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Old Abe (May 27, 1861 – March 26, 1881) was a
bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...
who was the
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of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. Later, his image was adopted as the eagle appearing on a globe in
Case Corporation Case Corporation was a manufacturer of agricultural machinery and heavy equipment (construction), construction equipment. Founded, in 1842, by Jerome Case, Jerome Increase Case as the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company, it operated unde ...
's logo and as the screaming eagle on the insignia of the U.S. Army's
101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division (military), division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault military operation, operations. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...
.


Capture and sale

Old Abe was captured by Ahgamahwegezhig or "Chief Sky". He was the son of Ah-mous (translated either as "The Little Bee" or "Thunder of Bees"), who was an influential leader of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe. In spring of 1861, Chief Sky set up a hunting and fishing camp near the South Fork of the Flambeau River, within the present day Chequamegon National Forest, east of
Park Falls, Wisconsin Park Falls is a city in Price County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,410 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 2,462 at 2010 United States census, 2010. Located in the woods of north central Wisconsin, primarily ...
. Here, he noticed a treetop nest, with two fledgling eagles, and to capture them, cut down the tree. One eaglet died from the fall, and the other became the young Indian's pet. That summer, Chief Sky and his father canoed down the Chippewa River on a trading expedition. At Jim Falls, Wisconsin, they encountered Daniel McCann, who lived nearby in Eagle Point. The Indians sold the eagle to McCann in exchange for a bushel of corn. In August 1861, John C. Perkins, assisted by Seth Pierce, Frank McGuire, Thomas G. Butler and Victor Wolf, recruited a company of volunteers from
Eau Claire Eau Claire (French for "clear water", ''pl.'' ''eaux claires'') is the name of a number of locations and features in North America. The name is pronounced as if it were spelled "O'Clare". Place names (Canada) Communities *Eau Claire, Calgary, a n ...
and Chippewa Counties. This company was called the "Eau Claire Badgers". Soon after its formation, McCann offered to sell the eagle to the Badgers, for $2.50. In his "History of Old Abe", published in 1865, Joseph O. Barrett, who helped McCann bring the eagle to Eau Claire, gave a description of the transaction, which can be paraphrased as:
"Will you buy my eagle," said McCann, "only two dollars and a half?"

"Here, boys, let's put in twenty five cents apiece," answered Frank McGuire, who began to collect quarters.

He also solicited a contribution from a civilian, S. M. Jeffers, but was rebuffed. When the soldiers heard of this, they accosted Jeffers, and gave him three lusty groans. When he understood that they were protesting against his reluctance to help buy the eagle, Jeffers laughed, paid for the bird with a
Quarter Eagle The quarter eagle is a gold coin that was issued by the United States with a value of two hundred and fifty cents, or two dollars and fifty cents. It was given its name in the Coinage Act of 1792, as a derivation from the US ten-dollar Eagle (U ...
and presented him to the Company. After that, he had cheers instead of groans. The quarters were returned to the donors.
Captain Perkins named the eagle after President
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
, his quartermaster, Francis L. Billings, made a special perch on which to carry the bird into battle, and a young soldier, James McGinnis, volunteered to take care of him.


Civil War

On September 3, 1861, the Badgers embarked, aboard the steamer "Stella Whipple", on a trip down the Chippewa to the Mississippi and up the
Wisconsin River The Wisconsin River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, at approximately 430 miles (692 km) long. As a tributary of the Mississippi River, it is part of the Mississippi River System. The river's name was first recorded in 1673 b ...
to
Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the List of municipalities in Wisconsin by population, second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 269,840 at the 2020 Uni ...
. They arrived on the 6th and were immediately mustered into service as Company C of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. They became the regimental color company and were given the name "Eagle Company". The regiment also became the "Eagle Regiment". After a few weeks of training at Camp Randall, it began to play an important role in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.


Island Number Ten

On October, 12, the regiment left for
St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
, where the eagle got loose and flew out of sight. Fortunately, a policeman soon returned him. On the following day, the regiment left by rail to
Fredericktown, Missouri Fredericktown is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Missouri, United States, in the northeastern foothills of the St. Francois Mountains. The population was 4,429 at the 2020 census, up from 3,985 in 2010. The city is surrounded on ...
, and on October 20, 1861, took part in the battle of Fredericktown. Subsequently, they were assigned guard duty until March 4, 1862, when they relocated to Point Pleasant, near
New Madrid, Missouri New Madrid ( ; ) is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,787 at the 2020 census. New Madrid is the county seat of New Madrid County. The city is located 42 miles (68 km) southwest of Cairo, Illinois, a ...
, where they became part of General John Pope's Army of the Mississippi. From this base, during March and April, they participated in the Battle of Island Number Ten, which ended with a major victory that opened the Mississippi to Union forces down to Fort Pillow, just above Memphis. Thousands of Confederate prisoners were taken, along with valuable supplies.


