What Exactly Does "Saw the Elephant" Mean?

My brother Bob was reading the blog recently and asked what the name of the blog meant. Good question, especially for non-Civil War folk.

"Saw the Elephant" was a term evidently used by both Confederate and Union troops to describe battle. If you were in a battle (or skirmish), you "Saw the Elephant."

On our way down to our Camp Douglas Sons of Confederate Veterans meetings in Des Plaines, Illinois, we always passed an auto dealership with an elephant statue out front. We'd get to the meeting and saw we had seen the elephant.

On a side note, we meet at the Silver Stallion restaurant, a family place. But also in Des Plaines, there is the original Ray Kroc McDonald's (not open, but a nearby new McDonald's is and a White Castle.

Two other interesting places to eat are the Sugar Bowl on Northwest Highway (US-14), an old 30s place with a great overhead sign and the Choo-Choo restaurant where your order comes around on a model train.

Good Eatin' and a Bit the Confederacy North of the Mason-Dixon. --Old B-R'er