The National tribune., 1888-01-12
GOLD ABE"
The War Eagle which the 9Th Wis.
Carried Through the War.
BY J. H. GREENE. CAPTAIN, srH WIS.,, ME-
DINA, o.

BY J. H. GREENE. CAPTAIN, sTH WIS, ME-
DINA, O.
~ IN LID ABE'S history has
VA NA been often told in poetry
E,IW ( Nh and prose, and his deeds
ssMasSsN&SW recounted to thousands
kHfYkfHlS ofinterested people. Re-
ES&MNHi5N Gently history of Old
<GESfIs.l9sf Abe" has been published
MISssSSa4SE$A by Curran & Bowen,
IS $SVssSssiAbsSW$SA of Madison, Wis, from
NsSI ANNA which take some of
1zt2I%SEnVH/WA the details of the follow
,,. MmI1|I ~ ing account:
SD tWkS Old Abe was captured
Gas<aaSSA w u when young by Chip
pewa Indian on the Flambeau River, Wisconsin,
during the sugar making season in 1861, when
he was about the size of a 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 pa
rent birds
The Indian afterward sold the young bird to
a white man for bushel of corn. His new
owner sold him to another man in Eau Claire,
Wis, for S.. Capt. Perkins was at that time
raising company of volunteers for the war,
which rendezvoused 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, consisting of q
shield and bundle of darts underneath and O
cross piece on top, to which the eagle was tied
by a stout cord to one of his legs; and he sat on
the perch and was carried by man, detailed
for that purpose, next to the coors, in Co. G.
The eagle was nearly full-grown then, and
weighed 101 pounds. His beak measured two
and three quarter inches, and bent into semi
circle having its edges cut sharp and clean to
the point, where it was as hard as steel and as
sharp needle, and of a beautiful flint color.
His neck was short and thick, the body large
and symmetrical, the general color of his plum
age brown with golden tiDge, and his head
and neck milky white. His wings measured
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 no
money could buy him."
The first engagements we were in Old Abe
would watch the proceedings with the greatest
interest. His trepidation was plainly discerni-
ble and as the rattle of musketry, the hasten
ing of ambulances, the shouting Of officers, the
screams of projectiles and shrieks of the
wounded burst upon his senses in the full tide
of battle, he became wild with excitement,
leaping and screeching and gnawing his perch,
as if crazed by the tumult and destruction 60
ing on around him. He had trick of rising
Oh MS perch anu G3bSHuluS Ills WHY'S W tIGlE
widest extent, tapping them up and down and
screaming.
In camp Old Abe had frolcsome time,
learning great deal that was both mischiev-
Gus and amusing-running at large, catching
bugs with his claws, fishing in creeks catching
bullets rolled upon the ground running off with
the ball when the boys were playing baseball,
tipping over water-pails, visiting the tents and
tearing up soldiers clothes.
Old ba ofxy went in c.Uirn mo with the
boys. He drank after the manner of other
birds, but when no better chance availed
itself he would throw back his head, open his
mouth and permit his bearer to pour water
down his throat from caDteen. He could
never be induced to drink whisky, but he had
q 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 scream
ing, struttiDg; then lying on his side vomiting
and completely played out.
The rebel women called him the Yankee
buzzard and dirty crow"
At Duckport, La, opposite Vicksburg Gems.
Grant, Sherman, Mower and Smith rode past
our camp one day, and Gen. Grant DOTTED his
hat to the eagle, at which the regiment cheered,
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 fire was the hottest. Old
Abe was greatly excited and manifested as
much joy as any of the soldiers over the VIC
tory.
After the war Old Abe was presented to the
State of Wisconsin, and the Governor had a
house built for him in the State-House grounds
and employed an old soldier TO take charge OF
| him.
He was in great demand at all great gather
/ ings in the country-the Pittsburg Convention,
! Soldiers Fair in Milwaukee, the Centennial
/ Exhibition in Philadelphia, and other places
/ where he was viewed by thousands of people
and created great enthusiasm. His feathers,
as they fell off occasionally were bought as great
| treasures and preserved, So to $25 being paid
/ for them.
On cold day in the Winter of 1881 fire
| broke out IN some paint pots and rubbish in a
room near his house, and he screamed SO loudly
/ that people rushed to the spot AS soon as his
| door was opened he rushed out; but he was
never well afterward. In March following be
! pined away, refused food, and died in his at
! tendant's arms. taxidermist took his body
| and mounted it, and it now occupies place in
the flag-room of the State Capitol, sitting ST.
lently among the tattered and bullet-torn ban
ners 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 O
New Madrid and Island No 10, Mo- March and
| April, 1852; Pennington, Miss, May 8, 1862
before Corinth, Miss, May %, 1862; Iuka
Miss, Sept. IL, 1862; BurnsVilfe, Miss, Sept
13, 1862; Corinth, Miss, Oct and a.; Talla
hatchie, Miss, Dec. 2, 1862 Mississippi Springs
Miss, May IA, 1863; Jackson, Miss, May ID
1863; Champion Hills, Miss, May 16. 1863
assault on Vicksburg, Miss, May %, 1868; Me
chanicsburg, Miss, June a. 1868; Richmond
La, June Is, 1853; Vicksburg, Miss, June "a
1863 surrender Of Vicksburg, July A. 1868
Brownsville, Miss, Oct. H. 1868; Fort Seurry
La, March Is, 1864; Fort DeRussy, La, Marcl
Is, 1864 Henderson Hill, La, March 81 1864
Grand Ecore, La, April 2, 1864 Pleasant Hill
La, April 8 and 8, 1864; Nachatoches, La
April % 1854; Kane River, La, April %, 1864
Clouterville and Crane Hill, La, April %, 1864
Bayou Rapids, La. May g 1864 Bayou Rob
erts, La, May TO 9, 1864; Moores Plantation
La. May TO IL, 1864; Mausura, La. May II
1864; MaysviIle, La, May II, 1854; Calhoun
Plantation, La, May Is, 1864; Bayou de Giase
La, May 1s 1864; Lake Chicat, La, June {
1864; Hurricane Creek La, Aug. 13 1864.