Corinth

In May 1862, the 8th participated in General
Henry Halleck Henry Wager Halleck (January 16, 1815 – January 9, 1872) was a senior United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory: "Old Brains". He was an important part ...
's
Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth, also known as the first battle of Corinth, was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry H ...
, whose objective was to secure a critical rail junction of the Mobile & Ohio and Memphis & Charleston railroads. On May 9, 1862, during the approach to
Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...
, the Eagle Company experienced its first serious combat at the Battle of Farmington, Mississippi, during which Old Abe Spread his wings and screamed. Here, Captain Perkins died and was replaced by the newly promoted Captain Victor Wolf. On May 29, after a skirmish at defensive works before Corinth, the Confederates withdrew during the night. The next day, the regiment marched into the city. That day, James McGinnis became sick with a fatal illness and was replaced as eagle bearer by Thomas J. Hill, who served until David McLain took over on August 18. On August 22, after being bivouacked in summer quarters, the regiment arrived in
Tuscumbia, Alabama Tuscumbia is a city in, and the county seat of Colbert County, Alabama, Colbert County, Alabama, United States. The population was 9,054 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and was estimated to be 9,169 in 2023. The city is part of ...
, which is in the northwest corner of the state a few miles from the Mississippi border. By this time, General
Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...
had taken over Halleck's responsibilities in northern Mississippi. The 8th Wisconsin was still part of the Army of the Mississippi, but General
William Rosecrans William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was ...
had replaced Pope as commander. The regiment was in the second brigade of General David S. Stanley's second division, which was led by Colonel Joseph A. Mower. Pope's army was assigned to hold 20 miles of rail from Corinth east to Iuka, where the 8th Wisconsin was stationed. On September 13, 1862, the Confederate Army of the West under General
Sterling Price Sterling Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an American politician and military officer who was a senior General officers in the Confederate States Army, officer of the Confederate States Army, fighting in both the Weste ...
appeared at Iuka and forced the regiment back to Farmington. Shortly thereafter, forces under Rosecrans and General
Edward Ord Edward Otho Cresap Ord (October 18, 1818 – July 22, 1883), frequently referred to as E. O. C. Ord, was an American engineer and United States Army officer who saw action in the Seminole War, the Indian Wars, and the American Civil War. He comma ...
attempted to capture Price's army, which awaited, at Iuka, the arrival of massive reinforcements from General
Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) was an American Major General who started his military career as a United States Army officer and became famous for successfully leading two defenses of a Native American settlement from the Comanch ...
's Army of West Tennessee. On September 19, during the
Battle of Iuka The Battle of Iuka was fought on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. In the opening battle of the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans stopped the advance of the Confederate Army of ...
, a fresh north wind caused an acoustic shadow that prevented Ord from hearing the battle. Consequently, he was unaware of it, and his troops stood idle while fighting raged a few miles away. Nevertheless, the Army of the Cumberland forced Price to withdraw during the night. He soon linked up with Van Dorn in Ripley. On October 3 and 4, the combined Confederate armies launched a full-scale assault on Corinth, which was repulsed by troops under Rosecrans. During heavy fighting in this
Second Battle of Corinth The Second Battle of Corinth (which, in the context of the American Civil War, is usually referred to as the Battle of Corinth, to differentiate it from the siege of Corinth earlier the same year) was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, M ...
, 21 soldiers of the 8th Wisconsin died, and 60 were wounded. Colonel Mower was wounded in the neck and briefly captured. Newspaper accounts of this battle claimed that Old Abe soared over the front lines. According to David McLain, these stories are exaggerated:
… a bullet cut the cord that held the eagle to his perch. About the same time that the cord was cut, Old Abe was shot through one wing, cutting out three quill feathers, but not drawing blood, and the bearer (McLain) was shot through the left shoulder of his blouse and right leg of his pants.

… (The eagle) flew about 50 feet down the line, must have been what caused the newspapers to come out the next week with great headlines telling about the eagle of the 8th Wisconsin getting away after a rebel bullet cut his cord and soaring, over the lines of both armies, and back to his perch, which is not so.

He was quite excited always in battle and he'd spread his wings and scream but never flew over the lines of either army.


