Old Abe the war eagle : a true story of the Civil War and Reconstruction

THIS is the story of a famous bird, of the men who bore him off to war, and of what happened after the guns fell silent. It is in many respects an incredible story, but it is true—as true, at any rate, as a careful sifting and winnowing of official documents, contemporary letters and diaries, newspapers, and eyewitness accounts can make it. It is the story of Old Abe, Wisconsin’s War Eagle, mascot of the Eighth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, living symbol of the Union at war.Old Abe’s life contained so many imagination-capturing experiences that storytellers, both at the time and later, have outbid one another by turning the eagle into a legendary hero possessed of amazing attributes. Old Abe has become a creature of folklore and fairy tale, and the historical facts surrounding his existence have gradually become encrusted with sheerest fantasy. Over the years, Old Abe has received acclaim for saving the day at certain battles, for delivering crucial “airmail” messages, for disrupting enemy attacks, for leading his invincible comrades to victory, and even serving as the objective of Confederate strategy.1Old Abe stories have appeared and reappeared in a wide variety of publications, beginning in the 1860’s and extending to the present day. Journals as diverse as Natural History and True Magazine have carried features on his exploits. Poems and songs celebrated Old Abe’s imaginary feats. He is a staple with newspaper feature writers and authors of children’s stories. Discussions supposedly proving that the eagle was female, and therefore an important contributor to the women’s rights movement, began in 1889 and have continued to this day. Intro -- Title Page -- Dedication Page -- Copyright Page -- Preface -- 1 - Old Abe and the Coming of the War -- 2 - Meet the Eighth Wisconsin -- 3 - The Making of Soldiers -- 4 - To the Front -- 5 - The Valley of the Mississippi -- 6 - The Eagle Regiment -- 7 - The Battle of Corinth -- 8 - Opening the Mississippi -- 9 - The Vicksburg Campaign -- 10 - Used Up: The Siege of Vicksburg -- 11 - Camped Among the Pines -- 12 - On the Move -- 13 - The Price of Cotton -- 14 - The Battle for Furlough -- 15 - After the Devil -- 16 - Jackass Cavalry -- 17 - Nashville -- 18 - Denouement -- 19 - In Tangel's Feature -- 20 - Bloody Shirt Politics -- 21 - Centennial -- 22- Old Abe at Peace -- Notes -- Bibliography The story of Old Abe, the bald eagle that became the mascot of the Eighth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. It is also the story of the men among whom Old Abe lived: the farmers, loggers, clerks, and immigrants who flocked to the colors in 1861.