''Traveller'' is a historical novel written by Richard Adams in 1988. It recounts the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

through the viewpoint of Traveller, the favorite horse of

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

General Robert E. Lee.

Plot

In his stable, Traveller, the favorite horse of retired Civil War general Robert E. Lee, relates the story of his life and experiences to his feline friend Tom. His narrative, meant to begin in the early spring of 1866, follows the events of the war as seen through a horse's eyes, from the time he was bought by General Lee in 1862 until Lee's death in 1870. At the end of the novel, Traveller, with undying faith in Lee, remains convinced that the Confederate Army beat the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

and that Lee is now "commander of the country" (versus his actual postbellum role as president of

Washington University Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

). Despite being led in Lee's funeral procession, Traveller does not understand that his master has died and will not return to ride again.

Narrative style

The main character, Traveller, relates his life story aloud to his friend Tom, a cat with whom he shares the barn. As such the entire narrative is written in a way meant to portray a Southern accent, reflecting Traveller's locality. The events of the war are told from the horse's point of view.

Characters

Horses

Major military horses

* Traveller – A gray American Saddlebred gelding with a dark mane. The narrator of the novel. Originally named Jeff Davis. *Richmond – An aggressive bay stallion belonging to "Marse Robert" (Robert E. Lee). Died of

colic Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content out. ...

. *Brown-Roan – Also known as The Roan. A good-natured gelding of Marse Robert's. Had to be retired after going blind. *Little Sorrel – "Cap-in-his-Eye's" horse, also known as Old Sorrel. One of Traveller's closest friends. Sorrel sometimes foresees the future, predicting Cap-in-his-Eye's death shortly before it happens. *Skylark – "Jine-the-Cavalry's" primary horse. Proud, but friendly. *Joker – Major Talcott's horse. Usually good-humored and sarcastic.

Minor military horses

*Ajax – A large sorrel gelding given to Marse Roberts after he injures his hands. Rarely used due to his size. Died after Lee's retirement from injuries sustained from a sharp prong on a gate latch. *Brigand – A large black horse belonging to General Mahone *Buckthorn – An artillery general's horse *Champ – "Red Shirt's" horse; Traveller learns of Red Shirt's death from him. After Red Shirt's death, Champ is ridden by Sergeant Tucker. *Chieftain – "Little General's" horse; dies after his legs are shot out by a Union soldier at the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

. *

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

– A black horse belonging to

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

General

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

. Traveller meets him at the surrender at Appomattox, under the assumption that it is the

that has surrendered. *Crockett – An old horse shot and killed in front of Traveller at the

Battle of Sayler's Creek The Battle of Sailor's Creek was fought on April 6, 1865, near Farmville, Virginia, as part of the Appomattox Campaign, near the end of the American Civil War. It was the last major engagement between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, ...

*Dancer – Captain Wilbourn's horse *Frigate – A horse that informs Traveller of Old Pete's injuries at the Battle of the Wilderness *Ginger – Colonel Long's horse *Ivy – A mare *Leopard – Major Venable's mount *Lucy Long – A mare purchased as Marse Roberts's backup horse after his hands were injured in an accident. *Mercury – General Marshall's mount *Merlin – Sergeant Tucker's mount *Misty – A gray horse belonging to a gunnery officer *Rollo – A haughty, bragging stallion belonging to one of Jine-the-Cavalry's men *Romeo – A black gelding belonging to Ringlets *Sovereign – Eppa's horse *Star of the East – Jine-the-Cavalry's secondary mount *Trumpeter – A chestnut horse belonging to one of Red Shirt's commanders

Other horses

*Bandit – One of Traveller's stablemates during his time with Joe *Bluebird – Captain White's filly *Daffodil – A mare *Emerald – A pretty mare belonging to Judge Cox' wife. *Flora – Traveller's mother *Frisky – An old nag *Monarch – A stallion at Blue Sulphur Springs *Moonlight – A filly at Blue Sulphur Springs *Ruby – A mare belonging to Andy *Ruffian – A gelding at Blue Sulphur Springs; towards the end of the war, Traveller meets Ruffian again, injured and exhausted, having been abandoned by the side of a road. He later learns that Ruffian recovered and was retired to a farm. *Thunder – Confederate President Jefferson Davis's horse

Other animals

*Tom the Nipper – Miss Life's cat. Traveller relates his story to Tom through the novel. *Baxter – Another barn cat at the estate *Sandy – A goat sharing the barn with Traveller at Lee's estate *Dragon and Logan – Two mules belonging to a farmer the soldiers meet on a march

Humans

Although based on existing historic figures, most of the humans in the novel are given nicknames by Traveller. The following is a list of the human characters' real names and corresponding nicknames, as well as the horse or horses that usually accompany them.

