emp cord about twenty feet long.

Old Abe was the hero of about twenty-five battles, and as many
skirmishes. Remarkable as it may appear, not one bearer of the flag, or
of the Eagle, always shining marks for the enemy's rifles, was ever shot
down. Once or twice Old Abe suffered the loss of a few feathers, but he
was never wounded.

The great bird enjoyed the excitement of carnage. In battle he flapped
his wings, his eyes blazed, and with piercing screams, which arose above
the noise of the conflict, seemed to urge the company on to deeds of
valor.

David McLane, who was the first color bearer to carry him into battle,
said:

"Old Abe, like all old soldiers, seemed to dread the sound of musketry
but with the roll of artillery he appeared to be in his glory. Then he
screamed, spread his wings at every discharge, and reveled in the roar
and smoke of the big guns." A correspondent who watched him closely said
that when a battle had fairly begun Old Abe jumped up and down on his
perch with such wild and fearful screams as an eagle alone can utter.
The louder the battle, the fiercer and wilder were his screams.

Old Abe varied his voice in accord with his emotions. When surprised he
whistled a wild melody of a melancholy softness; when hovering over his
food he gave a spiteful chuckle; when pleased to see an old friend he
seemed to say: "How do you do?" with a plaintive cooing. In battle his
scream was wild and commanding, a succession of five or six notes with a
startling trill that was inspiring to the soldiers. Strangers could not
approach or touch him with safety, though members of the regiment who
treated him with kindness were cordially recognized by him. Old Abe had
his particular friends, as well as some whom he regarded as his enemies.
There were men in the company whom he would not permit to approach him.
He would fly at and tear them with his beak and talons. But he would
never fight his bearer. He knew his own regiment from every other, would
always accompany its cheer, and never that of any other regiment.

Old Abe more than once escaped, but was always lured by food to return.
He never seemed disposed to depart to the blue empyrean, his ancestral
home.

Having served three years, a portion of the members of Company C were
mustered out, and Old Abe was presented to the state of Wisconsin. For
many years, on occasions of public exercise or review, like other
illustrious veterans, he excited in parade unive