The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-03
wIscoNsIN's BATTLE FLAGS.
Stories Told of '.oId Abe the Mascot
of the Eighth Wisconsin.

at the Eighth Wisconsin.
Captain William H. Harris, collector
of internal revenue, in recent con-
versation with .. reporter for the st.
Paul Globe touching certain incidents
of the war. mentioned odd Abe the
famous war eagle. The captain was
asked for a history OF the bird, and
here it is:
The famous war eagle of Wisconsin
was captured in the spring of 1861 on
the Flambeau river, near the line be-
tween Ashland and Price counties,
Wis. by a Chippewa Indian named
Chief Sky" who sold the young bird
10 Daniel Mccain of Eagle Point for
a bushel of corn. Mr.. McCann took
the bird to Eau Claire and sold him
TO Mr.. Mills for IS. The latter pre-
sented the eagle to the Eau Claire
Eagles which company subsequently
became company c, Eighth regiment,
Wisconsin infantry volunteers. The
company joined the regiment at Camp
Randall Madison, Wis, September 8,
and with il left the state for the south
October l.. 1861. From this time until
June y, 1864, when the re-enlisted
members % the regiment returned to
the state on veteran furlough. "Old
Abe accompanied the regiment in all
its marches, campaigns and engage
ments- Returning to the front from
veteran furlough on July q, the old
warrior was finally mustered out of
service September 16, 1864. al Memphis,
Tenn, with the nOn-veteranS of the
regiment. Upon old Abe's' arrival at
Madison. Wis. he was formally pre-
scented 10 the governor by Captain Vic
tor Wolf Of company { of the regi-
ment. While on march or in action
odd Abe" was always carried on a
perch with the colors. During his
three years service he had six differ
en0 attendants. viz: James McGinnis
of Eau Claire. Wis: Thomas j. Hill OF
Eau Claire Wis; David McLain of
of Eau Claire, Wis; John Burkhart
of Eau Claire, Wis, and John f. Hill
Of Eau Claire, Wis.
During the battle of Corinth. Miss,
the cord with which he was fastened
TO his perch was either broken or shot
off and he scared over the battlefield.
The rebels shot at f:im several times;
once he was seen to careen as if he
had been hit. He finally spied his
regiment and lii down on his perch
unframed
Subsequently to the war "Old Abe
was in great demand. He was present
at tha great fair held during the WIN
ter of 1S64-5 by the northwestern san
itary commission al Chicago. at the
1OtQ1EI IOIlE lilI- IlClO III milwaukee,
in July. 1865; the great convention at
Pittsburg, Pa, September % and %,
1855; at Peoria. Iii. October II, 1866; at
dedication Of soldiers monument, at
the soldiers and sailors convention,
Chicago. MaY Is, 1868; at the state
soldiers reunion held in Milwaukee,
September 27-2S. 1870: at the reunion of
the Grand Army of the Republic at
Chicago May Il to a. 1875; at the Cen
tennial exposition, Philadelphia. Pa.
1876; at the Old South church fair
Boston Mass, winter 1883; the grand
banquet in Chica go in 1879; the grand
reunion at Columbus and Canton, O.,
in 1880. and the great reunion at Mil
waukee. Wis. in 1880. This was the
last public appearance of old Abe"
in Wisconsin.
Toward evening of a cold day in
the winter OF 1881 a fire started mys-
teriously in a quantity of paints and
oils stored in a basement OF the capt.
toll. near "Old Abe's' cage. The blaze
created am enormous volume of black
and offensive smoke, which at once
flied his cage to Suffocation.'' He
was never well after this and died,
March 26, 1881 His remains We're
mounted and now adorn the rotunda
OF the capitol.-From the st. Paul
Globe