Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-07-09
AN EAGLE AND OLD GLORY.
An Exciting Incident of the Opening
of the War in Penn
sylyRnin.

On the 18th of May, 1861, just 30 days
from the presidents call for $4,000 90
day volunteers, in an interior city in
Pennsylvania, occurred one of The mex
plicable incidents which were very com
mon in those days.
1t would take a large volume to tell
of the marvellous things which followed
each other thick and fast all over our
land during that history-malling year
of 1861. Events, condolences or what
ever they may be called, happening in
such regular order in localities far
apart were so full of meaning some
thing about our country and the strug
gle we were just entering upon that
conservative people were often carried
as by an irresistible force into the ranks
OF the superstitious and the overenthu-
siastic.
On this 18th day of May a company of
Infantry in a city of 5000 population
was marching to the depot to enter the
service of the United States. OF course,
great crowd accompanied them, and
waiting for the train joined in good
bys and good wishes, when suddenly ap-
peared magnificent bald eagle imme-
diately over us, but lower than such
birds are wont to fly.
The great shout which greeted him
didnotin the least disturb him. Around
and around he winged his way, not in
the great circles of the high-fyers, but
only in such small ones as kept him
nearly all of the time Immediately over
US. For nearly an hour he floated not
over 300 or 400 feet above the hundreds
who watched intently his every motion.
Twice a soldier forgot himself in his ex-
citement and fired his gun into the |
ground, and each time we looked to see
our bird leave us. He paid not the least |
attention to guns CT cheers. Men and |
women cried audibly in their excite |
ment, and the enthusiasm of the soldier
boys became almost uncomfortable.
The train pulled out, with Badly"
as he had already been named follow |
Ing to the next principal station, 12 |
miles distant. Here delay of an hour |
occurred, and our men gathered on the |
platform singing songs and having a |
good time generally, with "Baldy" cir |
cling above, until they made a second |
start, when he turned, and on swift |
wing went back to the starting place, |
and perched upon not very high tree,
within 200 feet of the station.
There he remained for the balance OF |
the day-hundreds approaching quite
near to him-on into the night, and in
the morning he was gone.
The writer lived in that city 90 years,
before and after this incident and
never saw an eagle there, and the pi-
oneers of the valley said neither had
they. Who can explain the incident?
Had turkey buzzard or a goose flown
over us it would have attracted no at
tention, but an eagle-our eagle-thus
to come to us was more than we could
stand and keep cool.
l will only add statement made by
officers and members of the company,
who, when interrogated regarding it,
would reply: "We give you the facts
and do not try to explain them" They
said that all of the time they were wait
Ing for the train to start their beautiful
silk flag was given to the breeze; that
along the 12 miles to the station re-
ferred to lived the families and friends
Of many of their numbers. Their flag
was held out from the rear platform,
and was only taken in as they pulled
away from their stopping place, when
the eagle turned and left them.
If anyone knows an old bald eagle
and can speak his language, he may
hear of legend in eagle history ex-
planning what no man can.-San Fran
cisco Chronicle.