The Equine Spy
It is wartime. Fanny is seen conversing with her mother on a porch when Billy, as the "cullud pussen," comes to give the joyful news that her brother, Herbert, is coming home for a brief rest. Fanny, looking sweet sixteen, gets a field-glass and manages to discern her brother. Herbert arrives and embraces his family. Billy the "cullud pussen," indicates that there are Union troops in the neighborhood and is given Herbert's pistol to signal in case of danger. Billy goes into a field to stand guard, notes the approach of Federal troops, makes a tremulous effort to scare them away and finally manages to fire his pistol. The mounted squad in charge of the dashing cavalry officer is searching for a noted Confederate spy and is led to investigate Herbert's house by Billy's signal. They find his horse and capture it as Herbert escapes with his sister to the barn where her horse, the splendid "Don" is stabled. She fires from concealment while her brother saddles this superior mount, holding the Northern cavalry at bay until he is ready, then opens the door. Herbert dashes out so unexpectedly that he clears the bunch of bluecoats before they recover their senses. Now comes a spirited chase. It leads to a fence which Don leaps without an effort. When the pursuing squad appears their horses balk and they are forced to make a detour. Herbert manages to reach his company, but is sent out on scouting duty astride of Don and instructed to fire a beacon if the enemy is seen in force. The Union squad becomes lost in wild country, the men dismount, and they spread an army map upon a stump to study the situation. While they are so occupied the scout draws near, dismounts and crawls nearer to learn their plans. Those examining the map detect his presence and begin chase so abruptly that they leave the map. Herbert falls wounded, rolls over a hill, crawls into a hole and manages to escape observation until the troopers pass out of the danger zone. Meanwhile Don noses around, discovers the map, picks it up in his teeth and carries it to his wounded master. Herbert crawls painfully upon Don's back and is carried to a point only a short distance below the beacon constructed to signal the presence of the Federals in large numbers. Just below the little mound on which the beacon stands he falls off in a condition so weak that he can proceed no further. What shall he do? The beacon is ready; it is important that it should be fired; there is only Don to aid the scout in this emergency. Don has been trained to bring and carry, but will he carry a light from the wounded Confederate to the beacon and set it aflame? He does. He proceeds with some reluctance; advances to the pile of fagots with caution, and he even betrays timidity after lighting the fire, but this astonishing act is accomplished and Confederate headquarters is warned of impending danger. Matters go hard with the scout as a result. The smoke leads to his capture; the incriminating map is found in his pocket, and he is carried away to the Federal headquarters for examination and trial.
- Released
- 1912
Details
Release year: 1912
Storyline
It is wartime. Fanny is seen conversing with her mother on a porch when Billy, as the "cullud pussen," comes to give the joyful news that her brother, Herbert, is coming home for a brief rest. Fanny, looking sweet sixteen, gets a field-glass and manages to discern her brother. Herbert arrives and embraces his family. Billy the "cullud pussen," indicates that there are Union troops in the neighborhood and is given Herbert's pistol to signal in case of danger. Billy goes into a field to stand guard, notes the approach of Federal troops, makes a tremulous effort to scare them away and finally manages to fire his pistol. The mounted squad in charge of the dashing cavalry officer is searching for a noted Confederate spy and is led to investigate Herbert's house by Billy's signal. They find his horse and capture it as Herbert escapes with his sister to the barn where her horse, the splendid "Don" is stabled. She fires from concealment while her brother saddles this superior mount, holding the Northern cavalry at bay until he is ready, then opens the door. Herbert dashes out so unexpectedly that he clears the bunch of bluecoats before they recover their senses. Now comes a spirited chase. It leads to a fence which Don leaps without an effort. When the pursuing squad appears their horses balk and they are forced to make a detour. Herbert manages to reach his company, but is sent out on scouting duty astride of Don and instructed to fire a beacon if the enemy is seen in force. The Union squad becomes lost in wild country, the men dismount, and they spread an army map upon a stump to study the situation. While they are so occupied the scout draws near, dismounts and crawls nearer to learn their plans. Those examining the map detect his presence and begin chase so abruptly that they leave the map. Herbert falls wounded, rolls over a hill, crawls into a hole and manages to escape observation until the troopers pass out of the danger zone. Meanwhile Don noses around, discovers the map, picks it up in his teeth and carries it to his wounded master. Herbert crawls painfully upon Don's back and is carried to a point only a short distance below the beacon constructed to signal the presence of the Federals in large numbers. Just below the little mound on which the beacon stands he falls off in a condition so weak that he can proceed no further. What shall he do? The beacon is ready; it is important that it should be fired; there is only Don to aid the scout in this emergency. Don has been trained to bring and carry, but will he carry a light from the wounded Confederate to the beacon and set it aflame? He does. He proceeds with some reluctance; advances to the pile of fagots with caution, and he even betrays timidity after lighting the fire, but this astonishing act is accomplished and Confederate headquarters is warned of impending danger. Matters go hard with the scout as a result. The smoke leads to his capture; the incriminating map is found in his pocket, and he is carried away to the Federal headquarters for examination and trial.
Top credits
- Don the Horse — Don - The Equine Spy
- Darwin Karr — Herbert Carter - the Confederate Officer
- Fanny Simpson — The Confederate Officer's Sister
- Mary Foy — Mrs. Carter - the Mother