Belden, the white chief- apishamore saddle circa 1870

 Salvete Omnes,

George P. Belden, native of Ohio, was a cavalryman in the Nebraska Cavalry and then got his Lieutenant's commission in the regular army as as 2nd Lt US 2nd Cavalry , serving in Dakota Territory and Wyoming Territory. He was cashiered from the Army in Nov 1869, and died in 1871. 
He wrote and published his experiences as Belden, The White Chief; or Twelve Years Among the Wild Indians of the Plains (Vet pub, NY- 1870), with illustrations based on his and fellow soldier, Mr. Innman, drawings.

Within his book there is a short chapter on the 'apishamore'  or soft pad saddle made for  White Bear by his wife.

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to be continued

Salvete

Cincinnati and Jeff Davis et al., - general Grants' Civil War horses

 Slavete Omnes,

we are in the glumly month of December, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, Christmas some 2 weeks away

 ....

a short entry about the Civil War horses of general and POTUS Ulysses S. Grant.
Several years ago I posted about the Arabian horses owned by then POTUS, and today perhaps a little iconography about his Civil War horses. 
Archive.org has the 10 volume publication - The Photographic History of the Civil War in Ten Volumes.

Grant was already famous for his horsemanship while at the West Point Military Academy. 

Volume Four is dedicated to the Cavalry. - edited by retired general Theo. F. Rodenbough. And in there we can find some photos of Grant's horses - Cinncinati, Jeff Davis & Egypt. 

enjoy 

Valete

Edwin Forbes & his Civil War

 Salvete Omnes,

a short entry but lots of equestrian, military art -  the American Civil War, especially the Union cavalry et al., as seen by an eye-witness who was an artist too.

from the book Thirty years after: an artist's story of the great war - by our American artist Edwin Forbes -1839-1895 (archive library).

As he wrote in his book - he rode his mare Kitty.

from future POTUS and war victorious general Ulysses S. Grant to a cavalry skirmisher, cavalry artillery, wagon train and supplies etc in these prints

enjoy

Valete