The Best Girl At Gettysburg

Posted • December 10, 2025: Back during the Civil War, the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry had some notable members, like Colonel Richard Coulter, George W. Reed, Hiram H. De Lavie, and its chaplain, William Henry Locke. But by all accounts, Sallie Ann Jarrett was the cutest and most beloved member. She was definitely the smallest. And the most loyal. And maybe even one of the bravest. She was also a dog. An American Staffordshire Terrier to be exact. To hear the stories passed down from the men who served in the Union army regiment, she was, without a doubt, the most popular member as well. —— Martin Van Buren NPS @mvb_nps: “#BARKRanger Week- #DogsOfTheNPS - #Sallie A canine of unwavering loyalty and honor, Sallie Ann Jarrett was a vital piece of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, serving alongside her comrades for the majority of the Civil War. @GettysburgNMP” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FyCeD-eWIAIzE65?format=jpg&name=large

The four-week-old puppy was a gift to the infantry from a local citizen, shortly after it formed in April 1861. All of the men instantly fell in love with her and decided she'd be their mascot. Coulter eventually wrote about her, calling her a "a little puffy, pug-nosed, black-muzzled canine, scarce four weeks old, and barely able to toddle upon its short and clumsy legs" and said, "She soon became accustomed to her new friends, and thrived rapidly. Milk and soft bread were to be had in plenty, and there was nothing for her to do but eat and sleep, snugly rolled up in her bed or lolling lazily on the blankets." The story goes that they named her "Sallie Ann" after a beautiful local woman who'd come to watch the soldiers do drills — one on whom many of them had a little crush — and they gave her name "Jarrett" after their original commanding officer, Colonel Phaon Jarrett. Legend has it that she participated in drills and paraded alongside the soldiers.

It's even been said that she met Abraham Lincoln, who "tipped his hat" at her. She was included in daily roll calls. The men said she disliked civilians and was only loyal to her unit, getting to know each member individually, but they say she disliked the Rebels even more than the locals. Sallie Ann eventually became more than just a mascot. She was a boost to morale and would even join the soldiers in battle, racing to the front lines and barking at the enemy, unafraid of gunfire. According to the National Park Service, she was there on the ground at some of the most famous battles, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg. She was even wounded during battle at one point. In May of 1864, during the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, she took a bullet to the neck. A surgeon treated her like he would any good soldier, but he couldn't remove it. Even so, Sallie Ann survived, and miraculously, the bullet worked its way out of her skin several months later.

Lincoln Watchman @LincolnWatchman: “One of my favorite monuments in Gettysburg, dedicated to the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. Notice their mascot, Sallie the dog, at the base. Tourists often leave dog biscuits & treats for her.” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FqpjVbjWIAAWLbU?format=jpg&name=large —— Lincoln Watchman @LincolnWatchman: “The only known picture of Sallie Ann Jarrett. She accompanied the 11th Pennsylvania & the Union Army of the Potomac throughout the Civil War. She perished just as she had lived. With her beloved human friends & comrades.” https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FqpkOzNWAAAj6-O?format=jpg&name=small —— On another occasion, July 1, 1863, the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Sallie Ann also got separated from her fellow soldiers. The men of the regiment feared she was dead, most likely wounded in battle, but they found her a few days later, closely guarding several members of the unit who were either severely wounded or dead.

Sallie Ann had a few litters of puppies during her service, and they were reportedly sent back to families in the soldiers' home counties in Pennsylvania. It's entirely possible that some of her lineage is still around today. Sadly, the pup herself lost her life just shy of four years old. On February 6, 1865, she was shot at Hatcher’s Run. Despite the fact that the men of the regiment were "under intense enemy fire," a few of them stopped everything and gave her a proper burial right where she fell. It's been said that on the night before her death, she kept the men awake with a "prolonged and mournful cry," as if she knew was was ahead. In 1890, veterans from the 11th agreed to include a bronze and granite statue of Sallie Ann when they erected their own monument at Gettysburg. She lies at the base of the statue of a bronze soldier, always keeping watch. You can still visit it today. And for sure, one soldier from the Civil War that I can root for. Sallie Ann Jarrett 🇺🇸

U.S. National Park Service: Sallie - Dogs of the NPS
https://www.nps.gov/places/sallie-dogs-of-the-nps.htm
Emerging Civil War: Man’s Best Comrade: Sallie and the 11th Pennsylvania
https://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/02/06/mans-best-comrade/