BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE BURIAL OF LITTLE SORREL

In January of 1996, following a ceremony at the State capitol in observance of Lee -Jackson Day, Virginia Division UDC President Mrs. Mark R. (Juanita) Allen asked VMI Museum Director Lt. Col.Keith Gibson if there were a project that the Virginia Division could undertake at the Institute. Col. Gibson immediately suggested the restoration of a uniform frock coat that had belonged to Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. Mrs. Allen asked if there were not something that could be done in connection with the General's horse, Little Sorrel, whose mounted hide had been given to VMI by the Virginia Division of the UDC in 1948. Col. Gibson's wife Pat, a volunteer at the VMI Museum and a member of the Fairfax Chapter of the UDC, informed her that Little Sorrel's bones were not in the mounted horse and had never been buried. Col. and Mrs. Gibson both expressed their desire to see these bones buried, an idea with which Mrs. Allen wholeheartedly concurred. And thus was born the notion of giving Little Sorrel a long-overdue funeral.

Although Dr. James Robertson, Alumni Distinguished Professor of History at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and recent Jackson biographer, had at one time suggested burying both the bones and the hide of the animal, neither VMI nor Mrs. Allen wished to deprive the Museum of the hide, which is a beloved icon in Lexington and one of the Museum's main attractions..

George Moor, president of the U.S. Cavalry Association and Stonewall Jackson look-alike

After her discussion with the Gibsons, Mrs. Allen wrote to Gen. Josiah Bunting, Superintendent of VMI, and sought permission for the Virginia Division to bury Little Sorrel and to mark his final resting place, as it had done in 1971 for the remains of General Robert E. Lee's horse Traveller (who rests outside the Lee Chapel on the neighboring Washington and Lee University campus). A few weeks later, she had her answer: the proposal had been approved, and she and Col. Gibson were to arrange all details.

The ceremony was originally planned to be small and rather low key, but press coverage and subsequent public interest convinced Mrs. Allen that the event should be open to anyone who wanted to attend -- i.e., SCV members, reenactors, musicians, and the general public. She and Col. Gibson jointly planned every detail of the ceremony, including procuring Dr. Robertson as one of two guest speakers (not "eulogists"). The event was conducted by the Virginia Division as a UDC ceremony, with the Virginia Division banner on the podium and Mrs. Allen presiding.

The UDC was fortunate to have the following as participants:

• Reverend William Klein of the Lexington Presbyterian Church, where General Jackson and his wife worshipped
• The Fincastle Rifles Camp of Sons of Confederate Veterans
• The Harry Gilmour Camp of Sons of Confederate Veterans
• The 2nd Virginia Cavalry reenactors
• George Moor, president of the U.S. Cavalry Association
• The Virginia Grays Fife and Drum Band
• Professor. Wayne Neal of VMI Bagpipe Band
• Cadet Adam Pool of VMI
• The staffs of the VMI Buildings and Grounds Department and the VMI Museum
• The ladies of the UDC's Virginia Division, who came and brought soil from various battlefields, presented wreaths, and otherwise helped with the program

We are grateful to VMI for allowing us the honor of bringing about this historic occasion and to everyone who came and paid tribute to Little Sorrel and to the memory of all the horses of the Confederacy.

At the reception following the ceremony, the Virginia Division donated $2100 to VMI Museum for the complete restoration of General Jackson's uniform trousers, which were on display for the first time that day. They match the uniform frock coat, which is still in need of restoration. The UDC urges all interested parties to send a contribution to the VMI Museum for the restoration, which will cost $6600.

Honorary associate UDC member and Jackson biographer Dr. James Robertson and VMI Cadet Adam Pool

 

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