NEWS: Items from The Alleghanian, 8 Aug 1861, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ The Alleghanian Ebensburg, Pa. Volume 2, Number 51 Thursday, 8 Aug 1861 Strokes of the Sun Sun stroke, which is becoming common at this season of the year, is due rather to the imprudence of the sufferers than to the malignant influences either of the fervid king of day or his reputed fellow laborer in midsummer, the dog star. It is occasioned by the action of the heat upon the system during some period of depression of the vital functions. Thus, recently a member of a regiment died while on his way to Baltimore, "The result of drinking copiously of ice water while over heated," and the imbibers of ale and larger beer are particularly liable to the same risk. We approve of havelocks, cork installed in the hat, wet handkerchiefs, etc., but we insist also that the true protective against coup de soliel, "the heat," &c., consists in the careful maintenance of general health. So long as the stomach is not debilitated and the heart can maintain its regular pulses there is hardly any amount of heat, even inside of an oven, which a man cannot withstand. A Regiment of Scythes Some Germans of New York are attempting the organization of a regiment to be armed with scythes. The organization of such a regiment would be completed at a very short notice, without much cost. It was stated by some of the speakers that a regiment of this kind would do a great deal of service; that if properly directed they could cause a great deal of havoc among the enemy. It would be better adapted than any other weapon now in use to attack the enemy's cavalry with effect. That such troops could be made serviceable had been demonstrated in the Polish revolution in that of the Peasants in Germany when the regular troops very often fought with scythes. Soldiers' Letters The following order has been made by the Post Office Department for the execution of the new law respecting soldiers' letters - "Postmasters at or near any camp or point occupied by the United States forces will mail without prepayment of postage any letter written by a soldier in the service of the United States and certified to be such by the Major or Acting Major of the Regiment to which the writer is attached. The envelope should have plainly stamped or written on its face the certificate "Soldiers' letter," signed in writing by the Major of Acting Major of the Regiment, describing his Regiment by his number and its State. The postage due on such letters will be collected at the office of delivery. Commissioned officers will prepay their postage as heretofore. John A. Kasson, First Assistant Post Master General People's County Nominations Assembly - A. Kopelin of Johnstown. Sheriff - James D. Hamilton of Wilmore Treasurer - Charles B. Ellis of Johnstown Associate Judges - Isaac Evans of Ebensburg; James Purse of Johnstown Commissioner - James Conrad of Washington twp. Poor House Director - Rees S. Lloyd of Cambria twp. Auditor - H. J. Roberts of Johnstown. Local and Personal Hemlock, August 5, 1861 The Washington Rifles (Co. G, 10th Regiment) arrived home safely on Saturday. They were received at the station by a large concourse of friends who had met to welcome them back. Capt. Behen's Home Guards were to have acted as escorts, but through some misunderstanding this part of the programme was omitted. The volunteers all look exceedingly well and say they never experienced better health in their lives. To judge from appearances, camp life suits them exactly; and a large number express their determination of re-enlisting "for the war." They are determined to have a brush with the enemy and to use their own expression, would have had one before now only "the cowardly miscreants wouldn't stand fire." They had many stirring stores to tell concerning events that transpired during their sojourn in the enemy's country, none of which surprised me more than the report that the ladies in that section are all opposed to Union! Our quiet little town, as you may well imagine, was in a high state of excitement until about 10 o'clock in the evening when the crowd dispersed, our citizens to dream of friends and relatives returned and the soldiers to enjoy the luxury of a feather bed once more. By the way, our friend, "the clerk," is on hand again, looking well as usual. He will enter upon the duties of his arduous and responsible office immediately, I believe. I understand that Major White arrived home on Saturday morning, but I have not yet seen him. He has not enjoyed very good health for some time. Signed - XX Music Prof. Huey, the music teacher, is now at Johnstown giving a course of lessons. We hope he may find it convenient to call around this way again, as the musical education of the rising generation has been sadly neglected latterly. Chaplain Rev. A. Torrence, pastor of the Presbyterian church at New Alexandria, Westmoreland county, has volunteered to act as Chaplain of the 11th regiment Pennsylvania Reserves for a few weeks. He is now with the regiment at Washington. Returned Volunteers On Wednesday last, three of the companies from this county, comprising the Zouave Cadets, Johnstown Infantry and the Citizen Guards, returned to their homes in Johnstown, this county. They were received by the German Home Guards and a large concourse of relatives and friends. Capt. Easley's company also returned last week, being the last of the three months' men who were absent from this county. Returned Soldiers On Saturday, Lieut. Wm. Linton, George W. Brown, Samuel Goodwin, Joseph Wherry, Thomas Jones, Robert Marlett and John C. Murray, all of whom belonged to various companies of the three months' volunteers and who were discharged and