went through all the campaigns of that army, and 

 were transferred back to us in June, 1865. They had 

 been steadily at work, and yet were in good condition, 

 hardy, and bright, when they were turned in. These 

 mules have a black stripe across their shoulders, down 

 their backs, and are what is called " dark-colored duns." 

 We also have the only full team that has gone through 

 all the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. It 

 was fitted up at Annapolis, Md., in September, 1861, 



