Fairfax Downey

Army Mule

Dodd Mead, New York, 1946, illus Paul Brown

“Fray Luis picks up a stubborn mule from a Mexican mule train and he finds that the mule Proverbio is reallyl
intelligent and willing and together they fight with the American Army against the Indians.”

Cavalry Mount

Dodd Mead, New York, 1946, illus Paul Brown

War Horse

Dodd, Mead, New York, 1943, illus Paul Brown

Reprinted several times.

“ It is a little-known fact that from the beginning of the Second World War the bulk of the German artillery has been
horse-drawn, not motorized. American and Japanese cavalry clashed in the Philippines. ..When oil freezes, engines
break down, and rubber runs short, the soldier turns again to his faithful steed.  The gallant little mare "Barbara,"
heroine of this story, was named for St. Barbara, patron of the artillery. Between the mare and Sergeant Jim Thomas
grew that bond of deep affection which every man, woman and child fond of horses will understand. It carried them
through the battlefieldsof France and beyond. Theirs is a tale of stirring adventure, unbeatable humour and undying
loyalty.”

Fairfax Downey (1894-1990) was a biographer and military historian.  His father was a United States Army Officer stationed in Cuba, where Fairfax Downey rode on a “white-maned buckskin pony”.  During the First World War Downey was a sergeant in the Yale Batteries, as well as serving in the 12th Field Artillery and 31st Field Artillery, all of which were horse-drawn.  He won a Silver Star citation at Belleau Wood, which took place in June 1918 near the Marne River in France.  The Silver Star is the third highest decoration in the Armed Services, and is awarded for gallantry in action. Downey also served in the Second World War, and was stationed in North Africa.  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.  

He worked as a journalist on the Kansas City Star, The New York Tribune, the Herald Tribune and the New York Sun becoming a full time writer.  His biographical subjects included Sir Richard Burton and Charles Dana Gibson, and he wrote several horse books.  His military background was brought into play for his book War Horse.  The equine hero is Barbara, based on Downey’s mount.  She served through five major battles, and had five battle stars and a wound chevron. Despite her wound, she had some success jumping, winning events in the Army of Occupation horse show.  A few of his horse books seem to be part of non-horse series: i.e. Horses of Destiny had as counterparts Dogs of Destiny (1949) and Cats of Destiny (1950), both illustrated by Paul Brown.

Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau and Lisa Catz for all their help with this section.  

Finding the books:  War Horse can be pricey, the Paul Brown factor pushing up its value.  Army Mule and Cavalry Mount are expensive; Free and Easy and A Horse for General Lee are generally cheap and easy to find; The Shining Filly, Races to the Swift and My Kingdom for a Horse are a little more expensive.

Sources and links:  

Author biographies from War Horse and Free and Easy

Obituary, New York Times

An excerpt from Downey’s biography of Charles Dana Gibson

A review of Army Mule from the Pittsburgh Express, December 20, 1945, Harry Hansen

Bibliography - horse books only

Also:

Horses of Destiny 1949

illustrated by Paul Brown

This looks to be part of a non-horse series:  there is also Dogs of Destiny (1949) and  Cats of Destiny (1950).

Famous Horses of the Civil War 1959

illustrated by Frederick Chapman

A Horse for General Lee

Scribner, new York, 1953, illus Frederick Chapman

“Jim and Garry’s jobs, as orderlies to Robert E Lee, were to care for the Confederate General’s horses, and of all
the ones he rode, the gray horse Traveller was Lee’s favourite.”

Free and Easy

Scribners, New York, 1951, illus Frederick Chapman

The Junior Literary Guild, 1951

Stella found a horse swimming in from the sea:  a Narragansett Pacer filly. She named the filly Free and Easy -- and
she trains and races the horse, and struggles to win her for herself.  There is also a romance, and more drama as
Stella’s father wants to sell the filly for gambling money.

The Shining Filly
Scribner, New York, 1954

“Elena and Isabel, two young Spanish Californians, view for the ownership of La Dorada, a wild palomino filly, but
it is the visiting American, Robert Winfield, who captures the filly and one of the girl’s hearts.”

My Kingdom for a Horse

Doubleday, New York, 1960, illus Matthew Kalmenoff

“A collection of horse stories, including a chapter from Lew Wallace’s Ben Hur.”

Races to the Swift:  Great Stories of the Turf [Edited]
Doubleday, New York, 1967, illus Don Stivers

“A panorama of horse racing stories:  flat races, steeple chases, trotters, Indian races, betting, fiction and

Non-fiction, revealing the individual personalities of horses, riders and spectators.