Old Abe
Encyclopedia
Old Abe a bald eagle
, was the mascot
of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment
in the American Civil War
. It later was depicted as the screaming eagle mascot on the insignia of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division
and as the trademark eagle on the globe of the Case
tractor company.
Old Abe was captured in 1861 by Ahgamahwegezhig near the Chippewa River
, near the town of Jim Falls
, in Chippewa County, Wisconsin
. Ahgamahwegezhig, or “Chief Sky,” or “Old Jackson,” was the son of Ah-mous (translated either as “The Little Bee” or “Thunder of Bees”), who held first rank in the councils among the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe.
Old Abe was subsequently traded to local farmer
, Daniel McCann, for a bushel of corn, who in turn sold her to the 8th Wisconsin's Company C for $2.50.
Company C named the eagle after President Abraham Lincoln
, and designed a special perch on which they carried the bird into battle. Old Abe participated in the Second Battle of Corinth
(in which the 8th Wisconsin lost half of its men) and the Siege of Vicksburg, among other battles. In battle, Old Abe quickly became legendary, screaming and spreading her wings at the enemy. Confederate troops called her the "Yankee Buzzard" and made several attempts to capture her but never succeeded. Several times she lost feathers to bullets and saw her handlers get shot out from under her. When passing by, Generals Ulysses S. Grant
, William T. Sherman, and William Rosecrans
were known to doff their hats to the eagle.
In 1864, Old Abe returned to Wisconsin with several veterans who did not reenlist. Nevertheless, she remained famous and was invited to, among other events, the 1880 Grand Army of the Republic
National Convention, and the 1876 Centennial Exposition
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. When not at public events, her caretaker kept her in the Wisconsin State Capitol
.
is a depiction of Old Abe. The design is based on one of the Civil War traditions of the state of Wisconsin, which was the territory of the original 101st Division after World War I
. The black shield recalls the Iron Brigade
, the famous Civil War unit composed of western regiments (although not the 8th Wisconsin).
Old Abe was adopted by Jerome Case
as the trademark of the J. I. Case
agricultural equipment manufacturing company of Racine, Wisconsin
in 1865. The trademark was retired in 1969.
Old Abe is the mascot of Eau Claire Memorial High School
, whose athletic teams are known as the "Old Abes", and of Racine Case High School
, whose teams are simply the "Eagles".
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, was the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment
8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 8th Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The 8th Wisconsin's mascot was Old Abe, a bald eagle that accompanied the regiment into battle.-Service:...
in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It later was depicted as the screaming eagle mascot on the insignia of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
and as the trademark eagle on the globe of the Case
Case Corporation
Case Corporation was a manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment. In 1999 it merged with New Holland to form CNH Global, a Fiat Group division...
tractor company.
Civil War
Chippewa River (Wisconsin)
The Chippewa River in Wisconsin flows approximately 183 miles through west-central and northwestern Wisconsin. It was once navigable for approximately 50 miles of its length, from the Mississippi River, by Durand, northeast to Eau Claire. Its catchment defines a portion of the northern boundary...
, near the town of Jim Falls
Jim Falls, Wisconsin
Jim Falls is an unincorporated census-designated place located in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States. Jim Falls is located on the Chippewa River northeast of Chippewa Falls, in the town of Anson. Jim Falls has a post office with ZIP code 54748. As of the 2010 census, its population was 237....
, in Chippewa County, Wisconsin
Chippewa County, Wisconsin
Chippewa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 55,195. Its county seat is Chippewa Falls. The United States Census Bureau's Eau Claire Metropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Chippewa County...
. Ahgamahwegezhig, or “Chief Sky,” or “Old Jackson,” was the son of Ah-mous (translated either as “The Little Bee” or “Thunder of Bees”), who held first rank in the councils among the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe.
Old Abe was subsequently traded to local farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, Daniel McCann, for a bushel of corn, who in turn sold her to the 8th Wisconsin's Company C for $2.50.
Company C named the eagle after President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, and designed a special perch on which they carried the bird into battle. Old Abe participated in the Second Battle of Corinth
Second Battle of Corinth
The Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S...
