River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1922-07-13

it is developed that the famous war
eagle was captured either in the park
or just north of It. Miss Louise p.
Kellogg, Research Associate of the
| State Historical Society Of Wisconsin,
has been looking into the matter, and
writes to the Wisconsin Lakes and
| Parks Association as follows:
"The earliest mention of the Flam-
beau river is in connection with the
| Chippewa Indians, VINO in the 18th
century began TO push into this re-
gion. The Flambeau was part of the
battle-ground between the Sioux and
the Chippewas. The chief of the
Flambeau band of the latter tribe
was the great Keesk-ke-num, who rul-
ed I'll the country between the Chip
pewa river and the Lac du Flambeau.
1t was his grandson, Chief Sky, who
captured "Old Abe" A party visit
ed Chief Sky after the Civil war, led
by the lumberman, Thomas Coleman,
to ascertain where he captured the
eagle. 1t was, he said, on the north
fork of the F1ambeau, but / fear from
the descriptions it was a little high
er up than the park region. He spoke
of rapids, and those who interrogated
him thought it must have been in
township 40, range n east; 20 miles
from the mouth of the Flambeau."
Following up the story further,
some interesting details Of the story
of Old Abe are brought out. Early
in the spring Of 1861, a band of In
dams went up the North Fork of the
F1ambeau river, to make maple sugar.
They discovered the eagles nest in
a tall pine tree. Chief Sky captured
the baby eagle from the nest. On
their way down the river, he and the
other Indians stopped n April day
at the pioneer home of Daniel McCann
at Jim Falls, about ten miles up the
river from Chippewa Falls, and Mrs.
Mccain bought the young eagle for
a bag of corn. At that time he was
not old enough to fly. As he became
older, he became somewhat ugly, and
Mr.. McCann took him to Eau Claire
and sold him for $500 to a company
being raised for service in the Civil
War by Captain John E. Perkins.
The name of the Company was chang
ed to the Eau Claire Eagles. This
company later went to Camp Randall
at Madison, and became Company &C.
of the 9th Wisconsin Infantry, and
the eagle was named "Old Abe" aft
er Abraham Lincoln. A handsome
perch was made for him in the form
Of a shield with a platform on top of
a six-foot staff, and a member of the
company detailed for the special car
Of the bird. The company took part
in the Civil War and the fame of Old
Abe spread throughout the entire
army. He was carried into the thick
Of every battle, and seemed to I'M
derstand the danger as well as the
men. The Confederates became
aware of his presence, and dubbed
the eagle "The Yankee Buzzer," and
selected sharp shooters in an attempt
to kill the eagle.
At the close of the war, Old Abe
was formally presented to the SITE
Of Wisconsin, with due ceremony, at
the State Capital, Governor Lewis, On
behalf of the State accepting the Gag
lie. A room in the basement of the
Capitol was fitted up as a home for
Old Abe, and a man was appointed
to be his keeper. On pleasant days,
the eagle was taken out into the Capt.
tol Park and viewed by thousands of
visitors from all parts of the State.
He was carried to many patriotic
gatherings throughout the country.
He was exhibited at the Centennial
Exhibition at Philadelphia. P. T. Bar
mum, the great circus man, offered
$780, 900 for him. In February, 1881,
a fire occurred in the basement of the
Capitol, and though Old Abe was res
cued, the effect of the fumes and
smoke was such that he died on March
%, 1881. The body was mounted by
a taxidermist, and is now on exhibi-
ton in the Grand Army Memorial
Hall of the Capitol.