Fort Snelling in Hennepin County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Smartest Horse in the US Army
Photographed by McGhiever, June 21, 2026
1. The Smartest Horse in the US Army Marker
Whiskey and Lt. William Hazelrigg at Fort Snelling, 1922
A wild horse who could kick a hole in a battleship arrived in 1921. Whiskey's intelligence dazzled audiences.
The Minneapolis Journal noted the horse's strong bond with trainer Lt. William Rueben Hazelrigg, who chatted with [Whiskey] in a language only he and Whiskey know. The US army buried Whiskey with full military honors in 1944.
Erected by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1921.
Location. 44° 53.636′ N, 93° 11.265′ W. Marker is in Fort Snelling, Minnesota, in Hennepin County. It can be reached from Tower Road east of Bloomington Road, on the left when traveling east. The marker is at Historic Fort Snelling, just north of the pay parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Tower Road, Minneapolis MN 55417, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Travel through 10,000 years of human history (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Mitakuye Oyasin: We Are All Related (about 300 feet away); The Treaty of 1805 (about 600 feet away); Hope (about 600 feet away); Identity (about 700 feet away); Service (about 700 feet away); Giacomo Constantino Beltrami (approx.
this page online
Regarding The Smartest Horse in the US Army. Whiskey, who had served in the Philippines, belonged to Battery F of the Fourteenth Field Artillery, Third United States Infantry. The legendary trick horse delighted audiences for nearly 20 years by jumping through rings of fire, leaping obstacles, and bowing to the crowd. Source: The Military Historical Society of Minnesota
Also see . . . Whiskey the Horse (1911-1943) from Minnesota Then. (Submitted on July 8, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.)
Photographed by McGhiever, June 21, 2026
2. The Smartest Horse in the US Army Marker and Whiskey's grave
Photographed by Keith L, October 16, 2008
3. Whiskey
A Great Horse
A Stout Heart
1911 1943
A Great Horse
A Stout Heart
1911 1943
Photographed by Keith L, October 16, 2008
4. Whiskey's grave prior to placement of this marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2009, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 3,047 times since then and 116 times this year. Last updated on November 13, 2022, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 8, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 3, 4. submitted on March 21, 2009, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
