“Old Abe” American bald eagle mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Inf. Reg.

“Old Abe” was the American bald eagle mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment that fought in the Western theater including Vicksburg.

“Old Abe” was the American bald eagle mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.

"Old Abe" was the famous eagle mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry. Taken from its nest when only four months old, the eagle had been purchased and presented to the regiment, then preparing to go to the front. "Old Abe" was given a place next to the regiment flag where he remained for the next three years. The eagle died in 1881 and was stuffed and mounted for public display. 

At the close of his war career "Old Abe" was presented by the company to the state and a place was provided for him at the state capitol at Madison, where he was viewed by thousands. He was also taken to various parts of the United States, being in great demand all over. He attended national conventions, was taken to the great centennial at Philadelphia and other noted gatherings, where he was the center of attraction. 

Old Abe at the GAR Museum.

Toward evening of a cold day in the winter of 1881 a fire started mysteriously in a quantity of paints and oils stored in the basement of the capitol, near Old Abe's large cage. The blaze created an enormous volume of black and offensive smoke, which at once filled the cage to suffocation.

Abe, understanding full well the nature of what was going on around him, sent forth such a scream as had never before been heard in that building. Attendants and watchmen rushed below to learn the cause of the startling outcry, and before attacking the flames, opened the door of the perch-room. The eagle, with another piecing screech, swept swiftly out and away from the smudge.

Fire at the Wisconsin State Capitol. 

He seemed to be either frightened or injured by the smoke, for his breast heaved, his heart labored heavily and his plumage was disheveled. Nor was he ever well thereafter. He ate sparingly or not at all; his eyes lost their wonderful luster; he sat around in a half-comatose condition for a few days, and on March 26, 1881, with a slight tremor and few feeble flaps of his wings, expired in the arms of his stout keeper, George Gillies. 

John Hill. Caretaker 1864.

George said that Abe seemed to know he was about to die, for when he asked solicitously, "Must we lose you, Abe?" the old bird raised up his head and looked wistfully into the keeper's face and then sunk back into his arms and passed away. Around him were numbers of one-legged and one-armed veterans whose sad faces showed that they had lost a beloved comrade.

At first the general desire among the soldiers was to have Abe buried in the beautiful Forest Hill cemetery, where rest two hundred Union and one hundred and fifty Confederate dead, with appropriate military ceremonies and under a handsome monument.

The suggestion that the taxidermist's art would preserve him to the sight for an indefinite period dispelled those notions, and he was turned over to Major C. G. Mayers, who, after preserving and stuffing the warriorbird, fixed him firmly to a neat perch as he stood for years in the war museum of the capital. His mounted body was destroyed in a second capital fire some years later.

"OLD ABE'S" BATTLES”

Fredericktown, MO - 21 October 1861.  New Madrid and Island "10" - March & April 1862.  Point Pleasant, MO - 20 March 1862.  Farmington, Miss. - 9 May 1862.  Corinth, Miss. - 28 May 1862.  Iuka, Miss. - 12 September 1862.  Burnsville, Miss. – 13 September 1862. Iuka, Miss. - 16-18 September 1862.  Corinth, Miss. - 3-4 October 1862.  Tallehatchie, Miss. - 2 December 1862.  Mississippi Springs, Miss. - 13 May 1863.  Jackson, Miss. - 14 May 1863.  Assault on Vicksburg, Miss. - 22 May 1863. Mechanicsburg, Miss. - 4 June 1863.  Richmond, La. - 15 June 1863. Vicksburg, Miss. - 24 June 1863.  Surrender of Vicksburg - 4 July 1863. Brownsville, Miss. - 14 October 1863. Fort Scurry, La. - 13 March 1864.  Fort De Russey, La. - 15 March 1864.  Henderson's Hill, La. - 21 March 1864.  Grand Ecore, La. - 2 April 1864.  Pleasant Hill, La. - 8-9 April 1864.  Natchitoches, La. - 20 April 1864.  Kane River, La. - 22 April 1864.  Clouterville and Crane Hill, La. - 23 April 1864.  Bayou Rapids, La. - 2 May 1864.  Bayou La Monre, La. - 3 May 1864.  Bayou Roberts, La. - 4-6 May 1864.  Moore's Plantation, La. - 8-12 May 1864.  Mansura, La. - 16 May 1864.  Maysville, La. - 17 May 1864.  Calhoun's Plantation, La. - 18 May 1864.  Bayou De Glaise, La. - 18 May 1864.  Lake Chicot, Ark. - 6 June 1864.  Hurricane Creek, Miss. - 13 August 1864. 

Two battles were fought by the regiment while the eagle and veterans were home on furlough – Carmargo Crossroads, Miss., July 13, and Tupelo, Miss., July 14 and 15.