While the three day battle of Gettysburg raged on in July,1863, thousands upon thousands of stories of courage and loyalty loomed themselves into the fabric of history. By far, Sallie Ann leads the pack of these unforgettable heroes.
Sallie Ann was a puppy at the start of the American Civil war in 1861 when she was given to the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry as a mascot. Quickly, she learned how to march with her comrades and even did her duty in battle by fearlessly barking at the enemy while gunshots and cannon fire exploded
around her.
During the battle of Gettysburg, heavy Confederate fire forced the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry to retreat, but Sallie Ann refused to leave the dead and wounded of her infantry behind. For three days, without any food or water, she stayed with them, offering comfort and licking the wounds of her fallen brothers. After the battle, she was found, still guarding the dead and wounded. Although weak and malnourished, she survived and even had the opportunity to proudly march in front of President Lincoln.
Just two months shy of the end of the war in 1865, this brave and loyal soul lost her life during a battle in Virginia. In the midst of raging gunfire and cannon explosions, she was tenderly buried by the grief-stricken men of her company. They laid down their weapons and tended to their beloved friend and comrade at the risk of their own life and limb.
They never forgot their devoted Sallie Ann or her bravery. Decades later, when a monument to the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteers was being erected at Gettysburg, all of the men pitched in to have a life-sized statue of "their loyal heart" placed in front of it.
Now, Sallie Ann eternally stands guard over the men she loved and protected during many battles.
"You are a brave and loyal soldier, Sallie Ann. Rest well, sweet girl."
1 comment:
that is so precious!
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