Vicksburg

On November 2, 1862, the regiment moved to Grand Junction, Tennessee, where it joined forces being assembled for General Grant's first attempt to take the strategic river city of Vicksburg. From this base, Grant moved down the Mississippi Central Railroad in conjunction with General William Tecumseh Sherman, who launched a simultaneous advance north of the city. Confederates attempted to defend the railroad's Tallahatchie River bridge near
Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...
, but retreated when they learned of a flanking maneuver by Grant. Skirmishes were fought along the railroad to
Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
, and the Confederates were pushed south past Water Valley, but after the battle of Coffeeville, managed to stall the Federal advance at
Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...
. During this push, the 8th Wisconsin, with Old Abe, was in the thick of the fighting. In Oxford, the regiment was accosted by a southern girl who scornfully exclaimed: "Oh! See that ''Yankee Buzzard''.", enraging the men, drawing a verbal response from the 8th's ranks that caused her to retreat hastily to her house. This was a name by which southern civilians and soldiers referred to Old Abe. Under orders from their officers, Confederate troops made numerous attempts to kill or capture the eagle, but they never succeeded. On December 20, while Grant was stalled, General Van Dorn led a successful cavalry raid on the Union supply base at Holly Springs. After destroying the supplies, Van Dorn and General Nathan Bedford Forest moved north into Tennessee tearing up railroad and telegraph lines. With his infrastructure disrupted, and with Sherman's advance turned back at Chickasaw Bayou, Grant was forced to end the campaign and retire to Memphis. At the time of Van Dorn's raid, the Wisconsin regiment was stationed in Holly Springs on guard duty. Its troops were surprised, overwhelmed, captured, and immediately
paroled Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole of ...
. Consequently, their commander, Colonel Murphy, was dismissed. He was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Robbins, who was promoted to
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
. On December 28, when the regiment had moved to La Grange, Tennessee, David McLain turned over his job as eagle bearer to Ed Homeston. In March 1863, the regiment went to
Helena, Arkansas Helena is the eastern portion of Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas, located on the west bank of the Mississippi River. It was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor and is named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phil ...
, where it became part of Grant's plan to cross the Mississippi south of Vicksburg. His objectives were to separate Vicksburg from Confederate units under General
Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American military officer who served in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia declared secession from ...
and to prevent supplies from reaching the city on the Southern Railroad. From Helena, the regiment went to Young's Point, Louisiana, where they joined the second brigade of the third division of Sherman's XV Corps, under the command of Brigadier General Mower, who had been promoted on November 29, 1862. Here, on April 13, 1863, a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel went to Major John Wayles Jefferson. He had been with the regiment since it was formed, and as the grandson of
Sally Hemings Sarah "Sally" Hemings ( 1773 – 1835) was a Black people, black woman Slavery in the United States, enslaved to the third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson, inherited among many others from his father-in-law, John Wayles. Hemi ...
, is believed to have been also a grandson of
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...
. On May 2, Sherman's corps crossed the river at Grand Gulf and proceeded toward
Raymond, Mississippi Raymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,933; in 2020, its population was 1,960. Raymond is one of two county seats of Hinds County (along with Jackson) and is the home ...
, which the XVII Corps under General James B. McPherson occupied on May 12. Sherman bypassed Raymond and advanced on Jackson, which he and McPherson took on May 14, and from which Johnston had withdrawn. After Sherman appointed Mower as military governor of Jackson, Union troops burned part of the town, destroyed numerous factories, and cut the railroad connections with Vicksburg. Grant's objectives were further consolidated when his army prevailed at the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16 and at the Battle of Big Black River Bridge on May 17. On May 22, the regiment participated in Grant's all-out assault on Vicksburg. When this operation failed, Grant reluctantly settled into a
siege A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...
. During the siege, the 8th Wisconsin left Vicksburg to participate in an expedition to Mechanicsburg, Mississippi, where Benjamin Hilliker was severely wounded on June 4, 1863. They then returned to Young's Point where they blocked Confederates from escaping westward from Vicksburg. From this encampment, Sherman despatched them as part of a force assigned to drive General John G. Walker's Confederates from Richmond, Louisiana. This objective was accomplished by the
Battle of Richmond The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, fought August 29–30, 1862, was one of the most complete Confederate victories in the American Civil War by Major General Edmund Kirby Smith against Union major general William "Bull" Nelson's forces, whic ...
, on June 15, after which the 8th returned to Young's Point. On July 12, 1863, the regiment returned to Vicksburg, shortly after its surrender on July 4. Subsequently, the regiment camped in various places near Vicksburg, from which they joined several mop-up operations. During this period, in September, Ed Homeston resigned his position as eagle bearer, John Burkhardt took charge of Old Abe, and Colonel Robbins was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson. Under his command, the regiment joined McPherson's expedition to Canton, from October 14 to 20, and participated in expeditions toward
Pocahontas, Arkansas Pocahontas is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, Arkansas, Randolph County, Arkansas, United States, along the Black River (Arkansas), Black River. According to the 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city was 6,608. Pocahon ...
against General Nathan Bedford Forest. From February 3, 1864, until March 5, they took part in Sherman's Meridian expedition against an important railroad center and arsenal in eastern Mississippi. In the following letter to Governor Edward Salomon, General
William T. Sherman William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...
summarized the activities of the Eighth Wisconsin during the Vicksburg campaign:
H 15 A C,
Sept. 21st, 1863


