Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-05-15
General tHtsrellanu.
run SOLDIER BIRD.

THE SOLDIER BIRD.
One day in the spring Of 1861. Chief Sky, a
Chippewa Indian living in The northern wilds oi
Wisconsin. captured an eagles nest To make
sure Of his prizc he cut the tree down, and caught
the eaglets as they were sliding from the nest to
run and hide in the grass One died He took
the other home, and built il "a nest in tree close
by his wgwam The eaglet was as big as hen,
covered with soft brown down. The red children
were delighted with their pet and ~ soon a.
it got acquainted IL 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 bushe Of corn The white man brought it to
Eau Clare little village alive with white men
going 10 The war.
Here's a recruits said the man.
"An eagle, an cagleln shouted the soldiers
/ " let him enlist y aud sure enough, he was sworn
into the service, with ribbons round his neck
red. white, aud blue.
On perch. suimounted by 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 bis wings his bright eye kindlmg with the
spirit Of the scene Shouts rent the arr 1.-The
bird Of Columbia the eagle Of freedom forevcr ..
The state made him q new perch. the boys named
him "Old Abe and She regiment (the Eighth
Wisconsin twas thcucciorth called the "eagle regi-
meut." On the march il was carried az the head
of tle company, and everywhere was greeted with
delight At st Louis, gentleman offered five
hundrcd dollars for it, and another his farm. No,
no, the boys bad no notion OF parting with their
bird. il was above all price--an emblem Of battle
and victory. Besides, it interested their minds,
aud made them think less Of hardshps and Of
home.
cannot tell You all the droll adventures of the
bird through its three years Of service-its flights
in The air. It's fights with the guinea hens aud It's
.tt 4 81 d Il IL.
in summer quarters at Clear Creek in Dixie it
was allowed TO run at large, and every morning
went 10 the river, half mile oil where II splashed
and played in the water to its hearts content,
faithfully returning to camp when it had enough.
Old Aho's iavore place OF resort was the suffers
tent where a live chicken found no quarter in his
presence. But rators got low, and for two day
Abe lad nothing to eat Hard tack he objected
To. fasting was disagreeablc and Tom, bis bearer,
could not get beyond the pckets to n iauyard.--
At last. pushing his way 10 tile colonels tent, he
pleaded for poor Abe The colonel gave him a
pass, and Tom got him an excellent dinner.
One day a rebel farmer asked Tom TO come and
show the eagle to his children. Satisfying the
curiosity of the family, Tom sat him down in the
barnyard. 0 what screeching and scattering
among the fowls for what should Abe do but
pounce upon one and gobbe up another, to the
great disgust OF the farmer, who declared that was
not in the bargain Abe however, thought there
was no harm IN confscatng nor did Tom.
Abe was in twenty battles besides many Skin.
mishes He was at the seige of Vicksburg, the
storming of Corinth, and marched with Sherman
up the Red River The whiz of bullets and the
scream Of shells were his delight. As the battle
grew hot and hotter, he would flap his wings and
mingle bis widest notes with the noise around
him. He was very fond Of music, especially Yam
kee Doodle and Old John Brown. Upon parade
he always gave heed to " Attention With bis
eye on the commander he would listen and obey
orders, noting time accurately. After parade he
would put of his soldierly air, flap bis wings, and
make himself at home The rebels called him
"Yaukee Blizzard, "Old OWL and other hard
rames but his eagle nature was quite above mo-
tCing it.
The iebeI Gen Price gave orders TO bis men to
be sure and capture the eagle Of the Eighth Wis
consn--he would rather have it than dozen bat
til flags. But for all that, he scarcely lost ah
er-only one from his right wing. His tail leath-
ers were once cropped by bullet
At last the great rebellion came to an end and
the brave Wisconsin Eighth, with their live eagle
and tom and riddled flags, were welcomed back
TO Madison They went out thousand strong,
aud returned little band Scared and toil-worn,
having fought andwon.
And what Of the soldier bird? In the name of
his gallant veterans, Capt Wolf presented him to
the state. Gov Lewis accepted the illpsrious
gift, and ample quarters are provided Tor him in
ihe beautiful state House grounds where he may
long live to tell us
%a i5 ssr9s. &C. Ger hs ss9%aS@
The thulhug CT o. freedom rauF.'
Nor is the end yet. At the great fair in Chcbgo last
summer an euteTprslng gentleman invited Abe -
to attend. He bad ooored photographs OF the old
hero struck Of aud sold $1,000 worth for the
benefit OF poor and sick soldiers. Has not the
American eagle done lis PaIt?--Chiids Paper.
In Rhode Island the amount of capital invested