Emeline Pigott's Spy Dog

Female spies were commonplace during the Civil War. Emeline Pigott was one of them who found a particularly unique way to hide secret messages.

Females made good spies because of their large hoop skirts. They were able to smuggle a lot of stuff in big pockets under their skirts, until their tactics were noticed.

Emeline Pigott, a Confederate spy, found one way to get around this. Not only did she pass inspection from Union troops while delivering important information, she stunned Confederate General Pierre Gustave T. Beauregard and soldiers on how she managed to pass without incident. Upon her arrival to the camp, she asked the General for a knife then stabbed her fat little lapdog in the side. The men were horrified at this cruel act but also bewildered to why the dog appeared unharmed. They soon learned that the dog's skin was a fake coat of fur that Pigott had sewn around her dog's midsection, hiding the documents.

Emeline Pigott was eventually arrested, sent to jail and faced the death penalty. But after a couple of months, she was inexplicably released without going to trial. After the war, she returned to her family's farm. She enjoyed telling others about her missions, but she never told anyone how she came to be released from prison. Pigott died in 1919 at the age of 82.

The Most Photographed Dog of the Civil War

The spotted dog, name unknown, belonged to Quartermaster General Rufus Ingalls.

General Ingalls took a trip to Washington DC and returned to Virginia with a handsome dog. Dalmatians were a rare sight in the US at that time period so the spotted dog caught quite a bit of attention. They were popular in England and were used by royalty and those of wealth as companions and coach dogs. Ingalls and the dog formed a close bond and were hardly ever apart. According to the book Campaigning with Grant, Grant often remarked on the dog when the two Generals met:

"One evening, as the general was sitting in front of his quarters, Ingalls came up to have a chat with him, and was followed by the dog, which sat down in the usual place at its master's feet. The animal squatted upon its hind quarters, licked its chops, pricked up its ears, and looked first at one officer and then at the other, as if to say: 'I am General Ingalls's dog; whose pup are you?' In the course of his remarks General Grant took a look at the animal, and said: 'Well, Ingalls, what are your real intentions in regard to that dog? Do you expect to take it into Richmond with you?' Ingalls, who was noted for his dry humor, replied with mock seriousness and an air of extreme patience: 'I hope to; it is said to come from a long-lived breed.' This retort, coupled with the comical attitude of the dog at the time, turned the laugh upon the general, who joined heartily in the merriment, and seemed to enjoy the joke as much as any of the party."

Harvey: Civil War's Barking Dog

Harvey became famous in history as a Civil War dog who stood by his men, during the good and bad times.

During the Civil War it was not uncommon for soldiers to bring their dogs with them. Daniel M. Stearns of Wellsville, Ohio was one of them. He and his dog Harvey, a bull terrier, became part of the 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Company F in 1862. Harvey, one of three mascot dogs with the company, was the only one to serve the full three years of active duty with the unit - longer than most of the men. During his time of service, he would bark at the enemy and was wounded at least twice when his company went into battle. The first time he was wounded he was captured and returned the next day under a flag of truce.

The soldiers of Company F often wrote home about the dogs. Captain William Jordan wrote his children describing Harvey and Colonel as "having the run of the regiment." The two dogs would sleep in whatever tent that best suited them for the night. Jordan also wrote to his family how Teaser, the other canine mascot, ran after one of the company's pet squirrel and how Harvey saved the rodent by picking it up in his mouth and bringing it out of harm's way. Another letter, written by Private Adam Weaver to his brother, told about Harvey attending campfire sing-alongs. Harvey would sway from side to side and bark while the men sang. Some believed the dog was joining in with the music but according to Weaver "My idea is that the noise hurts his ears as it does mine!"

Stearns was proud of his dog and when promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in 1862 he had a special brass tag made to hang on his dog's collar that read "I am Lieutenant D.M. Stearns dog. Whose dog are you?" In 1865 Company F mustered out of the military when the Confederate Army surrendered. After the war, the regiment had a portrait of Harvey painted so they could display it at reunions, and their favorite mascot's picture was on the badges the men wore during the social gathering.

Harvey survived his wounds and it is believed he lived his remaining days with Stearns.

Jack: Civil War Dog Hero and POW

Jack became famous in history as the mascot for the 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry. When captured, the regiment exchanged a Confederate prisoner for the dog who stood by them.

Before the outbreak of the Civil War, a stray bull terrier wandered into the firehouse of the Niagara Volunteer Company on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh. At first, the men basically ignored the dog and some were even unkindly to him. After one man kicked the dog, fracturing his leg, some took pity on him and helped nurse him back to health. After fighting a much larger dog to the finish, the bull terrier won the respect from all the tough men in the firehouse. The dog, given the name Jack, became a part of the team and went on to answer every fire call the company ran.