''To His Excellency, the Governor of Wisconsin:''

Sir Lt. Col. Jefferson, of the Eighth Wisconsin, is about to start for his home on a short leave of absence, during the period of rest allowed us by the lull of military events in this quarter. I avail myself of the opportunity to express to you my personal and official approbation of the entire regiment since I have had the honor to count it as one of my command. The Eighth Wisconsin has ever done its whole duty, in the camp, on the march and in battle. It has shared with us all the honors and success of our conquest of Mississippi and has displayed peculiar courage and gallantry at Jackson, May 14th, and throughout the siege of Vicksburg.

It also, under the leadership of Gen. Mower, cleared the west bank of the river, driving the enemy out of Richmond, La., and bore patiently and manfully the deadly sickness of Young's Point, till the fall of Vicksburg admitted of its recall to join us on this higher and more healthy ground. I am glad to report that the men are fast recovering from the sickness caused by that exposure, and I hope it will share with us our future labors and honors. If within your power, I hope you will fill its thinned ranks, and then I will promise all I can to ensure its return to your State, bearing a full share of honor and fame in the establishment of our General Government on a basis so firm, that no internal or external power can shake it during this generation.

With great respect, etc.,
W. T. SHERMAN,
''Maj. Gen.''
Sherman was not the only general who had a high regard for the 8th Wisconsin and Old Abe. In the words of David McLain:
I have frequently seen Generals Grant, Sherman, McPherson, Rosecrans,
Blair Blair is a Scots-English-language name of Scottish Gaelic origin. The surname is derived from any of the numerous places in Scotland called ''Blair'', derived from the Scottish Gaelic ''blàr'', meaning "plain", "meadow" or " field", frequently ...
, Logan, and others, when they were passing our regiment, raise their hats as they passed Old Abe, which always brought a cheer from the regiment and then the eagle would spread his wings …


