History of Bacon Warhorse

          This grand old strain was originated in the 1850's by Col. Thomas Bacon of Edgefield S.C. by breeding a Baltimore Cock (known as Burnt Eyes) over a yard of Irish Gilder hens direct from John Stone of Marblehead, Mass. The cross produces wonderful fighting cocks with a savage rushing style of fighting that was then unknown in the south and proved to be absolutely game, although the  "Burnt Eye" cock had produced offsprings from other matings that were considered short on gameness. Col. Bacon bred and fought these fowl for a number of years with marked success as "Burnt Eye-Gilder crosses." It was at a main at Augusta, Georgia in 1856 between Bacon and Bohler against a Mr. Franklin, of Columbia, S.C. that they were given the name of Warhorse by one Peter Sherron, who owned one of the cocks being fought by Bacon, and which won a sensational battle. Cocks run in weight 4:06 to shakes and are black or black with lemon hackle and saddle. Hens are black to whipporwill brown and both have dark legs and daw or hazel eyes. They are among one of our oldest strains, and still extensively bred.