The eagle Old Abe stands with the Eighth Wisconsin color guard at Big Black River Bridge, Miss., after the fall of Vicksburg in July 1863.
The 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was known as the barking dog regiment for its canine mascots. Harvey, a bull terrier, was a special favorite. When Harvey’s owner was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant in 1862, he inscribed Harvey’s collar with, “I am Lieutenant D.M. Stearns dog; whose dog are you?” Harvey was wounded during the war, but survived.
Old Abe later became symbol on shoulder patch of 101st Airborne Division. During the Civil War, I believe it was Bishop Polk who ordered his men to “...kill that damned buzzard.” Abe would fly over Confederate positions and torment them.
This is an interesting read. Love the camels story.
I just published an article about Sgt. Stubby, a Boston Terrier mix that saved American lives during WWI. What a dog!!!
How the hell did them boys fight that war during the summer with all that wool on? And in the south!
I know the picture claims “Old Abe” is a bald eagle, but it looks like a golden eagle to me.
WAR EAGLE! Although the pic is of a yankee unit, we got our eagle when a student brought his mascot/pet eagle back from The War. We all know the story of how it buzzed the field at half time and after touch downs. It was our WAR EAGLE!
One of the most interesting excavated Civil War artifacts I have ever seen is in a collection of a friend of mine. It is an engraved brass medallion on a dog collar chain. it was dug near a union Army camp occupied during the winter of 1862-63 near Falmouth Virginia. Engraved on the medallion is a satirical line aimed at fellow soldiers “I am Captain Smith’s dog. Whose dog are you ?”