(in which the 8th Wisconsin lost half of its men) and the Siege of Vicksburg, among other battles. In battle, Old Abe quickly became legendary, screaming and spreading her wings at the enemy. Confederate troops called her the "Yankee Buzzard" and made several attempts to capture her but never succeeded. Several times she lost feathers to bullets and saw her handlers get shot out from under her. When passing by, Generals Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, William T. Sherman, and William Rosecrans
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans was an inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and United States Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War...
were known to doff their hats to the eagle.
In 1864, Old Abe returned to Wisconsin with several veterans who did not reenlist. Nevertheless, she remained famous and was invited to, among other events, the 1880 Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
National Convention, and the 1876 Centennial Exposition
Centennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair 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 Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. When not at public events, her caretaker kept her in the Wisconsin State Capitol
Wisconsin State Capitol
The Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison, Wisconsin, houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature along with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor. Completed during 1917, the building is the fifth to serve as the Wisconsin capitol since the first territorial legislature...
.
Postbellum
Old Abe died from smoke inhalation in a fire at the State Capitol in 1881. Her body was mounted and remained a centerpiece of the capitol. The mount, along with most of the capitol building, was destroyed by fire in 1904.In memoriam
The insignia of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
is a depiction of Old Abe. The design is based on one of the Civil War traditions of the state of Wisconsin, which was the territory of the original 101st Division after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The black shield recalls the Iron Brigade
Iron Brigade
The Iron Brigade, also known as the Iron Brigade of the West or the Black Hat Brigade, was an infantry brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Although it fought entirely in the Eastern Theater, it was composed of regiments from Western states...
, the famous Civil War unit composed of western regiments (although not the 8th Wisconsin).
Old Abe was adopted by Jerome Case
Jerome Case
Jerome Increase Case was an early American manufacturer of threshing machines. He founded what became the Case Corporation and raised champion race horses...
as the trademark of the J. I. Case
Case Corporation
Case Corporation was a manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment. In 1999 it merged with New Holland to form CNH Global, a Fiat Group division...
agricultural equipment manufacturing company of Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
in 1865. The trademark was retired in 1969.
Old Abe is the mascot of Eau Claire Memorial High School
Memorial High School (Eau Claire, Wisconsin)
Memorial High School is one of two public high schools in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the other being North High School. Built on a three-block campus, its enrollment is 1737, with a staff of over 150. AP classes are offered in English, science, social sciences, math, and foreign language...
, whose athletic teams are known as the "Old Abes", and of Racine Case High School
Jerome I. Case High School
Jerome I. Case High School is located in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, a suburb of Racine in the United States...
, whose teams are simply the "Eagles".
Battles
Old Abe was present at numerous battles and lesser engagements during the war:- FredericktownBattle of FredericktownThe Battle of Fredericktown was an engagement of the American Civil War. It took place on October 21, 1861, in Madison County, Missouri. Union victory consolidated their control of southeastern Missouri.-Background:...
, Missouri - 21 October 1861 - New Madrid and *Island #10 - March & April 1862 Union General John Pope captured Point Pleasant, Missouri, provoking Confederates to evacuate New Madrid; they abandoned arms and provisions valued at one million dollars during their escape across the Mississippi River to the eastern bank and to Island No. 10.
- Point Pleasant, Missouri - March 20, 1862
- FarmingtonBattle of FarmingtonThe Battle of Farmington is a name given to two different battles during the American Civil War − one in Tennessee, the other in Mississippi.The Battle at Farmington, Tennessee was fought October 7, 1863 in Farmington, Marshall County, Tennessee. It ended in a Confederate victory...
, Mississippi. - May 9, 1862 - CorinthSiege of CorinthThe Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
, Mississippi. - May 28, 1862 - IukaBattle of IukaThe Battle of Iuka was fought on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. In the opening battle of the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans stopped the advance of the army of Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price.Maj. Gen. Ulysses S...
, Mississippi. - September 12, 1862 - Burnsville, Mississippi. - September 13, 1862
- IukaBattle of IukaThe Battle of Iuka was fought on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. In the opening battle of the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans stopped the advance of the army of Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price.Maj. Gen. Ulysses S...
