HISTORY: Old Abe the Civil War Eagle, Eau Claire Co., WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Debra McCann 30 January 2000 ==================================================================== Old Abe the Civil War Eagle By Debra McCann Born in 1861, amid the towering white pines of Northwest Wisconsin, the eaglet, later to be known as Old Abe would, after a twenty year career, become a symbol of freedom and honor for many Americans......... Barely able to fly, the fledgling was nesting in an emerald pine tree, near the Flambeau River. One spring morning some Indians of the Lac du Flambeau band of Chippewa, led by Chief Sky, were making their annual trip down the river in birch bark canoes to trade maple suger for supplies. As they made their camp nearby, one of the young bucks spotted the ramshackle nest. When he climbed the tree for a better look the mother eagle charged him and had to be shot. The boy discovered two young eagles in the nest and brought them down. As they continued down the river, they stopped at Dan McCann's place just west of Jim Falls dam and traded one of the eaglet's for a half bushel of corn. For the next year the eagle lived with the McCann's and became quite a family pet. Daniel trained the bird with music from his violin and "The Retreat from Moscow" would always make Old Abe strut. Strong patriotic feeling began to build up in the area, due to the outbreak of the Civil War. A newly formed company of volunteer soldiers was about to leave the area, so Dan offered the eagle to the regiment as a mascot. The eagle was sworn into the service, and the company led by Captain Jack E. Perkins, became known as the Eau Claire Eagles. He was given the name Old Abe, in honor of Abe Lincoln, and traveled with the Eagle Co. to Camp Randall. In camp he was visited by thousands, among those, the highest dignitaries of civil and military life. On the 12th of October, 1861, the regiment left Camp Randall. At Chicago, St. Louis, and in fact everywhere "Old Abe" attracted great attention. His feathers are scattered all over the Union, so great the demand for them. A new rank, eagle bearer was created and a soldier was detailed to carry the eagle beside the regimental colors on a special perch. When Old Abe became full grown a new perch had to be made, as he weighted ten and a half pounds. He was a splendid creature with a white tail, bright yellow legs and sharp talons. His plumage was brown with hints of gold, while his neck was a snowy white. The iris of his eyes were a brilliant straw color, and the pupils a piercing black. "Old Abe" was seen in all his glory when regiment was engaged in battle. At such times he was always found in his place at the head of company C. In the midst of the roaring of the cannon, the crack of the musket, and the roll of smoke, "Old Abe" with spread pinions, would jump up an down on his perch, uttering wild and fearful screams. The fiercer, and louder the storm of the battle, the fiercer, wilder, and louder the screams. "Old Abe" was with the command in nearly every action, about twenty-two battles and sixty skirmishes. It is a remarkable fact that not a single color or eagle bearer of the 8th regiment was shot down. The Confederates did their best to kill or capture that "Yankee Buzzard", as they called him, but Old Abe escaped serious injury with only minor wounds on two occasions. General Sterling Price ordered his troops to capture the bird at any hazzard, and stated that he would rather capture the eagle, than an entire battalion of men. After three years of service, Old Abe was formally presented to the State of Wisconsin on September 26, 1864. At Madison, Wisconsin, He was officially given quarters in a basement room of the state capitol, and in good weather he had the run of Capitol Park. Now began his career as a distinguished veteran. He was lugged off to the Republican Convention in 1868, which nominated Grant as for the Presidency, and an old soldier's reunion in Wisconsin was not complete without him. He went to the huge national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic at Chicago in 1875, and the next year the state legislature voted funds to send him to the Philadelphia Exposition. Meanwhile he lived in his basement room. Whenever a former eagle bearer from the old regiment came to visit him, Abe would recognize him, rubbing his head against the man's cheek, and gurgling and clucking with pleasure. In the winter of 1881, a fire started in a nearby room, of Old Abe's home at the State Capitol. The fire was soon extinguished, but the fumes weakened the 20 year old eagle, and Old Abe died a few days later, on March 26. The mounted eagle remained on display, for twenty three years, until the great fire of 1904 destroyed the capitol building. .........More than a century has past since the eagle from Wisconsin, first captured the hearts and minds of the American people...but his spirit has continued to live on.