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Old Abe the War Eagle
Wisconsin's most famous Civil War veteran

To build loyalty and enthusiasm, schools often have a nickname or a mascot---like the University of Wisconsin Badgers.

During the Civil War, Army units also adopted nicknames or mascots to build the soldiers' spirits and unity.

Some Civil War units had live bears, dogs, or even goats as mascots. But by far the famous mascot in the Civil War was Old Abe, the War Eagle from Wisconsin.

Native Americans caught Old Abe near Park Falls, Wisconsin, when he was very young. Eventually, some soldiers from the Eau Claire area bought the young eagle and made him the mascot of their unit---the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. They named him "Old Abe" in honor of President Abraham Lincoln.

Because Old Abe was such an impressive mascot, his unit earned the nickname---the "Eagle Regiment."

Like his fellow Wisconsin soldiers, Old Abe was in many battles. During the fighting, a soldier was in charge of protecting Old Abe, who was tied to his perch by a cord. When the battle was over, Old Abe was sometimes allowed to wander about the soldiers' camp.

After the Civil War, Old Abe lived in his own special room in the basement of the State Capitol in Madison. Because he was so famous as a Civil War mascot, he toured the country and thousands of tourists visited him at the Capitol.

In 1881, a small fire broke out near his room in the Capitol. Although he was not burned, Old Abe got sick from the smoke and died a few weeks later. He was more than 21-years-old when he died.

Civil War veterans from around the country were very sad when Old Abe died. As a final tribute, Old Abe's body was preserved and placed in a glass display case in the Capitol.

In 1904, the Capitol burned down, and the body of Old Abe was lost in the fire. However, copies or replicas of Old Abe were created so that people would always remember him and the soldiers who fought and died in the Civil War.

Since 1915, a replica of Old Abe has been on display in the room at the Capitol where the Wisconsin Assembly meets.

A replica of Old Abe also is on display at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.

His name lives on in other ways, too.

The Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Memorial High School teams are nicknamed the Old Abes.
J. I. Case Company of Racine, Wisconsin, which makes construction and agricultural equipment, used a picture of Old Abe on its logo until 1969.
To this day, soldiers in the Army's famous 101st Airborne Division wear a shoulder patch that is an image of Old Abe.

For more information about Old Abe and his experiences during the Civil War, you should read "Old Abe the War Eagle: The True Story of the Civil War and Reconstruction," by Richard Zeitlin, Ph.D., director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. The book is for sale at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Gift Store.