The National tribune., 1883-05-03
OLD ABE.
Some Conclusive Letters in Regard to the Eighth
Wisconsin's Eagle.

nisconSlnS Eagle.
The following letters would seem to settle
the question as to the performances Of {" Old
Abe, the war eagle of the Eighth Wisconsin, and
with their publication the discussion will be
considered closed:
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
I read with some surprise in the issue Of March
10Th account of Old Abe, the celebrated eagle
of the Eighth Wisconsin infantry. Either ComTade
Parker has a poor memory or got his information
secondhand. or Is given romance. / read with
great interest all accounts of battiesa skirmshes
from actual participants. and believe them too. III do
nOt know to the contrary. The facts IN the
as follows The ThiTty-thrd Illinois infantry. of
which was a member, passed through 81. Louis
in the latter part Of September, ls6l, for Ironton,
bio. On our arrival part Of the regiment de-
tailed to guard the bridges on the Iron Mountain
Railroad. On the 18th OF October. JEFF. Thompson
| attacked company f at Big River bridge, burned
the bridge, and made the company prisoners His
infantry and artillery ut FredericktOvn,
twenty miles east Of We received orders to at
tack them and marched on the evening of the 10Th
of October, as to surprise them by attack at
daylight the 2lst. Our columns consisted Of the
Thirty-eighth Illinois, Thirty-third Illinois, Tween
ty-rst Illinois, Eighth Wisconsin infantry $50 men
OF the First Indiana cavalry Hawkins independent
company of Missouri cavalry and battery H. Mis-
souri, light artillery, under command of Major j. NJ
SchOiield, who afterwards became major-general
and fought the battle OF Franklin, Tenn The whole
expedition under command of Colonel W. =.
Carin Thirty eighth Illinois infantry We arrived
at Fredericktown just at daylight. but JEFF. had
skipped OUT we had been betrayed. The landlord
OF the hotel at Arcadia had sent messenger ahead
of US and informed him of our movements. And
we green-so green that we halted III the town
and went into camp await the arrival of the troops
from Cape Girardeau; we stacked arms and scat
tered in every direction, looking for apples, pigs,
chiekens-anythins but what a well-diseiplined
army should l don't think there even
a picket posted or scout sent out. About noon
the troops from Cape Girardelu in, and
all rushed over pell-mel To see them arrive
the. Eleventh Missouri infantry, Twentieth Illinois
Seventeenth Illinois infantry two companies of Ili
nnis M hail
nois light artillery. dispute as to who should
command the whole expedition then arose be-
tween Colonel Plummer and Colonel Cariin.
They could not agree, and, as Colonel Plum
mer had brought supply train with a
supply of provisions, they decided that he should
take part of Colonel CarlinS command to re-ei-
force his own and pursue the enemy Greenvilie,
where we supposed he had gone. Colonel Plum
mer marched out on the Greenville road N about
! 10 O'Clock and had gone but three quarters Of o
mile when he was attacked by the enemy. Our
regiment roasting meat eating apples and
apple butter, when 2i-pound howitzer shell came
rolling across the pasture where OF the boys
We're trying to confiscate some mutton. There was
at once grand rush for the old Belgian lnuskets,
and don't believe the Thirty third Illinois ever
got in line quick again during the war. The
| Twentieth and Seventeenth Illinois and the
/ Eleventh Missouri and the artillery, under Scho-
1 field were at work IN earnest when got the
field and right there in front of the Seventeenth
| Illinois infantry, Colonel Alden Lowe WAS killed.
1t was at a fence the creek to the left of the
road. He was brave man, and was cheering
his on, and trying to hold them to their work.
He WAS on foot and on the side of the fence next
our men, and the ball struck him In the forehead
at the edge OF the hair and completely crushed the
top of his head just after the death OF Lowe the
First Indiana cavalry made - charge ON the re-
| treating enemy and fell into ambush and We're
| badly cut up. Major Gavitt and Captain Highinan,
| with two priyates were killed, and twenty eight
| were wounded. They numbered $50 sabers- i
/ want right here to say one word for the First
| Indiana cavalry. They were in our brigade for a
long time and during my term of service through
| the entire war east, west and south, they were,
! fs.xys1 f,ebs fhe.n
my beau-ideal of what cavalry should be- They
| would go anywhere. and tight either mounted or
on foot Now to the facts III regard to Old Abe.
The Eighth Wisconsin infantry did not join until
/ just before the fight at Fredericktown, and have
/ my doubts as TO whether Old Abe could fly at this
/ time, for he was u baby eagle, and if my memory
serves right WAS not yet flll-ficdged, and he
| was always fastened to his perch to something
else. If he got his baptism of fire. that day it
| was Of the Methodist kinda slight sprinkle. He
was nearer the engagement than the town, for
the Eighth Wisconsin was the reserve in town with
Lieutenant Purceps section of Missouri artillery,
/ and our boys claimed there no apples orapple
| butter left when got back, although don't
/ want TO be understood speaking one word
against the Eighth Wisconsin, for 1t WAS one OF the
finest regiments ever saw. and proved many a
4 bloody field the stuff il composed of. here
with append extracts from reports of both Colonel
l Carln and Plummcr Colonel Plummer says:
| then ordered the Thrty-eighth Illinois forward
| from the town, leaving the Eighth Wisconsin,
under Colonel Murphy, and one section of Major
Sehofield's battery in reserve, a post of honor,
though one disagreeabc TO them, all were eager
IN participate in the engagement" Colonel Carlin
| says: Hearing the eannoDading gave orders to
ali the troops in town to march to the battlefield
| except the Eighth Wisconsin and two a-pound
howtizers, which were 10 remain to hold the town,
and as q reserve Asd II the Sixty-third Illinois
infantry in the engagement did not see them,
and can find no report of their movements.
| have given the name and number of all troops
engaged. III. ID. WISsHrP,
| ACRos, FLA. Late 1ss Lieut.. Co. +, Esd Ills. Inf
To the Editor NATIosAL TRIBUNE:
i read in your issue Of April 10 a communication
/ from Frank J. Loves.. company Z, Thirty eighth
Illinois veteran infantry in regard - she Eighth