Major military men

*"Marse Robert" – General Robert E. Lee. Called "Marse Robert" after Traveller hears a stablehand refer to him as such. His horses are Traveller, Richmond, Brown-Roan, Lucy Long, and Ajax. *"Cap-in-his-Eyes" – General Stonewall Jackson. Traveller's name for Jackson comes from his true-to-life habit of wearing his hat pulled low over his face. His horse is Little Sorrel. *"Jine-the-Cavalry" – General

J.E.B. Stuart James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a United States Army officer from Virginia who became a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of ...

. Traveller dubbed him "Jine-the-Cavalry" (a common pronunciation of the military song '' Join the Cavalry'') after the general made the statement several times during their first encounter. His horses are Skylark and Star of the East. *"Red Shirt" – General A. P. Hill. His horse is Champ. *"The Little General"- General

Daniel Harvey Hill Lieutenant-General Daniel Harvey Hill (July 12, 1821 – September 24, 1889), commonly known as D. H. Hill, was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the eastern and western theaters of the American Civil Wa ...

*"Ringlets" – General

George Pickett George Edward Pickett (January 16,Military records cited by Eicher, p. 428, and Warner, p. 239, list January 28. The memorial that marks his gravesite in Hollywood Cemetery lists his birthday as January 25. Thclaims to have accessed the baptism ...

. His horse is Romeo. *"Old Pete" – General James Longstreet. His horse is Hero. *"Sweeny" –

Joel Sweeney Joel Walker Sweeney (1810 – October 29, 1860), also known as Joe Sweeney, was an American musician and early blackface minstrel performer. He is known for popularizing the playing of the banjo and has often been credited with advancing the ...

. One of Jine-the-Cavalry's men, known for playing his banjo. *"The Fat General" General

Lafayette McLaws Lafayette McLaws ( ; January 15, 1821 – July 24, 1897) was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served at Antietam and Fredericksburg, where Robert E. Lee praised his defense of Marye's Heights, ...

. One of Old Pete's commanders. *"The Bald General" – General

Richard S. Ewell Richard Stoddert Ewell (February 8, 1817 – January 25, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. L ...

*"The Cussing General" – General

Jubal Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States of America, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early r ...

*"Marse Taylor" – Major Walter H. Taylor, Lee's aide-de-camp *"Vot-you-voz" –

Heros von Borcke Johann Heinrich August Heros von Borcke (July 23, 1835 – May 10, 1895) was a Kingdom of Prussia, Prussian Heavy cavalry, cavalry Officer (armed forces), officer and writer. Today, he is best known for his enduring memoir, ''Memoirs of the C ...

. Traveller gives his name as "Bork or Pork or something". *Captain Joe Broun – Joseph M Broun. The quartermaster of the 3rd Virginia Infantry. Broun purchased Traveller from Captain Johnston and renamed him Greenbriar. He later sold him to General Lee. His horse is Traveller as Greenbriar. *Major Talcott – His horse is Joker

Minor military men

*Captain Wilbourn – One of Cap-in-his-Eyes' officers. His horse is Dancer. *Colonel Long – His horse is Ginger. *Colonel Marshall – Charles Marshall, Lee's military secretary. Rides with Lee and the other generals at the surrender at Appomattox. His horse is Mercury. *Colonel Sorrel – Gilbert Moxley Sorrel, General Longstreet's chief of staff. *Eppa –

Eppa Hunton Eppa Hunton II (September 24, 1822October 11, 1908) was a Virginia lawyer and soldier who rose to become a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he served as a Democrat in both the United States ...