Red River Campaign

In early 1864, many soldiers in the 8th Wisconsin became eligible for veteran furlough. However, General Sherman made a special request that they join General A. J. Smith's forces who had been assigned to the Red River Campaign, along with troops from the
Army of the Gulf The Army of the Gulf was a Union Army that served in the general area of the Gulf states controlled by Union forces. It mainly saw action in Louisiana and Alabama. History The Department of the Gulf was created following the capture of New Orl ...
, under General
Nathaniel P. Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union Army, Union general during the American Civil War, Civil War. A millworker, Banks became prominent in local ...
, and Admiral
David Dixon Porter David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States Navy admiral (United States), admiral and a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the U.S. Navy. Promoted as the second U.S. Navy officer ...
's Mississippi River Squadron. After agreeing to Sherman's request, the regiment joined the Right wing of the xvi corps, under the command of General Mower. On March 10, 1864, the contingent began a voyage from Vicksburg down the Mississippi and up the Red River to
Simmesport, Louisiana Simmesport is a town in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,161 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is the northernmost town on the Atchafalaya River, located near the Old Ri ...
, where they disembarked on March 12. Two days later, Mower's command surprised and captured Fort DeRussy, which opened the river up to
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
. After arriving there on March 16, the troops from Vicksburg settled down to wait for Banks to arrive and to assess opposing forces under General Richard Taylor, who was the son of President Zachary Taylor. While waiting, General Mower assembled a task force, with which he proceeded twenty five miles to Henderson's hill on Bayou Rapides. Here, he encountered Confederate defenses. After leaving a blocking force to engage the defenders at the front, he made a detour of 15 miles to get to their rear, where he arrived around midnight on the cold and rainy night of March 21. On the way, a courier from General Taylor was captured and provided the countersign. This enabled Mower's forces, including the 8th Wisconsin, to overcome the defenses without a shot being fired. In addition to 262 prisoners, 4 guns and 400 horses were taken. This success made it possible for Smith's army to move quickly upriver to Grand Ecore, where it prepared to support forces of General Banks, which were advancing on
Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
. On April 8, Banks was routed by Taylor at the Battle of Mansfield. This was a decisive victory, for it stopped the Union advance and turned the campaign into a general retreat. That evening, retreating units under Banks reached Pleasant Hill nearly simultaneously with Smith's XVII and XVI Corps, which included the 8th Wisconsin. These reinforcements enabled the Union to win the next day's
Battle of Pleasant Hill The Battle of Pleasant Hill on April 9, 1864, in Louisiana formed part of the Red River Campaign during the American Civil War, when Union Army, Union forces were attempting to occupy the Louisiana state capital, Shreveport, Louisiana, Shrevepo ...
, but Banks immediately ordered a retreat to Grand Ecore, and from there, to Alexandria. During this retreat, the regiment fought rear guard actions at Natchitoches, Monett's Ferry, and Cloutierville. After Smith's forces arrived in Alexandria on April 26, they were temporarily deployed to prevent attacks during Joseph Bailey's attempts to get Porter's squadron over the rapids there, with the aid of Bailey's Dam and two small wing dams upstream. After this task was completed, Banks resumed his retreat on May 13, leaving Alexandria in flames. On May 16, Union forces reached Mansura where Taylor's army attempted to prevent them from reaching river transportation. After heavy fighting, the Confederates fell back, and the Union troops marched toward Simmesport, where Bailey was building a bridge over the
Atchafalaya River The Atchafalaya River () is a distributary of the Mississippi River and Red River of the South, Red River in south central Louisiana in the United States. It flows south, just west of the Mississippi River, and is the fifth largest river in N ...
that would allow them to reach transport ships. On the 18th, Banks learned that Taylor's force was deployed near Yellow Bayou and arranged for Mower to stop the Confederates. After several hours of see-saw action, the ground cover caught fire and forced both sides to retire. The next day, Smith's army embarked and reached Vicksburg on the 24th. In early June 1864, General Smith ordered Mower to launch a forceful demonstration to deter interference with Mississippi river traffic near
Lake Village, Arkansas Lake Village is a city in and the county seat of Chicot County, Arkansas, Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,575 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is located in the Arkansas Delta. Lake Village is name ...
. This town is named for its location on Lake Chicot, an oxbow lake formed from the Mississippi. On the evening of June 5, Mower disembarked and camped near Sunnyside Landing. The next morning, as he marched along the south side of the lake, Confederates, led by General Colton Greene, fought a delaying action at Ditch Bayou and then withdrew. The Union troops advanced to Lake Village, camped there overnight, and the next day, boarded transports that took them to Memphis. At Ditch Bayou, the regiment lost 3 killed and 16 wounded.


Return to Wisconsin

On June 19, 1864, 240 reenlisted veterans left Memphis on furlough, with their eagle. They arrived at Chicago on the 21st. The next day, flags were displayed along the streets of Madison, the bells of the city were rung, and a national salute was fired. At the Capitol, crowds of citizens assembled to greet the veterans and Old Abe. Here, they were addressed by several dignitaries, including General Lucius Fairchild, Colonel Jefferson and Chauncey Abbott, who was a former mayor of Madison. A few days later, on June 26, 56 veterans of Company C arrived at Eau Claire, with the eagle, and were greeted with booming cannons, martial music, patriotic songs, and an abundant feast. Citizens of Chippewa Falls constructed a huge
wigwam A wigwam, wikiup, wetu (Wampanoag), or wiigiwaam (Ojibwe, in syllabics: ) is a semi-permanent domed dwelling formerly used by certain Native American tribes and First Nations people and still used for ceremonial events. The term ''wikiup'' ...
. Here, according to Reverend Joseph O. Barrett, who spoke at the celebration, a great feast was served to Old Abe and the soldiers on July 4, 1864. Afterwards, a procession circled through the streets, headed by a band, the eagle and the veterans. In August 1864, the veterans and Old Abe returned from furlough to Memphis. During their absence, the regiment had been active in northern Mississippi. Following Forrest's victory over a large Union force at Brice's Crossroads, on June 10, 1864, Sherman vowed to track him down with forces under "two officers at Memphis who will fight all the time, A. J. Smith and J. A. Mower." A month later, Mower's four brigades overtook Forrest near
Tupelo, Mississippi Tupelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1860, the population was 37,923 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. It is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, 7th-most populous ...
, repulsed a series of attacks, and inflicted hundreds of casualties, including the slight wounding of Forrest himself. On August 13, 1864, the day after Mower had been promoted to Major General, the regiment, including the returned troops, participated in another defeat of Forrest's command at Hurricane Creek, Mississippi This was Old Abe's last battle. September 16, 1864, marked the end of the three years for which original members of the 8th Wisconsin had enlisted. Consequently, the veterans headed north with the eagle, whom the regiment had agreed to give to the state of Wisconsin. On September 21, they reached Chicago, where John Burkhardt resigned as eagle bearer and turned Old Abe over to John H. Hill, who had been disabled by a wound at Corinth. He was the brother of Thomas J. Hill who had also served as eagle bearer. The next day, Hill bore the eagle into Madison at the head of 70 veterans, of which 26 were from Company C. Here, on the 26th, Captain Victor Wolf presented Old Abe to Governor James T. Lewis, who handed the eagle, with its perch, to Quartermaster General N. F. Lund.


