Henry Howard Brownell. See note on “The River Fight.”
The battle of Corinth was fought October 3d and 4th, 1862. The famous
war-eagle of the poem was taken from a nest in Chippeway County,
Wisconsin, by a Chippeway Indian, in July, 1861, and given by him to a
farmer living near. A citizen of Eau Claire purchased the bird, and
presented him to Company C, of the Eighth Wisconsin, with which he
remained until the regiment was mustered out of active service. He was
present at all of the battles in which the troops were engaged, and
would fly over the enemy during the hottest of the fight, returning
after a time to his perch upon a pole borne by one especially appointed
for that duty. Whenever there was any cheering his wings were instantly
outspread. At the battle of Corinth, the rebel general Price gave orders
to capture or kill the eagle, saying that he was worth more than the
whole brigade. The name by which the bird was universally known, “Old
Abe,” was given him by Captain Wolf, of Company C, of the Eighth
Wisconsin.
=Stanza 1. Price= (Stirling, 1809-1867), a Virginian who served the
Confederate cause in the West and Southwest throughout the Civil War.
=Van Dorn= (=Earl=, 1820-1863), a Mississippian who rose to the rank of
major-general in the Confederate service. He was shot and killed by a
physician named Peters on account of some private grievance.
=Stanza 5.= =Robinett=, a fort erected by the Federal forces at Corinth.