People Pay Homage To Heroic Dog Who Fought At Gettysburg By Bringing Her Treats And Toys
Pit bulls and Staffordshire terriers sadly have a bad reputation these days. However, it hasn't always been that way.
The breeds were once considered to be some of the most loving and loyal family dogs. One American Staffordshire terrier named Sallie was the perfect example of just how loyal these dogs can be.
Today, a bronze statue of Sallie Ann Jarrett guards the base of the monument to the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg National Military Park. The special dog lays peacefully, watching over the battlefield she once fought in more than 150 years ago.
Sallie joined the 11th Pennsylvania as a young pup, and before long, she became their mascot. "The regiment was on active campaign during the fall of 1862, and that’s where they encountered the dog," Christopher Gwinn, the chief of interpretation and education at Gettysburg National Military Park, said.
"It was a case where the dog kind of followed along with the regiment as they marched," he said. Sallie provided a great source of comfort and support to the men.
"The dog would follow them everywhere they went, and it was alleged that the dog would only bark at three things - women, rebels, and Democrats," Christopher said. "Of course, in the 1860s, Lincoln was a Republican, so Democrats were on the opposite side of the ideological and political spectrum."
Sallie was so loyal that she followed the men onto the battlefield, barking at the enemy. On the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Sallie was lost when the men were forced into a retreat and was presumed to have died.
However, at the end of the three-day battle, the men returned to the battlefield to bury their dead, and there was Sallie. She was waiting patiently, guarding the bodies of the deceased soldiers.
"She didn’t leave the battlefield - she stayed with those men," Christopher said. "And the men who fought at Gettysburg in the 11th Pennsylvania remembered that moment - it never left them."
Sallie remained an important part of her regiment until she was sadly killed in the Battle of Hatcher’s Run in February of 1865. Many soldiers loved Sallie, and they stopped to bury her despite heavy fire.
When Sallie's monument was being designed, veterans requested that the statue have an inscription under it with her name.
However, the park never approved the inscription, so only people who know Sallie's story are aware of her identity.
"Sallie loomed so large in their memory, and I think her sacrifice, in a lot of ways, is emblematic of the larger sacrifice of the regiment. Her dedication and devotion to the human companions she had were something that the men wanted to remember and honor," Christopher said.
Visitors are constantly bringing Sallie treats and toys, leaving them at her feet.
"I think it's a way to honor dogs like Sallie," Christopher said. "I think it’s a token of respect, a memento."
"I also think there’s something sublimely kind and compassionate about Sallie’s story," he said. "She’s not famous for mauling a Confederate soldier; she’s not famous for some act of violence - she’s famous for being a loyal companion who, even in the midst of tragedy and death, never abandoned those who cared for her and those she cared for. I think that resonates with people."
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