war tradition
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The black shield recalls the "Iron Brigade," one regiment of which possessed the famous eagle "Old Abe" which went into battle with them as their screaming mascot.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “war tradition” mean?
The black shield recalls the "Iron Brigade," one regiment of which possessed the famous eagle "Old Abe" which went into battle with them as their screaming mascot.
Is “war tradition” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.