Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-16
" OLD SORREL GONE.
DEATH AT SOLDIERS HOME OF STONE
WALL JACKsONs wAR-H0RsE.
The Body in the Hands Of O Taxidermist-
The Horses History; the Bat
ties He Was In.

eAN 1Nhy AZ tue hhuuo VI - ece~s--~~
The Horses History; the Bat
ties He Was In.
sold Sorrel," Stonewall Jackson's
war-horse, died at the Confederate
Soldiers Home, near this city, at 6
O'Clock yesterday morning. He was
Jackson's favorite steed, and often had
he carried his master on forced marches !;
often had he borne him to battle; often
had he been in the midst Of whizzing bull
let's; often heard the crash Of cannon and
the roar Of musketry often he had
felt his name stroked by the great
chieftain; often been fed with Stone
wallis own hand /; and seated on his back
on the evening Of the fateful May 3,
1868, Jackson received the wounds
which closed a wonderful career and
gave to the Confederacy a shock from
which it never recovered. The horse
survived the rider nearly twenty-three
years, and fittingly closed his life at the
Soldiers Home, where he was petted
and nursed as tenderly as a child !;
where war-worn veterans wept at his
death, and where his form, when passed
from the taxidermist's hands, is to re-
maia and long be an interesting link in
the history of one Of the greatest of the
worlds soldiers.
THE HORSES HISTORY.
OF the horses early history nothing
is known. He was bought by Jackson
after the first battle of Manassas. The
General had been riding bay stallion
that belonged to his medical director (Dr.
Hunter McGuire), and had mean while
told his chief quartermaster, Major John
A. Harman, to look out for horse for
him.
There had been carload of horses,
destined for the United States army at
Washington, captured by Jackson's
army from a train Of cars near
Harper's Ferry, and q number
of these were brought to Jackson
from which to select one. He selected
this very horse and paid to the quarter
master the valuation set upon the ami
nal, $l50 i. is said.
FOR a LADY.
The horse was but fifteen hands and
one inch high; but though under
sized, was compact and hardy, moved
very quickly, and was remarkably
gentle.
The General had long wished to buy
horse for his dear wife, and his idea
was that this one would serve present
needs, and when the war was over
would admirably suit her.
Those were days when Confederate
hopes ran high. The COnfederacy had
won a great battle. 1t had shivered
to pieces the best army of the Union
and put their capital in terror. The
infant republic was in constant expec-
tation of reception by the great Pow
ers of Europe, and it was the general
expectation that hostilities would cease
time enough to allow the men to go
home to seed wheat. 1t is hardly
probable that Jackson was as wildly
sanguine as some others, but even his
great military mind could not penetrate
the future and foresee long and weary
war-a war Of exhaustion and starya-
ton. At any rate, he often told his
wife that he bought " the little sorrel "
for her.
"FANCY."
When General Jackson was lieuten-
ant in the United States army and was
stationed at Fort Hamilton, n. Y, he
owned a horse named Fancy, and was
very much attached to him, and so he
called "the little sorrel" after him.
"LIKE A FOX IN NOTION"
Jackson said Of the little sorrel -
afterwards come to be called " Old Sor-
rel that he had never known horse
of easier gait. A seat on him was
like being rocked in CRADLE" he said.
A member of his staff describes the
little sorrel" as having "a dog trot
and lope that looked like fox in mo.
tion." lie never was a stylish horse :;
never would have excited the admirs.
ton, or even attracted the attention, of
horse-fancier but though Jackson
had two fine horses" SUPERIOR" a
magnificent bay, presented him by the
people of Augusta, and "Big Sor-
rel Fancy he loved best and trusted
most of all for this little animal was
rapid and hardy, and was as calm under
fire as the man who rode him. More
than that, it was his "wife's horse"
CHARACTERISTICS.
A popularity about this tough little
horse, often noticed and commented
by the soldiers Of the army, was that
on a march when stop was made and
Jackson would dismount, "the little
sorrel" would lay down like dog.
The skirts of the saddle would be a
little rumpled sometimes, but Jackson
would never permit any one to interfere
with his favorite's mode of resting.
1t was habit of Jackson whenever
he could get an apple to save it for
Fancy" and with his own hand to feed
him.
"THELIITLEs soRREL BROKE DOWN
THE PREACHERS NAG.
Riding one day from Romney to
Winchester, accompanied by few
members Of his staff, Jackson stopped
at house to take dinner. There he
fell in with very loquacious preacher,
who occupied the Generals time and
attention almost exclusively, and who,
when the meal was over, announced
his purpose to ride along the road with
Stonewall. The Generals mind was
burdened with great cares he wanted
to be rid Of his friend he had grave
matters to talk over with his staff; but
how to courteously get rid of the rev.
erend gentleman he did not know. One
of the officers at last suggested that
they should have to /" ride away from
him. So "the little sorrel " and the
staff horses were put down to a good,
hard, rafting pace, and after five miles
the parsons nag failed him AID the
company bade him sdieu.