Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-12
STORIES OF OLD ABE.
Exploits of Historic War Eagle
 Related by Veterans.

old War Pet That Led . wfsconsin
 Infantry Regiment Into Many Bat
 ties Had It's First Escapade at St.
 Louis-Narrow Escape at vicks.
 burg, Where It Performed Its Most
 Noted Feat.
 Above the lamentations over the burning of the Wisconsin state capitol, with its hoard of valuable archives and chronicles, were heard tue bewail- ings of the "Old Guard" mourning the loss of Old Abe, the world famous battle eagle, says Madison dispatch to the Chicago Record-Herald. Hun dreds of family hearths were turned into biveuac fires the other night while veterans foregathered to swap yarns of the bird that led the Eighth Wis consin infantry into thirty-six battles of the civil war, from Frederickstown to Hurricane creek. -.e.-. s..
 The loss of the stuffed bird that for two decades from it's perch under the great dome had surveyed with tmper- trfrbable gaze thousands of visitors and sightseers has stirred revival of stories of the old war pet. .'-.s
 Old Abe, of whom half Wisconsin is talking, was captured on the Flambeau river, between Ashland and Price counties, in 1861, by Chief Sky, a Chippeway Indian. Chief Sky caught the young bird after climb to the top of gigantic hemlock tree and week later realized on his adventure by selling his captive for bushel of corn. The bird was carried to Eau Claire just as Company 0 was being mustered in. The lumbermen from the pine woods voted in the eagle as vol unteer, and after surgeons examina- ton it was added to the list of recruits and began it's course from obscurity to fame. \ Stories of Old Abe, as they pass among the veterans, credit him with miraculous feats and achievements. It was in St. Louis, on the way to the front, that the bird had its first es- capade. The veterans say that it was annoyed by negroes, who sneeringly called it "buzzard" and "crow," but at any rate the eagle broke it's cord and scared above the chimney tops and perched on the peak of a mansion. It was captured with difficulty after the standard bearer had modified 1t with an address in the Chippeway tongue.
 Tn January, 1862, at Cairo, Ill.,, Old Abe, who was becoming cadaverous from 8 diet of hard tack and "salt horse," scraped up an acquaintance with Frank, a dog that he taught to go out foraging for squirrels and rab- bits. According to the stories, the ca nine friend treated the eagle as the ravens did Elijah. One day the for ager was unsuccessful, and Old Abe dug his talons into the dogs back, and the partnership was over.
 In the battle before Corinth, Old Abe was aloft in sight of the army, ''whirl- ing and dancing on his perch" Bat ties made him voracious by this time. Thomas J. Hill of Eau Claire, his bearer, unavoidably entangled the rope in clump of bushes, when the eagle became exasperated and struck his talons into his masters face. Blinded, the soldier rushed down the line, fol- lowed by his comrades, who made one of the most desperate charges in the history of the regiment.
 It was in a charge before Vicksburg, May 22, 1868, that Old Abe performed his most renowned feat W. Edward HOmaSton was carrying the standard when he fell prostrate. His comrades rushed by, and the eagle, eager to be at the front dragged him in the direc- tion of the battle until they struck a log and were thrown back together into a clump of bushes. At that in stant a cannon ball passed overhead.
 At Alexandria Old Abe emulated the example of che geese at Rome and gave warning of the approach of the enemy at nightfall His whistle sent out scouts, who caught a spy, whom they forced to give up the countersign and lead them into the besieged city.
 The bird seemed to bear a charmed life. Not one of his bearers, conspicu- ous marks as they were, was shot down. The soldiers declared that the bird lodged the bullets. In his last battle. where rout seemed imminent, Old Abe rallied his regiment by de- vouring a rabbit on his perch, needless of roaring cannon and shrieking shell.
 At the close of the war the bird be- came pensioner at Madison having Il room to himself ill the basement of the capitol. He was exhibited at gather ings of soldiers all over the country. A cold caused the birds death, March