The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-21
Tears for "Old Abe

Major Dawes, who CO mman3ed company
OF the eighth Wisconsin, gives some facts about
"Od Abe,' the bald eagle that went through
the war with that regiment. "My first ac-
quainta ance with him." says that officer, was
in the spring of 1861, just about twenty years
ago now. The eighth Wisconsin regiment, a
company of which 1 had the honor to COM
mand, was going into camp at Camp Randall,
in Madison, and with one of the companies.
commanded by Capt. Perkins, came the eagle,
then chicken about half or two thirds grown
Whether the idea had been formed before he
came into camp of making him part OF the
regiment for the war. or whether it was devel-
oped afterward, do not recollect, but it was
understood before we left camp that the bird
was enlisted, and he was christened sod Abe
and one OF the tallest men in the reg nent de-
tailed to carry and take care of him, with the
understanding that at the end OF the war he
was to convey him to Washington and present
him to his namesake, the President. A STAN
dard. with slanting platform on it, over
which was carved quiver and arrows for him
to stand upon, was obtained, and upon this he
made his way when ON the march. A cord at
tacLed to his leg secured him to his standard,
and standing on this perch, over the shoul-
der of his er, and near the colors of the
regiment, he was the observed of all OBJ
servers. His most noted flight was at the bat
tie of Cornth. Gen. Mowers horse was shot
under him. lost one-tbird of all the men 1
had, either killed or wounded, was shot my
self, and a bullet cut sOld Abe's' cord, all in a
moment of time The rebs were down on us
with whoop and yell. saw our eagle soar
ing'-that is pretty classical word to use, but
it can alone express the dignity of the fight
away over the rebel lines-and supposed he
was gone for keeps, as did we all, and sorry
enough we were. We were in trouble enough,
licked for the time being-our friends killed
and wounded, old JOS horse shot, land we
all liked the old fellow on his masters account)
and above all, our eagle gone over to the rebs.
Some of my men gathered me up in blanket,
and took me along as best they could, and we
had not gone far before old Abe came swoop-
ing back to his perch. which was being brought
along, for we did not mean to let the rebs crow
over that, anyhow This sounds almost too
poetical to be believed. but there were too
many eye-witneSses to it to be successfully con-
tradicted. l know these things of my own
knowledge, and assert them to be true"
"What did he use to live on in the feld?"
Rebel chickens seemed to agree with his
constitution remarkably we'll. He never suf-
fered for want of food the rest of us sometimes
after a rabbit across the field after a hard days
march, whooping like fiends, for his supper.
OF course it was fun, but it being for the eagle
helped the fun wonderfully"
"Where was he usually during an engage
ment?" "Always in the thickest of the fight,
near the colors, usually on the ground, occa-
sionally flying to the perch and screaming ter
rifically. He seemed to know what business
was being transacted and the nature of it. He
would stand by cannon which was being
served with the greatest rapidity, without
f1inching, and the rattle Of small arms appeared
to delight him. OF course he did not know
what it was to be hurt by the balls, but 1 be-
lieve he appreciated that trouble came to those
about him by their means He was bird on
ly, but there will be a great many wet eyes
when the news of his death reaches the survi-
vors of the eighth re giment.''