Postbellum

After Wisconsin took possession of Old Abe, state officials classified him as a "War Relic" and created an "Eagle Department" in the Capitol building, which included a two-room "apartment," a custom bathtub for the eagle, and a caretaker. Later, John Hill served as a caretaker.
Eigg Eigg ( ; ) is one of the Small Isles in the Scotland, Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the island of Isle of Skye, Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With ...
-native Captain Angus R. McDonald, the hero of the Battle of Fort Blakeley and Scottish-American descended from
Somerled Somerled (died 1164), known in Middle Irish as Somairle, Somhairle, and Somhairlidh, and in Old Norse as Sumarliði , was a mid-12th-century Norse-Gaelic lord who, through marital alliance and military conquest, rose in prominence to create the ...
, King
Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
, and the Chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, and last direct descendant of iconic
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
war poet War poetry is poetry on the topic of war. While the term is applied especially to works of the First World War, the term can be applied to poetry about any war, including Homer's ''Iliad'', from around the 8th century BC as well as poetry of th ...
Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (c. 1698–1770), legal name Alexander MacDonald, or, in Gaelic Alasdair MacDhòmhnaill, was a Scottish war poet, satirist, lexicographer, and memoirist. He was born at Dalilea into the Noblesse, Scottish nobili ...
, also served as Old Abe's paid caretaker. Old Abe became a nationally known celebrity, whose presence at events was requested by individuals and organizations from the state and the country. Old Abe appeared at the 1876
Centennial Exposition The Centennial International Exhibition, officially the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It was the first official wo ...
in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
and the 1880
Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (United States Navy, U.S. Navy), and the United States Marine Corps, Marines who served in the American Ci ...
National Convention. Other events were fundraisers for charities, which included: the 1865 Northwest
Sanitary Fair Sanitary fairs were fund-raising events held in various cities on behalf of the United States Sanitary Commission to raise funds and supplies for the Union Army during the American Civil War. Established in 1863, the last major event was held in 1 ...
in Illinois, Soldiers' Home Fair, Soldier's Orphan's Home, Harvey Hospital, and Ladies Aid Society of Chippewa Falls. In February 1881, a small fire broke out in the basement of the Capitol. After Old Abe raised an alarm, the fire was quickly put out. However, the eagle inhaled a large amount of thick black smoke, and about a month later, lost strength and began to decline. On March 26, 1881, in spite of the efforts of numerous doctors, Old Abe died in the arms of caretaker George Gilles. On September 17, 1881, Old Abe's stuffed remains were placed in a glass display case located in the rotunda of the Capitol. Four years later, Old Abe was moved, within the Capitol, from the rotunda to the G.A.R. Memorial Hall. In 1900, his remains were transferred to the new building of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. However, pressure from veterans convinced Governor
Robert M. La Follette Robert Marion La Follette Sr. (June 14, 1855June 18, 1925), nicknamed "Fighting Bob," was an American lawyer and politician. He represented Wisconsin in both chambers of Congress and served as the 20th governor of Wisconsin from 1901 to 1906. ...
to return Old Abe to the Capitol building in 1903. That year, President
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...
viewed the remains and expressed his pleasure at being able to see the eagle he had studied in school as a child. However, in 1904, Old Abe's remains and the glass case were destroyed in a fire that razed the Capitol building. Since 1915, a replica of Old Abe has presided over the
Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...
Chamber in the Capitol, and another is on display at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison. A stone sculpture of the eagle is at the top of the Camp Randall Arch.
There is an Old Abe statue in Park Falls, Wisconsin. The statue is not only a remembrance of Old Abe, but also dedicated to the men and women of the Park Falls area who have served, or are currently serving, in the Armed Forces. The statue is located at Old Abe Memorial Park 155 N 3rd Ave, Park Falls, WI 54552.


