CHAPTER XV.

THE ARMY MULE.

Where Raised—Where the Government Obtained Them—What They were Used for—Compared with Horses—Mule Fodder—How a Mule Team was Composed—How it was Driven—How Mules were Obtained from the Corral—The Black Snake and its Uses—An Incident—Mule Ears—His Pastimes—As a Kicker the Original Mugwump—What Josh Billings Knows about Him—His Kicking Range—How He was Shod—The Mule as a Singer—Under the Pack-saddle—The Mule as a Stubborn Fact—His Conduct under Fire—Captured Mules at Sailor’s Creek—What Became of All the Mules?—The Mule Mortal—“Charge of the Mule Brigade” 279