"OLD ABE." 43 



A brief biography of this remarkable bird will not be out of j)lace 

 here, and we glean the following facts from an exceedingly interesting 

 and complete history, written by Mr. J. O. Barrett, and published by 

 Messrs. Atwood & Culver, Madison, Wisconsin. 



The bird was caught when only about two months old, by an Indian 

 called A-ge-mah-we-ge-zhig, or Chief Sky, a son of Ah-mouse, chief of 

 a tribe of Chippewa Indians, who took him from a nest on a pine tree, 

 near the mouth of the Flambeau. This Indian sold him to a Mr. Dan- 

 iel McCann for a bushel of corn, and presented by a Mr. Jeffers to a 

 company organizing for the Eighth AVisconsin Infantry. The Eagle 

 was duly sworn into the United States service by putting around his 

 neck red, white and blue ribbons, and on his breast a rosette of the same 

 colors. Borne upon a shield, at the head of the company called the 

 "Chippewa Eagles," he accompanied them to the front, and was named 

 "Old Abe" in honor of Abraham Lincoln. With them he shared all 

 the dangers and privations of a three years' campaign, and returned 

 home M'itii the remnant of his regiment a battle-scarred veteran, having 

 been wounded on two occasions, once at the battle of Corinth, October 

 3d, 1862, and again at the assault on Vicksburg. The most wonderful 

 accounts are given of his behavior during the heat of battle, how he 

 grew wild with excitement at the clash of arms, flapping his wings and 

 uttering startling screams. "The fiercer and louder the storm of battle, 

 the fiercer, louder and wilder were his screams." It was not surprising 

 ti>at his presence at the head of the regiment should have created such 

 enthusiasm as it did, or that "Old Abe" has acquired such an enviable 

 notoriety. 



AVhen the regiment returned to Madison, September 22d, 1864, a 

 grand rece])tion was given them, in which, however, the main attention 

 was riveted on "Old Abe," who was the hero of the hour. He was on 

 that occasion presented by the regiment, with appropriate ceremonies, 

 to the State of Wisconsin, and accepted, on behalf of the State, by Gov- 

 ernor Lewis, who promised that he should be well cared for at the capitol, 

 where he would be preserved to invoke inspiring memories of the brave 

 regiment who had carried him with such honor to themselves and the 

 f'nte. He has a pleasant and well-lighted room in the basement of the 

 '^ mte capitol, also the freedom of an adjoining room, and in the summer 

 f 'joys the capitol park under the care of his attendant. 



He is brought out and paraded on occasions of public military exer- 

 < •' (\s and reviews, and always excites attention and enthusiasm. He has 

 liiso made himself useful in other ways. Advantage was taken of his 

 celebrity to put him on exhibition at several Sanitary Fairs that were 

 held in the West, for the benefit of sick and wounded soldiers, and verv 

 large sums were realized by the sale of his history, photographs antl 

 pictures. At the Chicago Sanitary Fair, in the winter of 1864, no less 

 a sum than $16,000 was raised entirely by this means. . 



The Wisconsin Legislature of 1876, by a joint resolution of Assem- 

 bly and Senate, authorized Governor H. Ludington to have "Old Abe" 

 borne to the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia by some veteran 

 soldier of his old regiment, to show to the assembled thousands from 

 all parts of the world how happily chosen was our national emblem. 



