6 LHoE, 7A UD? U BrOgN Bi U Lele eee 
OLD ABE 
By Elizabeth C. Bogan 
This is the story of what 
was probably America’s 
most illustrious bird — 
Old Abe, the magnificent 
American Bald Eagle, 
mascot of the 8th Regi- 
ment, Wisconsin Volun- 
teers, of Civil War fame. 
Old Abe was an im- 
mature bird when he first 
joined the Northern Army, 
but when he returned 
home four years later with 
the men of his regiment, 
he was wearing the re- 
splendent plumage of the 
adult Bald Eagle. His 
majestic presence in the 
front of their ranks, next 
to the Stars and Stripes, 
seemed to inspire the men 
to perform feats for which 
they became famous. 
The Kighth received 
Old Abe by the devious 
route of barter and trade. 
His home was in the Flam- 
beau section of Wisconsin, where, in the spring of 1861, as a fledgling, he 
was stolen from the aerie by a Chippewa Indian, who traded him to a farmer 
for a bushel of corn. The Eighth, or Badger Regiment, acquired him that 
summer, and forthwith became the Eagle Regiment. 
Evidently, up to this time, Old Abe had been treated with kindness, for 
he was tame and tractable, and soon endeared himself to every man in the 
ranks. Early in Sept. 1861, the Eighth moved from Eau Claire, where it had 
been recruited, to Camp Randall, near Madison. Here the regiment was to be 
mustered into the Union Army, along with its majestic mascot. 
During the parade from the railroad station to Camp Randall, the spec- 
tacle of the magnificent eagle, riding high next to the Colors, caused tumult- 
uous ovations by the people along the line of march. The music, the din and 
the excitement of the occasion were too much for the great bird, and, like 
the living national symbol that he was, he reached out, caught the corner of 
the flag in his beak, and with wings outspread and fanning, he held it high 
until the parade reached regimental headquarters. The story of this striking 
behavior became so widespread that thousands of persons visited Old Abe 
during the month that his company was encamped at Madison. This was the 
first of many legends about this remarkable bird. 
