Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-07-20
WHERE WAS
OLD ABE
Caught?
In or Near Northern Lakes Park, Says
Research Associate Of State His
torical Society.

Was Old Abe, the famous Wiscon-
sin war eagle, captured in the North
ern Lakes Park? This interesting
query is brought out in connection
with the campaign to raise fund to
purchase this great park area, to pre-
sent to the State for State Park pur-
poses. Delving into the historic past,
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 WAGON
sin, 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, who in the eigh-
teenth century began to push into this
region. The Flambeau was part of
the battle-ground between the Sioux
and the Chippewa. The Chief Of the
Flambeau band of the latter tribe was
the great Keesk -ke-num, who ruled
all the country between the Chippewa
River and Lac du Flambeau. 1t was
his grandson, Chief Sky, who captured
"Old Abe. A party visited Chief
Sky after the Civil War led by the
Lumberman Thomas Coleman to ascer-
tain where he captured the eagle. 1t
was, he said, on the north fork of the
Flambeau, but / fear from the des-
criptions it was little higher up than
the park region. He spoke of rapids,
and those who Intercepted him thot
it must have been in township 40,
range one east; seventy miles from
the mouth of the Flambeau."
Following up the story further,
some interesting details Of tho story
of Old Abe are brought cut. Early in
the Spring of 1861, band q Indians
went up the North Fork of the Flam-
beau River, to make maple sugar.
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 one 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 q
bag Of corn. At that time he was old
! enough to fly. AS he became older
he became somewhat ugly, and Mr.
Mccain took him to Eau Claire and
sold him for $500 to company being
raised for service in the Civil War by
| Captain John E. Perkins. The name
of the Company was changed to the
Eau Claire Eagles. This company
later went to Camp Randall at Madi-
son, and became Company c Of ths
9Th Wisconsin Infantry, and the Eagle
was named "Old Abe" after Abraham
Lincoln. A handsome perch was made
for him in the form of shield with 6
platform on top OF a six-foot staff
and member of the company detail.
ed for the special care Of the bird. Ths
company took part in the Civil War
and the fame of Old Abe spread thru
out the entire army. He was carried
| into the thick of every battle, ane
seemed to understand the danger Al
well as the men. The Confederate:
became aware Of his presence snt
dubbed the eagle "The Yankee Buzz
zer," and selected sharpshooters in al
attempt to kill the eagle.
At the close of the war, Old Alb,
was formally presented to the Stat.
of Wisconsin, with due ceremony, q
the State Capitol, Governor Lewis OF
behalf of the State accepting the