There were a number of battle horses in Lee's stables during the war. There were "Grace Darling," "Brown Roan," "Lucy Long," "Ajax," and "Richmond," but of them all "Traveler" became the especial companion of the general. The fine proportions of this horse immediately attracted attention. He was gray in color, with black points, a long mane and long flowing tail. He stood sixteen hands high, and was five years old in the spring of 1862. His figure was muscular, with a deep chest and short back, strong haunches, flat legs, small head, quick eyes, broad forehead, and good feet. His rapid, springy step and bold carriage made him conspicuous in the camps of the Confederates. On a long and tedious march with the Army of Northern Virginia he easily carried Lee's weight at five or six miles an hour, without faltering, and at the end of the day's hard travel seemed to be as fresh as at the beginning.
        The other horses broke under the strain and hardships; "Lucy Long," purchased by General "Jeb" Stuart from Stephen Dandridge and presented to Lee, served for two years in alternation with "Traveller," but in the fall of 1864 became unserviceable and was sent into the country to recuperate. "Richmond," "Ajax," and "Brown Roan" each in turn proved unequal to the rigors of war.

Traveler was an old fashioned (or at the time he was the modern day saddlebred of nobel breeding of 1862) today Traveller is considered the old fashioned saddlebred, same as "Cincinnati, and Lexington" both saddlebreds of that era; The officers always rode saddlebreds in all the wars that used calvery and Only the officers rode saddlebreds.