In memoriam

In 1865, Jerome Case incorporated Old Abe into the trademark of the J. I. Case agricultural equipment manufacturing company of
Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in Racine County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River (Wisconsin), Root River, south of Milwaukee and north of Chicago. It is the List ...
. This trademark was retired in 1969. The insignia of the U.S. Army's
101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division (military), division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault military operation, operations. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...
is a depiction of Old Abe. Wisconsin was the territory of the original 101st Division after
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, and the insignia's design is based on Civil War traditions of the state. The black shield derives from black hats worn by members of the
Iron Brigade The Iron Brigade, also known as The Black Hats, Black Hat Brigade, Iron Brigade of the West, and originally King's Wisconsin Brigade was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Although it fought ent ...
. This was a famous Civil War unit composed of western regiments, which included three from Wisconsin, but not the 8th regiment. Old Abe is the mascot of Eau Claire Memorial High School, whose athletic teams are known as "Old Abes", and of Racine Case High School, whose teams are "Eagles".


See also

*
List of individual birds This is a list of well-known real birds. For famous fictional birds, see list of fictional birds. * Águia Vitória, a bald eagle who serves as the mascot for Portuguese football club S.L. Benfica * Alex (parrot), Alex, a grey parrot wh ...


References

{{reflist , refs = {{cite web , url = http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/quiner/id/23004 , title = Replica of Old Abe , access-date = 2012-10-08 , date = 2011 , publisher = Wisconsin Historical Society {{cite book , last=Barrett , first=Joseph O. , title=History of "Old Abe," the Live War Eagle of the Eighth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers , location=Chicago , publisher=Dunlop, Sewell & Spalding , year=1865 , url = https://archive.org/stream/historyofoldabel00barr#page/n13/mode/2up {{cite book , last=Bartlett , first=William W. , title=History, Tradition and Adventure in The Chippewa Valley , location=Chippewa Falls, Wis. , publisher=The Chippewa Printery , year=1929 , pages=225–231 , url = http://www.cfla.us/Rambling/1929hocv.pdf , access-date = 2012-08-15 {{cite book, last=Carter, first=Alden, title=Brother to the Eagle: The Civil War Journal of Sgt. Ambrose Armitage, 8th Wisconsin Infantry, year=2006, publisher=booklocker.com, isbn=978-1-60145-042-5, pages=327 {{cite book , author=Charles H. Wendel , title=150 years of J.I. Case , chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MNaaSJMHPHEC&pg=PA5 , date=February 20, 2005 , publisher=Krause Publications , isbn=978-0-87349-930-9 , pages= 5–15 , chapter= J. I. Case {{dead link, date=May 2024 {{cite news , first = Dinitia , last = Smith , author2=Nicholas Wade , title = DNA Test Finds Evidence Of Jefferson Child by Slave , date = November 1, 1998 , url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/01/us/dna-test-finds-evidence-of-jefferson-child-by-slave.html , work = The New York Times , access-date = 2012-09-01 {{cite book , last1 = Driggs , first1 = George W. , title = Opening of the Mississippi: or Two years' campaigning in the South-west , publisher = Wm. J. Park & Co. , year = 1864 , location = Madison, Wisconsin , pages = 48 , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XW4tAAAAYAAJ&q=Complimentary+letter , access-date = 2012-09-10 {{cite web , url = http://eauclaire.wigenweb.org/histories/1914ecco/chapter11/part7.htm , title = Captain Green Describes Battle Of Farmington , access-date = 2012-10-10 , publisher = Eau Claire County WIGenWeb {{cite web , url = http://www.civilwarreference.com/battles/detail.php?battlesID=502 , title = Henderson's Hill; March 21, 1864 , access-date = 2012-09-28 , work = Civil War Reference , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101224040942/http://civilwarreference.com/battles/detail.php?battlesID=502 , archive-date = December 24, 2010 , url-status = dead {{cite book , last1 = Quiner , first1 = Edwin Bryant , title = Military History of Wisconsin , chapter = Chapter XVI , publisher = Clarke & Co. , year = 1866 , location = Chicago, Illinois , pages = 526–539 , url = http://www.secondwi.com/wisconsinregiments/8th.htm , access-date = 2012-10-15 {{cite web , url = http://www.civilwarreference.com/battles/detail.php?battlesID=491 , title = Hurricane Creek, Mississippi , access-date = 2012-10-05 , date = August 13, 1864 , work = Civil War Reference , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101224035534/http://civilwarreference.com/battles/detail.php?battlesID=491 , archive-date = December 24, 2010 , url-status = dead {{cite web , url = http://www4.uwsp.edu/geo/projects/geoweb/participants/dutch/geolwisc/geostops/JimFalls.HTM , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721122420/http://www4.uwsp.edu/geo/projects/geoweb/participants/dutch/geolwisc/geostops/JimFalls.HTM , archive-date=July 21, 2012 , title = Jim Falls , access-date = 2012-08-19 , last = Dutch , first = Steven {{Better source, reason=self-published source, date=March 2016 {{cite book , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mpzVAAAAMAAJ&q=N.