Old Abe The War Eagle Of The Eighth Wisconsin 1903 First Edition CIVIL War

  
"OLD ABE" THE WAR EAGLE COMPILED BY C. NELSON FIRST EDITION FINE - CONDITION PROTECTED IN A CLEAR, MYLAR DUST JACKET Bright, Clean, Tight, Antique Wrap/Booklet Full-Page Frontispiece and 4 Other Illustrations of Old Abe PRIVATELY PRINTED BY C. NELSON IN 1903 This book presents a history of Old Abe, an American bald eagle who was the mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War. Later his image was adopted as the eagle appearing as the screaming eagle on the unit patch of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. He was carried on a special perch throughout the entire war and became a symbol of Wisconsin's Civil War history in the decades that followed. The eaglet that would later be known as Old Abe was captured from his nest by Ahgamahwegezhig (Chief Big Sky) of the Lac du Flambeau Band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe. Ahgamahwegezhig traded the bird to the McCann family of Chippewa County, Wisconsin, in the spring or summer of 1861. The militia carried him to Madison where he became part of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry. Perkins named him Old Abe after President Lincoln. After training at Camp Randall in Madison, Abe accompanied the regiment as it headed south. Old Abe witnessed 37 battles and skirmishes, including some of the bloodiest fighting at Vicksburg and Corinth, Mississippi. He became an inspirational symbol to the troops, akin to a ceremonial flag carried by each regiment. Colonel Rufus Dawes of the Iron Brigade recalled, Our eagle usually accompanied us on the bloody field, and I heard [Confederate] prisoners say they would have given more to capture the eagle of the Eighth Wisconsin, than to take a whole brigade of men.

At the end of the war, Old Abe was presented to the State of Wisconsin. For 15 years he lived in the "Eagle Department" in the basement of the Capitol, attracting thousands of visitors. During this period, Old Abe also served as the star attraction at many fundraising events, earning thousands of dollars for politicians and charities. Old Abe's long life ended March 26, 1881, when he died from smoke inhalation during a fire in the Capitol. His remains were stuffed and mounted, and for the next 20 years his body remained on display in the rotunda of the Capitol building.

After construction of the new State Historical Society building in 1901, Old Abe was briefly housed at that facility before being moved back to the Capitol in 1903. His remains were destroyed a few months later when the Capitol building burned down on February 26, 1904. THIS BOOK IS IN FINE - CONDITION This original, antique wrap/booklet is in excellent condition. It comes in a clear, Mylar dust jacket to protect it (see photo #3). The booklet is handsomely presented in red covers with a full-color pasteboard of Abe on the cover and bold lettering and decorative highlights.

The booklet is clean, sharp and tight. The booklet has tight binding throughout.

The interior is clean and the pages are in fine condition with no tearing, writing, smudging, pasteboards, stamps or other markings. This is not an ex-library book. The book has a frontispiece illustration of Old Abe and has four illustrations of battle scenes. A fine condition, first edition book.

"OLD ABE" THE WAR EAGLE. FIRST EDITION FINE - CONDITION PROTECTED IN A CLEAR, MYLAR DUST JACKET.

Bright, Clean, Tight, Antique Wrap/Booklet Full-Page Frontispiece and 4 Other Illustrations of Old Abe. This book presents a history of Old Abe, an American bald eagle who was the mascot of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War. THIS BOOK IS IN FINE - CONDITION. This original, antique wrap/booklet is in excellent condition. Be sure to add me to your.

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