Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-18
THE LITTLE .SORREL.
An Interesting Incident About sionewaii
Jackson's War-Harse.

STAUNTON, Va. Feb. IL, 1885.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
am sure you will take great
pleasure in publishing the following
letter that have recently received.
1t gives us an interesting portion OF
the history Of the Little SOrrcl," mo
one ever called him Fancy" during
the war; - Stoncwall" JackSon's IA
nous war-horse. during the last battle
in which he and his great master partici-
patcd, and settles beyond controversy a
point that has hitherto been in doubt,
as witness the mote" that you APP
pended a few days ago to an item con-
corning this horse at the time above re-
fcrred to. Private Icatman is entitled
to the thanks of all old ConfedcrateS -
for this bit of history, and hope others
will in like manner communicate facts
concerning "Old Jack" a. we all low
ingly and admiringly-not to say
adoringly- called him.
may be excused for saying in this
connection that it is more than pToba-
BILE that the officer inquiring for a sur
gcon was myself, and that the " Little
Sorrel" followed me up the road, As !
rode rapidly in that direction. seeking for
DR.. Mcclure or some other surgeon, as
soon as | had seen General Jackson as
sisted from his horse and aSccrtaincd
that he was severely wounded, having
Informed Major Pendlcton, the chief Of
staff. that | would do 50. The atteu-
ton Of all those near the General was
directed to him. and his horse. left to
himself. naturally followed another
horse he bad been accustomed 90 accom-
pany.
i may add, further, that thina Mr.
Ycatman j., mistaken in reference to
the character of the yollcys that ne ami
his companion shielded themselves
from. 1t wa, probably the " canister
shots" at short range that a Federal
battery fired in that direction almost
Immediately after Jackson wa, wound
ed. one of which struck and killed one
Of the littcr-bcarcr, that hal just
raised him to their shoulders, thus pre-
cipitatinc the General 10 the ground, a,
Sergeant Mclaughlin. one Of these
bearers related 10 me short time since
in New Orleans, confirming my own re-
membrane of what occurred at the
time. Truly yours.
JED. HOrCIrKI-s.
FARMERS WAREHOUSE. ;
ASHEVILLE, y. c., Feb. ,. ISIS.
Nqjor Jc3. Hotclhiss, Stona'oa. ~.
Dear Sir.-ilaying just seen an cy-
tract from Stanton paper that YOU
are shortly to deliver lecture on
" Stoucwall " jackson in New Orleans,
where the "old Sorrcl" has already
gone, | would like to impart little in
formation in regard to the old horse
that have never seen in print, and
that think is important enough 10 de-
serve some notice IN connection with
him.
was member Of the Stuart Horse
Artillery Moorman's battery. At the
battle Of Charlottesville we were short
of horses, and were instructed to look
ont for every horse we could catch. We
were well up to the front line. and had
ceased firing, and were standing in line
in the roadwhen General jackson pc, ,cd
up to the front. | was sitting on
limbcr-chest of the front gun with John
W. Webb. Of AppomattoX county, Va,
when we saw fash Of muSkctry. Both
of US jumped down between the gun and
the limbcr-chcSt. No bullet, came
near us. Very quickly this discharge
wa, followed by another. when the bull
lets rained around Us. several striking
the limbcr-chcSt and gun-carriagc. in
minute or so afterwards an officer
rode down the road rapidly" IN
quiring for a surgeon. and the report
soon followed that General jackson had
been shot. Webb was on the side OF
the gun-trail next to the road. Just
about this time ! heard him speak. On
looking up TO see what he want
ell, found that he had just cap
ured horse and wa, trying to
quiet him. The horse was trembling
very much, showing great excitement,
but was perfectly docile and easily man
aged. Webb kept the horse and rode
him for several days. until We returned
to the neighborhood Of Orange Court
house. In the mean time, when passing
and rcpaSSing JackSon'> command. we
would hear many men asserting, Yon-
der is Old Jacks horse" Other,
laughed at the idea of such a thing. So
intimately were the old horse and the
General associated in the minds of the
soldiers that | doubt if many of
them would have known the Cen
eral without the horse, as most Of them
did not know the horse without the
General. a few days after reaching
Orange, General Stuart sent an order to
Captain Norman by a stati-oiiicer
stating that, from the best information
he could get, General Jackson's horse
was in our command. and asking that
he be turned over to the officer. When
Webb was told to bring up the horse
he took the yellow nose-band off of the
bride and said he would keep that.
This was the last ever saw of the
horse.
If you think this of importance
enough TO make any use of it, | can
only say that am glad to be able to
furnish it, and that if you will write to
Captain NJ. y. Norman, of Lynchburg.
Va, he can perhaps give you some fur
Their information on the subject.
Respectfully, I. Il. YEATMAN.
Late Private Stuart Horse Artillery.
Army Northern Virginia.
or superintendent w.
VI. n. Dunn.
Alexandria Gazette.