+F.+Lund+fiscal&pg=PA426 , title = Annual Report of the Quartermaster General , access-date = 2012-10-07 , last = Lund , first = N. T. , date = September 30, 1864 , publisher = Adjutant General of the State of Wisconsin {{cite book , url = https://archive.org/stream/historyofnorther00west#page/n7/mode/2up , title=History of Northern Wisconsin , place=Chicago , publisher=Western Historical Company , year=1881 , pages=213–214 {{cite news , first = David , last = McLain , title = That 'war eagle' had quite a record , year = 1976 , publisher = American Local History Network - Wisconsin Local History Network - Eau Claire County , url = http://www.usgennet.org/usa/wi/county/eauclaire/history/ourstory/vol5/wareagle.html , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010423084445/http://www.usgennet.org/usa/wi/county/eauclaire/history/ourstory/vol5/wareagle.html , url-status = dead , archive-date = April 23, 2001 , newspaper= Eau Claire Leader Telegram , access-date = 2012-08-25 {{cite web , url = http://www.nps.gov/vick/forteachers/upload/Old%20Abe.pdf , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061015144310/http://www.nps.gov/vick/forteachers/upload/Old%20Abe.pdf , url-status = dead , archive-date = October 15, 2006 , title = Old Abe; The Wisconsin War Eagle , access-date = 2012-10-10 , author = Vicksburg National Military Park , work = National Park Service , publisher = U.S. Department of the Interior {{cite web , url = http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=402&term_type_id=3&term_type_text=things&letter=O , title = Old Abe, the War Eagle , access-date = 2012-08-12 , work = Dictionary of Wisconsin History , publisher = Wisconsin Historical Society , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108204147/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=402&term_type_id=3&term_type_text=things&letter=O , archive-date=November 8, 2011 {{cite web , url = http://www.wisvetsmuseum.com/exhibitions/online/old_abe/?ID=36 , title = Old Abe the War Eagle: Post-War , access-date = 2012-10-08 , date = 2011 , work = Wisconsin Veterans Museum , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140714171200/http://www.wisvetsmuseum.com/exhibitions/online/old_abe/?ID=36 , archive-date = 2014-07-14 , url-status = dead {{cite web , url = http://www.civilwarhome.com/redrivercampaign.htm , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/19990223221540/http://www.civilwarhome.com/redrivercampaign.htm , url-status = dead , archive-date = February 23, 1999 , title = Overview of the Red River Campaign of 1864 , access-date = 2012-09-27 , last = Boatner III , first = Mark M. , work = Source: Civil War Dictionary , publisher = Home of the American Civil War {{cite web , url = http://web.durand.k12.wi.us/hs/history/OldAbe/OldAbe.htm , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140714191526/http://web.durand.k12.wi.us/hs/history/OldAbe/OldAbe.htm , url-status = dead , archive-date = July 14, 2014 , title = Old Abe the War Eagle: Post-War , access-date = 2012-10-08 , last = Myers , first = Bryon , author2=Scott Stewart , publisher = School District of Durand {{cite news , url = http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/quiner/id/19464 , title = Chief Sky, Now Blind and Helpless, Tells Story of "Old Abe," War Eagle , newspaper=Eau Claire Leader , date=March 27, 1914 , access-date=March 26, 2016 {{cite book , url = http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/wch/id/35502 , editor=William F. Bailey , title = History of Eau Claire County, Wisconsin: Past and Present , place=Chicago , publisher= C. F. Cooper , year= 1914 , pages=904–906 Richard H. Zeitlin
''Old Abe The War Eagle''
1986.


External links


'Old Abe' the Eagle Accompanies the 8th Wisconsin Infantry into War
* Rosholt, Malcolm and Margaret Rosholt.

' Rosholt House, 1987.
Feather from Old Abe the War Eagle

Old Abe Online Exhibit
by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Wisconsin in the American Civil War Bald eagle mascots 1861 animal births 1881 animal deaths Individual eagles