Old Abe (May 27, 1861 – March 26, 1881), 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 nich ...
, was the
mascot
A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fic ...
of the
8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
. Later, his image was adopted as the eagle appearing on a globe in
Case Corporation
The Case Corporation was a manufacturer of agricultural machinery and construction equipment. Founded, in 1842, by Jerome Increase Case as the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company, it operated under that name for most of a century. For an ...
'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 of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operat ...
.
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 2,462 at the 2010 census. Located in the woods of north central Wisconsin, primarily the Chequamegon National Forest, Park Falls is a small community divided by t ...
. 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 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 was a gold coin 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 coin.
Hist ...
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 an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
,
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 a tributary of the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At approximately 430 miles (692 km) long, it is the state's longest river. The river's name, first recorded in 1673 by Jacques Marquette as "Mesk ...
to
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-l ...
. 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
Camp Randall was a United States Army base in Madison, Wisconsin, the largest staging point for Wisconsin troops entering the American Civil War. At this camp fresh volunteers received quick training before heading off to join the Union Army. Also ...
, 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 () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which ...
, 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. The city is surrounded on three sides (east, west ...
, and on October 20, 1861, took part in the
battle of Fredericktown
Engagement at Fredericktown, also known as the Battle of Fredericktown, was a battle of the American Civil War that took place on October 21, 1861, in Madison County, Missouri. The Union victory consolidated control of southeastern Missouri.
B ...
. Subsequently, they were assigned guard duty until March 4, 1862, when they relocated to Point Pleasant, near
New Madrid, Missouri, 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
The Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the New Madrid or Kentucky Bend on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War, lasting from February 28 to April 8, 1862. Island Number Ten, a small island at the base of a tight d ...
, 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 pa ...
'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 ...
, 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 ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been part ...
, 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, which is in the northwest corner of the state a few miles from the Mississippi border. By this time, General
Ulysses S. Grant 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
Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior ...
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) 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 commanded an army during the final days of the ...
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) started his military career as a United States Army officer but joined Confederate forces in 1861 after the Civil War broke out. He was a major general when he was killed in a private conflict.
A ...
's
Army of West Tennessee. On September 19, during the
Battle of Iuka, a fresh north wind caused an
acoustic shadow An acoustic shadow or sound shadow is an area through which sound waves fail to propagate, due to topographical obstructions or disruption of the waves via phenomena such as wind currents, buildings, or sound barriers.
Short-distance acoustic shado ...
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
The Tallahatchie River is a river in Mississippi which flows from Tippah County, through Tallahatchie County, to Leflore County, where it joins the Yalobusha River to form the Yazoo River. The river is navigable for about .
At Money, Missi ...
bridge near
Abbeville, but retreated when they learned of a flanking maneuver by Grant. Skirmishes were fought along the railroad to
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, 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 the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...
.
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 or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
. Consequently, their commander, Colonel Murphy, was dismissed. He was replaced by
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Robbins, who was promoted to
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military 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 colonel was typically in charge ...
.
On December 28, when the regiment had moved to
La Grange, Tennessee
La Grange is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 133 at the 2010 census. A large area in the town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as La Grange Historic District.
Geography
La Grange is loc ...
, 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. It was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor and is named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phillips, an early settler of Phillips County and the ...
, 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 career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia seced ...
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
John Wayles Jefferson (born John Wayles Hemings; May 8, 1835June 12, 1892), was an American businessman and Union Army officer in the American Civil War. He is believed to be a grandson of Thomas Jefferson; his paternal grandmother is Sarah (Sa ...
.
He had been with the regiment since it was formed, and as the grandson of
Sally Hemings
Sarah "Sally" Hemings ( 1773 – 1835) was an enslaved woman with one-quarter African ancestry owned by president of the United States Thomas Jefferson, one of many he inherited from his father-in-law, John Wayles.
Hemings's mother Elizabet ...
, is believed to have been also a grandson of
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
.
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 of t ...
, which the
XVII Corps under General
James B. McPherson occupied on May 12. Sherman bypassed Raymond and advanced on
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, ...
, 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
The Battle of Champion Hill of May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War (1861–1865). Union Army commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Con ...
on May 16 and at the
Battle of Big Black River Bridge
The Battle of Big Black River Bridge was fought on May 17, 1863, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. After a Union army commanded by Major General Ulysses S. Grant defeated Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton's Con ...
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 a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...
.
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, 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 Randolph County, Arkansas, United States, along the Black River. According to the 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city was 6,608. The city is the county seat of Randolph County.
Pocahontas has a number of hist ...
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 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, 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, and Admiral
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States Navy 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 ever to attain the rank o ...
'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, 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 ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
.
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 third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population of 393,406 in 2020, is th ...
. On April 8, Banks was routed by Taylor at the
Battle of Mansfield
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and for ...
. 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 occurred on April 9, 1864 and formed part of the Red River Campaign during the American Civil War when Union forces aimed to occupy the Louisiana state capital, Shreveport.
The battle was essentially a continuatio ...
, 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 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 named ...
. 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
A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity.
Specific capitols include:
* United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
* Numerous ...
, 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, wickiup, 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 ''wickiup ...
. 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, Lee County, Mississippi, United States. With an estimated population of 38,300, Tupelo is the sixth-largest city in Mississippi and is considered a commercial, industrial, and ...
, 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 in this capacity.
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 of 1876, the first official World's Fair to be held in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the ...
in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
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 ( U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, ...
National Convention. Other events were fundraisers for charities, which included: the 1865 Northwest
Sanitary Fair 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
A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity.
Specific capitols include:
* United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
* Numerous ...
. 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 "Fighting Bob" La Follette Sr. (June 14, 1855June 18, 1925), was an American lawyer and politician. He represented Wisconsin in both chambers of Congress and served as the 20th Governor of Wisconsin. A Republican for most of his ...
to return Old Abe to the Capitol building in 1903. That year, President
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
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.
Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...
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.
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 and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. Racine is situated 22 miles (35 km) south of Milwaukee and approximately 60 ...
. 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 of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operat ...
is a depiction of Old Abe. Wisconsin was the territory of the original 101st Division after
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fight ...
, 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
* Albert Ross, an albatross believed to have bee ...
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 ]
[{{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 , newspaper= Eau Claire Leader Telegram , access-date = 2012-08-25]
[{{cite web , url = http://www.nps.gov/vick/forteachers/upload/Old%20Abe.pdf , 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 , 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 , 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 EagleOld Abe Online Exhibit by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum
Wisconsin in the American Civil War
Bird mascots
1861 animal births
1881 animal deaths