, Mississippi. - September 16-18, 1862 - CorinthSecond Battle of CorinthThe Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S...
, Mississippi. - October 3-4, 1862 - Tallahatchie, Mississippi. - December 2, 1862
- Mississippi Springs, Mississippi. - May 13, 1863
- JacksonBattle of Jackson (MS)The Battle of Jackson, fought on May 14, 1863, in Jackson, Mississippi, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign in the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee defeated Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston, seizing the city, cutting supply lines, and...
, Mississippi. - May 14, 1863 - Assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi. - May 22, 1863
- Mechanicsburg, Mississippi. - June 4, 1863
- Richmond, Louisiana. - June 15, 1863
- Vicksburg, Mississippi. - June 24, 1863
- Surrender of Vicksburg- July 4, 1863
- Brownsville, Mississippi. - October 16, 1863
- Fort Scurry, Louisiana. - March 13, 1864
- Fort De Russey, Louisiana. - March 15, 1864
- Henderson's Hill, Louisiana. - March 21, 1864
- Grand Ecore, Louisiana. - April 2, 1864
- Pleasant HillBattle of Pleasant HillThe Battle of Pleasant Hill was fought on April 9, 1864, during the Red River Campaign of the American Civil War, near Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, between Union forces led by Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks and Confederate forces, led by Maj. Gen...
, Louisiana. - April 8-9, 1864 - Natchitoches, Louisiana. - April 20, 1864
- Kane River, Louisiana. - April 22, 1864
- Clouterville and Crane Hill, Louisiana. - April 23, 1864
- Bayou Rapids, Louisiana. - May 2, 1864
- Bayou La Monre, Louisiana. - May 3, 1864
- Bayou Roberts, Louisiana. - May 4-6, 1864
- Moore's Plantation, Louisiana. - May 8-12, 1864
- MansuraBattle of MansuraThe Battle of Mansura was fought near Mansura, Louisiana, on May 16, 1864, during the Red River Campaign of the American Civil War. A Union force defeated elements of the Confederate States Army.-Background:...
, Louisiana. - May 16, 1864 - Battle of Maysville, Louisiana. - May 17, 1864
- Calhoun's Plantation, Louisiana. - May 18, 1864
- Bayou De Glaise, Louisiana. - May 18, 1864
- Ditch Bayou at Lake Chicot or River LakeBattle of Old River LakeThe Battle of Old River Lake was a small skirmish between U.S. Army troops and Confederate troops from June 5 to June 6, 1864, during the American Civil War. A Union Army force marched into Confederate-held lands in Chicot County, Arkansas...
, Arkansas. - June 6, 1864 - Hurricane Creek, Mississippi. - August 13, 1864
See also
- Wisconsin in the American Civil WarWisconsin in the American Civil WarWith the outbreak of the American Civil War, the northwestern state of Wisconsin raised 91,379 soldiers for the Union Army, organized into 53 infantry regiments, 4 cavalry regiments, a company of Berdan’s sharpshooters, 13 light artillery batteries and 1 unit of heavy artillery...
- McCann brothersMcCann brothersBetween 1846 and 1850, more than 1.5 million Irish people immigrated to America. By 1860 more than 60,000 Wisconsin residents were of Irish descent, many working on construction projects, serving as mill-hands, or working as policemen...
External links
- How an Indian Chief Captured the Eagle that Became "Old Abe"
- 'Old Abe' the Eagle Accompanies the 8th Wisconsin Infantry into War
- Old Abe, the War Eagle
- That 'War Eagle' Had Quite a Record, story told by one of Old Abe's 8th Wisconsin caretakers
- Rosholt, Malcolm and Margaret Rosholt. The Story of Old Abe: Wisconsin's Civil War Hero Rosholt House, 1987.
- Photographs and prints of Old Abe from the Wisconsin Electronic Reader
- Feather from Old Abe the War Eagle
- Old Abe atop the Wisconsin State Memorial at Vicksburg
- Old Abe Online Exhibit, by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.