Horses of the Revolutionary War

The midnight ride of Paul Revere has been made immortal by poets and the authors of early American history. In Revolutionary War accounts, there is no mention of his borrowed horse’s name or breed – yet without this animal, the Battle of Concord might have turned out quite differently. One could even assume, then, that the great American Experiment would never have occurred without that noble steed, or its fellow horses during the war.

Warhorses provided protection and comfort, transported heavy loads of artillery and camp supplies, and were used as messenger mounts, carrying revised battle plans, enemy intelligence, and orders between commanders. George Washington, the man who would go on to be the first US president, was, at this time, a general. He was also a well-known fan of both horses and his dogs. Yet in the early days of the war, he didn’t see the value of cavalry – and so there were very few mounted units initially.

But after spending time with the first volunteer cavalry unit, the Philadelphia Light Horse Brigade, Washington changed his mind and petitioned Congress to establish the first mounted units of the colonies. There were three types of mounted troops. Heavy cavalry, or cuirassiers, rode large horses and wore heavy armor. They were used primarily as a shock troop to break enemy formations. Light cavalry, or hussars, rode smaller horses and mostly operated on the move, carrying messages, gathering intelligence, and screening – a defensive tactic in which the mounted troops act as sentries to provide early warning and act as a buffer between enemies and the main army. Finally, there were the dragoons. These were infantry soldiers mounted on horses who fought on the front lines.

Horses trained for battle also kicked and bit the enemies, making them weapons of war in their own right. Warhorses had a profound psychological effect on the men in battle. They boosted the morale and courage of their riders and allies, and they caused fear in their enemies.

American Horses

Washington rode two horses throughout the Revolutionary War: A white named Blueskin and a Sorrel named Nelson. After the Revolutionary War, Washington wrote to Elizabeth Dulany: “Marks of antiquity have supplied the place of those beauties with which this horse abounded in his better days. Nothing but the recollection of which, & of his having been the favourite of Mr. Dulany in the days of his Court ship, can reconcile her [Mrs. Dulany] to the meagre appearance he now makes.”

The average horse can carry between 20% and 25% of its body weight. In war, they were used to carry tents, weapons, food, and other necessities of war and encampment. They even carried cannons.

These majestic animals paid a price for America’s freedom, leaving their familiar homes to be guided by strangers in war. Be kind to the horses that served – whether by honoring the memories of those of the Revolution and other wars in history, or by caring for the still-living service animals either still in service or retired to the ranch or back yard. They deserve at least that amount of respect and more.

1. Horses were vital to the success of the US Revolution – or, for that matter, any war through history up to the time they were phased out of military service.
2. George Washington loved horses, but he wasn’t convinced of their usefulness in war until he spent time with a volunteer cavalry unit. That change of mindset may have altered the outcome of the war.
3. The average horse can carry between 20% and 25% of its body weight. They were used not just as mounts and transporters, though, but also as weapons. They were trained to bite and kick in war.