Alright, it’s the weekend, which means it’s time for a new post on Friends of the Blue and Gray. I honestly love this series, and it seems to be pretty popular, so I am happy you guys are enjoying it too!
I think today I am finally going to talk about Little Sorrel. I have been putting it off for a bit just because he is already so well known. But let’s give this Friend a proper post today.
In 1861, Little Sorrel was en route to Washington, D.C., as a Union cavalry horse when the train he was on was captured by Confederate forces at Harpers Ferry. Officers were allowed to pick from the seized horses—most chose the biggest and strongest mounts, and Jackson did too. He initially selected a larger horse, later known as Big Sorrel, while Little Sorrel was meant as a gift for his wife. At the time, the smaller horse was called Fancy.
But as it turned out, Big Sorrel couldn’t keep up with Jackson’s relentless pace and did not respond well to rifle and artillery fire. So the general made a decision. He ended up riding Little Sorrel into history.
Little Sorrel was a small, wiry Morgan horse. I don’t know much about horses, so if someone wants to explain what a Morgan is, feel free. What I do know is that Little Sorrel was known for being fiercely loyal and incredibly dependable.
If you follow this page, you already know what kind of man Thomas Jackson was. His men were called the “Foot Cavalry,” which should tell you everything about the pace and pressure they endured. That nickname paints a clear picture of what was expected from both man and animal and why a tough, determined horse was the perfect match for a relentless general.
Jackson also was deeply loyal to his mount, with reports stating that he would never ride another horse and quotes saying, “Where Little Sorrel went, Jackson went.”
Little Sorrel and Jackson went through nearly every major battle together: First Manassas, the Valley Campaign, the Seven Days Battles, Second Manassas, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and finally Chancellorsville—which, as we know, would be Jackson’s last ride.
After Jackson’s death, Little Sorrel lived on and became a sort of mascot for the South. There are even stories of him walking up to cadets at VMI looking for treats… maybe he was looking for lemons in memory of an old friend.
Damn, that sentence hurt writing.
He died in 1886 at around 36 years old. Little Sorrel is actually still at VMI. I will attach the picture to this post.
