Old Abe and Friends-- Part 2: A Dog's Best Friend at the MCCWRT

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

I re-enlisted for two more years of McHenry County Civil War Round Table membership for $50.

This is our first meeting since November.  December was our annual Christmas party and then we go into two months of winter quarters in January and February before renewing active campaigning this month.

We're not sure about future meetings because of you-know-what these days.  Hopefully the April meeting will take place as scheduled.

Tonight's speaker was Jan Rasmussen on "Old Abe and Friends:  Civil War Mascots."  She says she comes by this interest naturally because she is a veterinarian technician.

Mascots are important to soldiers because they inspire loyalty.  Dogs were by far the most common Civil War mascots.  They are loyal as we know, but I'm sure also reminded the soldiers of home in more pleasant times.

But, along with dogs, there were also cats, squirrels and a pelican and a camel among many others.  And then, there was probably the very best-known mascot of them all, and that would be Old Abe, the War Eagle.

And Jan knew a whole lot about a whole lot of them.

Screechin' and Howlin'.  --Old Secesh