When volunteers were needed for the war, most of the firemen enlisted in the 102nd Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment and took Jack with them. Jack was a smart dog and quickly learned what the different bugle calls meant. The regiment's first duty was to defend Washington, DC, which they did during August 1861 until March 1862. After that, they fought in many bloody and deadly battles. Jack would run to the front lines during battle and after each battle he would comfort the wounded and dying soldiers and later search for the dead. If the men were in need of water or food while marching, Jack would lead them to a water source and catch small animals for them to eat.

Jack was wounded twice during his time of service. At Malvern Hill he was severely wounded when he was shot through the shoulder and neck. The medics of the regiment were able to save him and soon Jack was back on the field. He suffered lesser wounds while at Fredericksburg. Jack was also captured twice by the Confederate soldiers. Once he was able to escape six hours after being captured, and the other time he was held as a prisoner of war (POW) for six months before he was exchanged for a Confederate prisoner. While in prison, Jack's presence cheered up and gave hope to other Union prisoners.

In August 1864, the men of the regiment raised $75 and bought a silver collar and medal for Jack while in Pittsburgh on veteran furlough. On December 23, 1864, Jack disappeared and was never seen again. Some believe he was killed by somebody who wanted his silver collar.

Sallie Ann: Civil War Dog Hero

Sallie Ann Jarrett became a famous dog hero in the deadliest war in American history. The brave and loyal canine stood by her fellow soldiers for almost three years in some of the bloodiest battles during the Civil War.

In May 1861, a civilian presented a four week old bull terrier to the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry at a training camp in West Chester. The men named the little brindle puppy Sallie Ann Jarrett - after Sallie Ann, a pretty young lady of a nearby town who would drop by to visit, and after their commander Colonel P. Jarrett. Sallie Ann, who could barely get around on her short wobbly legs, became the official regimental mascot. She was well taken care of and soon became very fond of her new friends. Sallie Ann adapted quickly to army life, learning the various drum rolls and bugle calls. She joined the soldiers at their drills, and eventually learned to take her place at the head of the regiment with the colonel's horse.

The regiment and Sallie Ann proceeded south to engage the rebels in April 1862. She saw her first combat at Cedar Mountain. Sallie Ann went with the men to the front lines and would bark furiously at the enemy. She was brave when under enemy fire, and even a bit humorous when she would chase after the bullets that struck the ground around them.

On September 17, 1862, the soldiers were fighting in the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, the Battle of Antietam. The men attempted to send Sallie Ann to the rear to protect her from the vicious fighting, but the dedicated dog refused to go. Thousands of lives were taken that day. Sallie Ann survived, and gave birth to 10 puppies one month later. When weaned, the little dogs were sent north to good families while Sallie Ann remained with the soldiers.

In the spring of 1863, Sallie Ann was at the head of her regiment when the Army of the Potomac passed before Abraham Lincoln in review. According to legend, when Sallie Ann passed before the president, he doffed his tall stovetop hat to acknowledge her.

In July 1863, Sallie Ann became separated from her regiment during the retreat through Gettysburg, and the men feared she had been killed. She was unable to pass through the Confederate army to reach her unit so she went back to their previous location on Oak Ridge. Three days later, after the battle, a member of the brigade found the tired and hungry dog guarding her wounded and deceased comrades.

On May 8, 1864, Sallie Ann was shot in the neck, was treated and returned to active duty a few days later. The bullet, a minie ball, remained lodged in her neck for several months before it worked its way out, leaving a noticeable and honorable battle scar.

On the night of February 5, 1865, Sallie Ann kept waking the men with her mournful cries as though she knew something bad was about to happen. The following morning, Sallie Ann was struck by a bullet and killed during the Battle of Hatcher's Run - two months before the end of the war.

“Poor Sallie fell in the front line in the fight at the Run - a bullet pierced her brain,” mourned a fellow soldier in a letter after the battle. “She was buried where she fell, by some of the boys, even whilst under a murderous fire, so much had they become attached to the poor brute, who so long had shared with them the toilsome march and the perils of battle. It would, indeed, be a pleasant reverie if one could reconcile himself the poor Indian’s theory of the happy hunting-grounds, where his faithful dog would bear him company.”

Close up of Sallie Ann Jarrett at the base of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry monument

In 1890, the veterans of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry erected their monument at Gettysburg. One veteran described the monument as “A bronze soldier on top, looking over the field, while the dog, Sallie, is lying at the base keeping guard.”

Sallie Ann Jarrett, Civil War Dog Hero Poster
by inspiring_gifts