. One of Ringlets' officers. His horse is Sovereign. *General Alexander –

Edward Porter Alexander Edward Porter Alexander (May 26, 1835 – April 28, 1910) was an American military engineer, railroad executive, planter, and author. He served first as an officer in the United States Army and later, during the American Civil War (1861–1865) ...

. Rides with Lee at the surrender at Appomattox. *General Fitz Lee –

Fitzhugh Lee Fitzhugh Lee (November 19, 1835 – April 28, 1905) was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish–American War. He was the son of Sydney S ...

, nephew of Robert E. Lee. Rides with Lee at the surrender at Appomattox. *General Gordon – General

John Brown Gordon John Brown Gordon () was an attorney, a slaveholding plantation owner, general in the Confederate States Army, and politician in the postwar years. By the end of the Civil War, he had become "one of Robert E. Lee's most trusted generals." Af ...

. *General Hood – General

John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the de ...

*General Johnston – General

Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia secede ...

*General McGowan – Samuel McGowan *General Mahone –

William Mahone William Mahone (December 1, 1826October 8, 1895) was an American civil engineer, railroad executive, Confederate States Army general, and Virginia politician. As a young man, Mahone was prominent in the building of Virginia's roads and railroa ...

. His horse is Brigand. *General Pendleton –

William N. Pendleton William Nelson Pendleton (December 26, 1809 – January 15, 1883) was an American teacher, Episcopal priest, and soldier. He served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, noted for his position as Gen. Robert E. Lee's chief ...

, chief of artillery for the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

. *General Walker – James A. "Stonewall Jim" Walker *General Wilcox –

Cadmus M. Wilcox Cadmus Marcellus Wilcox (May 20, 1824 – December 2, 1890) was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican–American War and also was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Early life and career Wilcox was ...

*Major Venable – Charles S. Venable, one of Lee's aides. His horse is Leopard. *Sergeant Tucker – George W. Tucker. Rides with Lee and the other generals at the surrender at Appomattox. His horse is Merlin.

Other humans

*"Miss Life" – Mildred "Precious Life" Childe Lee, youngest daughter of Robert E. Lee. *"Miss Agnes" –

Eleanor Agnes Lee Eleanor Agnes Lee (February 27, 1841 – October 15, 1873) was an American diarist and poet. The fifth child of General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee, she was a member of the prominent Lee family of Virginia and was affectionately calle ...

, daughter of Robert E. Lee. *"Mr. Custis" –

George Washington Custis Lee George Washington Custis Lee (September 16, 1832 – February 18, 1913), also known as Custis Lee, was the eldest son of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. His grandfather George Washington Custis was the step-grandson and adopted son of G ...

, eldest son of Robert E. Lee. *"Marse Rooney" –

William Henry Fitzhugh Lee William Henry Fitzhugh Lee (May 31, 1837 – October 15, 1891), known as Rooney Lee (often spelled "Roony" among friends and family) or W. H. F. Lee, was the second son of General Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis. He was a planter, a Confed ...

, second son of Robert E. Lee. *Jim – Captain James W. Johnston. Traveller's original owner and trainer. *Andy – Andrew Johnston. Jim's father. *Zeb – A horse groomer at Blue Sulphur Springs. *Mr. Senseney – The

farrier A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adj ...

at Lee's estate. *Miss Dab *Perry and Meredith – Two of General Lee's servants *Bryan – *The President – Confederate President Jefferson Davis *Dave – *Grace Darling – *Jennie and Fannie – Two young girls near Lee's estate *Isaiah – *Captain White – Horse: Bluebird *Mr. Turnbull – A man who lets Lee use his property as headquarters *Judge Meredith –

Solomon Meredith Solomon Meredith (May 29, 1810 – October 2, 1875) was a prominent Indiana farmer, politician, and lawman who became a controversial Union Army general in the American Civil War. One of the commanders of the Iron Brigade of the Army of the ...

*Judge Cox – A man who allows Lee to rest at his house after the

References

{{RichardAdams British historical novels Novels set during the American Civil War 1988 British novels Cultural depictions of Robert E. Lee Novels by Richard Adams Hutchinson (publisher) books Novels about horses