Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-01-26

Old Abe's history has been often told
In poetry and prose, aud his deeds Ie-
counted to thousands OF interested peo-
pie. Recently story of cold Abe"
has been published by Curran & Bowen,
Of Madison, Wis, from which take
some of the details of the follows
ing account:
Old Abo was captured when young by
Chippewa Indian, on the FIambeau
River, Wisconsin, during the sugar
making season in 1861, when he was
about the size of q full-grown hawk.
His captor cut down large pine tree. in
which was the eagles nest, and secured
this one eaglet in spite of the screams
and menaces OF the parent birds.
The Indian afterward sold the young
bird to white man for a bushel OF corn.
His new owner sold him to another man
in Eau Claire, Wis, for S5. Capt Per>
kins was at that time raising company
OF volunteers for the war, which rendez-
voused at Eau Claire, and while there
the eagle was presented to him. The
company brought Abe with them TO
Madison, Wis, in September, 1861, and
he was adopted by the 9Th Wis, and
named Old Abe.
A perch was made for him, consist
ing of shield and bundle Of darts
underneath and cross piece on top, to
which the eagle was tied by astout cord
to one of his legs; and he sat on the
perch and was carried BY a man, detail
ed for that purpose, next to the coIors,
in Co. C.
The eagle was nearly full. grown then,
and weighed 10i pounds. His beak
beak measured two and three~quarter
inches, and bent into semi~circle, hav-
ing its edges cut sharp and clean to the
point, where it was as hard as steel and
as sharp as needle, and of beautiful
flint color. His neck was short and
thick, the body large and symmetrical,
the general color of his plumage brown
with golden tinge, and his head
neck milky white. His wings measur-
ed over six feet from tip to tip when
stretched.
At st. Louis wealthy Union man
offered $500 for Old Abe, but the reply
was that mo money could buy him.
The first engagements we were in Old
Abe would watch the proceedings with
the greatest interest. His trepidation
was plainly dlscernible, and as the rattle
of musketry, the fastening of ambulan-
ces, the shouting of officers, the screams
of projectiles and shrieks of the wound
ed burst upon his senses in the full tide
of battle. he became wild with excite
ment, leaping and screeching and gnaw.
ing his perch, as if crazed by the tumult
and destruction going on around him.
He had o trick of rising on his perch and
extending his wings to their widest ex-
tent, tapping them up and down and
screaming.
In camp Old Abe had q frolicsome
time, learning great deal that was both
mischievous and amusing-running at
large, catching bugs with his claws,
fishing in creeks, catching bullets rolled
upon the ground, running of with the
bail when the boys were playing base
ball, tipping over water-pails, visiting
the tents and tearing up soldiers clothes.
Old Abe always went in swimming
with the boys. He drank after the man
ner of other birds, but when no better
chance availed itself he would throw
back his head, open his mouth and per-
NIT his bearer to pour water down his
throat from canteen. He could never
be induced to drink whisky, but he had
a liking for beer, and would guzzle it
down whenever offered.
Once, and only once, he got drunk on
that beverage, and behaved as nearly
like drunken man as can be imagined
staggering, screaming, strutting; then
lying on his 81 evomiting and complete
ly played out.
The rebel women called him the
yankee buzzard" and 'ldirty crow "
AT Duekport, La, opposite Vicksburg,
Gems. Grant, Sherman, Mower and Smith
rode past our camp one day, and Gen.
Grant doffed his hat to the eagle, at
which the regiment cLeefed, and the
bird responded by tapping his wings.
At the battle of Fort DeRussy, ON the
Red River campaign, Old Abe and his
bearer were among the first to reach the
rebel fort, and scaled it while the tire
was the hottest. Old Abe was greatly
excited and manifested as much Joy as
any OF the soldiers over the victory.
After the war Old Abe vas presented
to the state of Wisconsin, and the Gov
ernor had house built for him in the
State House grounds and employed an
old soldier to take charge of him.
He wasi in great demand at all great
gatherings in the countryside Pittsburg
i, ,onventioD, Soldiers FaiYin Milwaukee.
the Centennial Exhibition at Philadel-
phia, and other places where he was
viewed by thousands of people and cre>
ated great enthusiasm. His feathers. as
they fell off occs sionally, were bought
as great treasures and preserved, $5 to
S25 being paid for them.
On q cold day in the winter OF 1881 a
fire broke out in some paint pots and
rubbish near his house, and he scream.
ed so loudly that people rushed to the
spot. As soon as his door was opened
he rushed out; but he was never we'll
afterward. In March following he pinned
away, refused food, and died in his at
tendant's arms. A taxidermist took his
body and mounted it, and it now occu
pies place in the fag>room of the State
Capitol, sitting silently among the tat
tered and bullet-torn banners which,
like him, had been through the fire Of
battle.
The following is list of the battles
and skirmishers participated in by Old
Abe.
Friederickstown, Mo-, Oct. 81, 1861
siege OF New Madrid and Island No. 10,
NJ ii