According to legend, events that would bring War Eagle and Auburn together actually began in 1864 during the Battle of the Wilderness in faroff Virginia.

An Auburn student had gone off to fight with General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army. He was with them on the worst day of the long and fierce battle.

He was wounded and when the armies retreated to their respective lines, he was left on the battlefield - left for dead. When he regained consciousness, there were only two living things as far as he could see - himself and a baby eagle.

Brought together by their common bond of misery, the soldier took the wounded bird with him and nursed him back to health. When he returned to Auburn after the war, the eagle came with him.

The student-turned-soldier came back to Auburn and ultimately became a member of the faculty. He was present at Atlanta's Piedmont Park in 1892 when Auburn and Georgia inaugurated what would become the South's oldest continuous football rivalry. As usual, the eagle - called War Eagle because of the circumstances under which he was found - was there with him.

When Auburn scored the first touchdown, the old eagle broke from its master and began to soar above the field. Auburn people looked skyward, saw the familiar figure, and shouted, "War-r-r-r-r-r Eagle!"

At the end of the game, which Auburn won 10-0, the old eagle collapsed and died, having given his all in pursuit of victory for Auburn. War Eagle may have died that day, but he lives forever in the hearts of Auburn people who love to stand and shout, "War-r-r-r-r-r Eagle!" long into the night following an Auburn victory.

The facts of this legend cannot be authenticated, but it is generally the one most used to describe how the War Eagle battle cry became synonymous with Auburn teams.

Auburn teams are known as "Tigers" and sometimes "Plainsmen," but the cry of Auburn faithful is ever the same: