Once or twice Old Abe suffered the 

 loss of a few feathers, but he was never 

 wounded. 



The great bird enjoyed the excite- 

 ment of carnage. In battle he flapped 

 his wings, his eyes blazed, and with 

 piercing screams, which arose above 

 the noise of the conflict, seemed to 

 urge the company on to deeds of valor. 



David Mclvane, who was the first 

 color bearer to carry him into battle, 

 said: 



"Old Abe, like all old soldiers, 

 seemed to dread the sound of musketry 

 but with the roll of artillery he ap- 

 peared to be in his glory. Then he 

 screamed, spread his wings at every 

 discharge, and reveled in the roar and 

 smoke of the big guns." A corres- 

 pondent who watched him closely said 

 that when a battle had fairly begun 

 Old Abe jumped up and down on his 

 perch with such wild and fearful 

 screams as an eagle alone can utter. 

 The louder the battle, the fiercer and 

 wilder were his screams. 



Old Abe varied his voice in accord 

 with his emotions. When surprised 

 he whistled a wild melody of a melan- 

 choly softness ; when hovering over 

 his food he gave a spiteful chuckle; 

 when pleased to see an old friend he 

 seemed to say: " How do you do ? " 

 with a plaintive cooing. In battle his 



scream was wild and commanding, a 

 succession of five or six notes with a 

 startling trill that was inspiring to 

 the soldiers. Strangers could not ap- 

 proach or touch him with safety, 

 though members of the regiment who 

 treated him with kindness were cor- 

 dially recognized by him. Old Abe 

 had his particular friends, as well as 

 some whom he regarded as his enemies. 

 There were men in the company whom 

 he would not permit to approach him. 

 He would fly at and tear them with 

 his beak and talons. But he would 

 never fight his bearer. He knew his 

 own regiment from every other, would 

 always accompany its cheer, and never 

 that of any other regiment. 



Old Abe more than once escaped, 

 but was always lured by food to return. 

 He never seemed disposed to depart to 

 the blue empyrean, his ancestral home. 



Having served three years, a portion 

 of the members of Company C were 

 mustered out, and Old Abe was pre- 

 sented to the state of Wisconsin. For 

 many years, on occasions of public 

 exercise or review, like other illustrious 

 veterans, he excited in parade universal 

 and enthusiastic attention. 



He occupied pleasant quarters in the 

 State Capitol at Madison, Wisconsin, 

 until his death at an advanced age. 



36 



