The Shasta courier., 1866-07-07
SHASTA COURIER.
The Battle Eagle.
AN INCIDENT OF THE REBELLION.

One day in the Spring of 1861, Chief
Sky, Chippewa Indian, living in the wilds
of Wisconsin, captured an eagles nest. To
make sure Of his prize he cut down the tree,
and caught the eaglets as they were sliding
from the nest to run and hide in the grass.
One died. lie took the other home and built
1T nest in the tree close by his wigwam--
The eaglet was as big as hen. covered with
a soft brown down. The red children were
delighted with their new pet, and as soon as
it got acquainted it liked to sit down in the
grass and see them play with the dogs. But
Chief Sky was poor, and he had to sell it to
a white man for a bushel of corn. The
white man brought it to Eau Claire, a little
village, alive, with white men going to the
war.
Here's a recruit said the man.
can eagle an eagle p shouted the
soldiers '.et him enlist;' and sure enough
he was sworn into the service. with ribbons
round his neck-red, white, and blue.
On perch surmounted with the stars and
stripes, the company took him to Madison,
the capital of the State. As they marched
into Camp Randall, with colors flying, drums
beating, and the people cheering, the eagle
seized the flag in his beak and spread his
wings, his bright eyes kindling with the
spirit of the scene. Shouts rent the air ::
g The bird of Columbus the eagle of free.
dom forever ~ The State made him a new
perch the boys named him "Old Abe -
the regiment, the Eighth Wisconsin, was
henceforth called the 9 Eagle Regiment. y
On the march he was carried at the head of
the company, and everywhere greeted with
delight. At st. Louis a gentleman offered
$500 for him, another his farm. No, no.
the boys had no notion of parting with their
bird. 1t was above all price-an emblem of
battle and victory. Besides, it interested
their minds, and made them think less of
hardships and home
1t would be impossible to tell all the droll
adventures of the bird through its three
years of service. its flights in the air. its
fights with the guinea hens and its races
with the turkeys. When the regiment was
in summer quarters at Clear Creek, in Dixie.
1T was allowed to run at large, and every
morning went to the river, half mile off.
where it splashed and played in the water to
its hearts content, faithfully returning to
camp when it had enough. Old Abe's
favorite place of resort was the suffers tent
where live chicken found no quarter in its
presence.
But rations got low, and for two days Abe
had nothing to eat. Hard tack he objected
to fasting was disagreeable; and Tom, his
bearer, could not get beyond the pickets to
farmyard. AT last pushing his way to the
Colonel's tent, he plead for poor Abe. The
Colonel gave him pass, and Tom got him
an excellent dinner.
One day a rebel farmer asked Tom to come
and show the eagle to the children To sat.
isfy the curiosity of the family, Tom set him
down in the barn yard. Oh what screech-
ing and scattering among the fowl for W hat
should Abe do but to pounce upon one and
gobble up another, to the great disghst of
the farmer, who declared that was not in
the bargain Abe, however, thought there
was no harm in cOnfscating. nor did Tom.
Abe was in twenty battles beside many
skirmishes. He was at the siege of Vicks-
burg, the storming of Corinth, and the march
with a. j. Smith up Red River The whiz
of bullets and the scream of shells was his
delight. As the battle grew hotter and hot
ter, he would flap his wings and mingle his
wild notes with the noise around. He was
very fond of music, especially Yankee Doc
die and Old John Brown. Z pom duty he al
ways gave heed to - Attertionl'' With his
eyes on the commander he would listen and
obey orders accurately. After parade he
would put off his soldierlv air. flap his wings,
and make himself at home. The rebels call
eu Hlm 1ankpe DuZZaru. Olu OWl,
and other hard names; but his eagle nature
was quite above noticing it.
The Rebel General Price gave orders to
his men to be sure and capture the eagle OF
the Sth Wisconsin; he would rather have
him than dozen battle flags. But, for all
that, he scarcely lost a feather; only one
from his right wing. His tail feathers were
once cropped by a bullet.
At last the great rebellion 90 mo IN q n apd
and the brave Wisconsin Stb, with theil
torn and riddled flags, were welcomed back
to Madison. They went out one thousand
strong. and returned a little band, SCARED
and toilworn; having fought and won
And what of the soldier bird? f? In the
name of his gallant veterans. Captain Wolf
presented him to the State. Governor Lewis
accepted the illustrious gift, and ample quar-.
ters are provided for him in the beautiful
State House grounds, where he may long
live to tell us
- y nat heroes frym the woodland sprang,
When, through the fresh awakened land
The thrilling cry of freedom ranp