The 31st Illinois had the following experience with Old Douglas, the camel mascot of the 43rd MS Infantry, aka "the Camel Regiment":

"After the surrender of Vicksburg, the regiment went into camp on a high hill inside the Confederate lines and to the northwest of Fort Hill, (3rd Louisiana Redan) overlooking the graveyard road. Along this valley road supplies were passed from Vicksburg to Pemberton's left wing during the siege. In this valley our sharp shooters had killed ‘Price's Camel,’ used as a pack animal by the Confederates. His skeleton was picked up and his bones made into finger rings and other ornaments and sold to curiosity hunters from the North. When the supply was exhausted, the bones of cattle slain for beef were substituted, the souvenir fiend being fully satisfied they were part of ‘Price's camel.’" (from "History, 31st Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, Organized by John A. Logan")

If anyone has any additional info regarding Old Douglas, especially from 31st Illinois manuscript sources, I would be delighted to hear from them!

Many thanks! -- Jim Huffman, Co-Historian, 43rd MS Infantry

PS: We have, of course, all of the info on our official 43rd MS site (www.43rdms.homestead.com/index.html)