paid off at Harrisburg last week, arrived at their homes in this place. They all look hale and hearty and give it as their unanimous opinion that "sojering' is decidedly the thing for these degenerate times. Their only regret is that being in General Patterson's division they were not enabled to measure strength with the Traitors. Adjutant J. C. Noon, of the 3d regiment also arrived home on Thursday. Since his return we are sorry to say, he has been prostrated by an attack of sickness from which we hope he may soon recover. We forgot to notice last week that our friend, Peter L. Linton, who was also connected with Gen. Patterson's division, had returned. He looks well as ever. Welcome back, all. We learn that Lieut. Wm. Linton intends returning to Harrisburg almost immediately to organize a company for the war. We wish him every success in his patriotic undertaking. Gov. Curtin has pardoned Captain Rogers, recently convicted at Pittsburg, of manslaughter in killing J. H. Vandegrift. How to Act should Your Dress Catch Fire Ladies should, whenever they are so unfortunate as to have their dress upon them take fire, fall prostrate and roll upon the flame. An assistant then can smother it with a tablecloth, a piece of carpet or even with any kind of clothing which may be at hand. If the lady stand erect, the flame will ascend rapidly and encircle her face and head and she will breathe in the flames to the destruction of her lungs and life. In such cases, it is almost useless to battle with the fire with the hands. Ferocious Customer On Monday evening a fellow named Thomas Gordon who holds forth in Johnstown, after putting himself outside of a large and well selected load of boomerang whisky, became riproarious and pugnacious. Following the inclination of the spirit (no pun intended) he smashed in several taverns, committed a number of aggravated assaults and batteries and ended by being knocked down and dragged off to the lockup. On the following Wednesday Constable Gageby started with the prisoner for this place to commit him to jail but he succeeded in escaping on the road. A reward of ten dollars is offered for his re-arrest. Mr. Gordon should be locked up, by all means. Caution to Mothers It is a very common thing to see mothers and servant girls pushing along the sidewalks the little carriages in which they are giving infants an airing on pleasant days. An exchange remarks that the practice is a very dangerous one and is liable to do great and permanent injury to the child. The position of a child riding backward instead of forward is an unnatural one and directly affects the brain. Some grown person even cannot ride backward in a railroad car without experiencing a sense of faintness and to expect a child to do what a strong adult cannot is unreasonable to say the least. It is believed by medical writers that infants have died from diseases produced from being ridden backward. Burglary On Thursday night the store of Mr. William Davis in the eastern part of town was burglariously [as typed in the paper] entered by some person or persons unknown and loose specie [as typed in the paper] to the amount of about four dollars abstracted there from. The entrance was effected by prying open the doors. Letters from Our Volunteers Camp near Washington City, Sunday, August 4, 1861 We have now been here a little more than a week and it seems almost as much like home to us as Camp Wright did tho' we have been obliged to dispense with many of the comforts and conveniences of our former abode. In the woods here no one has any boards that we can "take" to floor our tents with. Then we have no stoves, but do all our cooking over regular camp fires, which is all very nice, when it don't rain. And last, but not least, we must eat our dry bread without the aid of mountain butter. I believe it is arranged that the whole Reserve Corps of Pennsylvania (fifteen Regiments) will be kept together; they will be formed into Brigades and the command given to Gen. McCall. He is now here, attending to getting improved arms, &c. The flanking companies of the 11th regiment, A and K, marched to the arsenal yesterday morning for the purpose of getting rifles, but were disappointed as Gen. McCall would not allow his men to be armed with the rifles left there by the three months' men until they were thoroughly overhauled and put in good order. The State is paying off the Reserve Corps as fast as the paymaster can do it and we expect our turn this week. We find it difficult to get the news. The Washington papers are bought out every morning and sold at three cents per copy. They contain about one-fourth as much reading matter and news as the Pittsburg "penny papers." We occasionally get hold of New York Heralds or Tribunes, which are always read until there is nothing left of them. Gen. McClellan is very strict with the officers and soldiers about here. They are not allowed to visit in Washington without a pass from the Col. commanding, stating their business. All officers or soldiers found about the streets, hotels or public buildings without such passes are arrested and put in the guard house. We do not yet know when we will be moved from here. The 15 Regiments P. R. C. are to be placed in a camp by themselves soon. I believe the place chosen is about five miles up the Potomac. With the exception of a few cases of measles, the Cambria Guards are in good fighting order. Locals are awful scarce. Hope to be able next week or soon to give you an account of a 'brush" with the enemy. Signed - Ever, &c., J. A teamster hailing from Westmoreland county who was present at the battle of Bull Run died in Altoona last week from wounds received by being run over when the Federal forces were retreating.