NEWS: Items from The Alleghanian, October 9, 1862, 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. Thursday, October 9, 1862 Volume 4, Number 2 Etchings Getting shorter at both ends: the days. Lt. Col. Kopelin, of the 133d Penna. Vols., has resigned his position in the army and returned home to Johnstown. Adjourned Court convened here on Tuesday. The principal business attended to seemed to be the filing of naturalization papers and drinking lager. The 133d Penna. Volunteers at latest accounts were in camp near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and within gunshot of the camp of the 11th Penna. Reserves. A delegation of some five or six of our citizens started to pay the "boys" a visit on Monday. Our readers are hereby informed that that much needed institution, an ambrotype gallery, has been opened up in our midst by Mr. John Kratzer of Johnstown who holds himself in readiness to execute any number of "picters," on short notice and in the most approved style of art. Give him a call soon for he "cannot be with you always." Rooms above R. Davis' store and in close proximity to THE ALLEGHANIAN office. Sergt. Daniel D. Jones and Thomas Jones of Co. A, 11th Penna. Reserves, who were both wounded at the second battle of Bull Run, have arrived home on furlough. They are neither dangerously injured and a short sojourn here on the Mountain will probably set them all right again. We hope so, leastwise. Frederick Evans, another member of the same company, who has been on the sick list for a considerable time past is also at home. He is almost recovered. Sergt. J. Nix Kinkead of the 12th Penna. Cavalry was also with us a few days last week. Success to them all! Teacher's Institute We are requested to announce that the Teachers' Institute of Cambria county will hold its next semi-annual session at Johnstown, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 16th, 17th, and 18th October inst. Members and friends of Education generally are invited to attend. Jacob Horner Jacob Horner of Johnstown is an independent candidate at the ensuing election for Poor House Director - of which office he is now an incumbent. If re-elected he promises to give Poor House matters "the same earnest attention" which he has heretofore devoted to them. Col. Campbell's 54th Penna. Vols. We clip the annexed complimentary mention of this regiment - better known as the "Cambria County Regiment" - from the Wheeling DAILY PRESS of a recent date. It is a graceful recognition of the eminent services performed by this splendid body of men, and will serve as an incentive to spur them on to renewed exertions. Their friends in this section will be glad to hear that they are properly appreciated in their present field of operations: "Whilst the newspaper press is enumerating the gallant deeds of our army and giving just praise to the different Divisions, Brigades and Regiments comprising it, there are many equally meritorious who are omitted and who are equally entitled to the gratitude of their fellow citizens. Among this class I would name the 54th Pa. Vols., Col. J. M. Campbell. This Regiment has been stationed along the line of the Balt. and Ohio Railroad since last April. A better disciplined set of men or a more vigilant set of officers are not to be found in the service. Col. Campbell by his gentlemanly and unassuming deportment, his vigilance and fine administrative abilities, has endeared himself to the citizens of Berkley, Morgan and Hampshire counties and his military qualifications are of the highest order. He is emphatically the right man in the right place, a fact of which the government appears to be well aware, as they have turned a deaf ear to all his numerous applications to be removed to other fields of service. Col. Campbell's position may be better understood when I say that his Regiment is spread along the railroad for a distance of 66 miles and that since the surrender of Harper's Ferry he is cut off from all communication with the main army. During the severe fighting in Maryland, his was the only Regiment in Virginia on the upper Potomac, east of Cumberland, the whole length of his line being open to the enemy and harassed by guerillas. Instead of evacuating his positions along the road, as he had discretionary orders to do, when the rebels were crossing to attack Harper's Ferry, Col. Campbell, with but 66 men (all he had at the post), boldly attacked the rear guard of the invincible rebel Jackson's army at North Mountain, killing and wounding a great many, taking 19 prisoners, 30 stand of arms and one artillery caisson and putting the whole rebel rear guard to flight. Since then, the 54th has had several skirmishes with the enemy, in all of which they have had the best of them, taking prisoners in every skirmish and in the face of all difficulties, maintaining their position, keeping their pickets in full sight of the pickets of the rebel army now encamped at North Mountain. Thus Col. Campbell's firmness alone has saved the railroad from destruction and afforded protection to our citizens who would otherwise have been compelled to fly from their homes and leave their families and property to the tender mercies of the rebels. Our citizens owe him a debt of gratitude and the B. & O. RR. I have no doubt will fully appreciate his firmness and fidelity to his trust. Had a man of Col. Campbell's tenacity commanded at Harper's Ferry, it would not have fallen so easily." Since the above was in type we have received per telegraph the following bad news concerning a portion of this regiment: "M'Clellan's Headquarters, Oct 5: A company of the 54th Penna. Regiment who were guarding the B. & O. R. R. Bridge at Paw Paw about half way between Hancock and Cumberland, were yesterday attacked by a rebel force and taken prisoners. At the same time, a cavalry force under Col. M'Reynolds captured the encampment of the rebels, bringing away two pieces of artillery, ten wagons and sixty horses and mules. A strong cavalry force under Gen. Averill has been sent after them." The 125th Penna. Vols. We have received from a friend in camp, a detailed account of the part sustained by this regiment in the great battle of Antietam. We are sorry we have not room for it this week, it being even at present a little old, and will publish it in our next. The 125th is composed of four companies from Huntingdon and six from Blair, one half of one of these latter hailing from the northwestern section of this county. We append the list of casualties in the company spoken of - Co. K, Capt. Gardener: Wounded: Corporal John Comerford Wm. Beals John S. Beals Frederick Hoffman G. Jones Charles Dillon Robert Smith M. A. M'Dermott P. F. Caracy L. C. M'Dermott [first name unclear] Bendon M. H. Boartman Hiram Maguire Samuel M'Creary Missing: Wm. Myers Apples for the Hospitals That benevolent institution, the Sanitary Commission, has issued the following circular by which it will be seen that dried apples will be taken for the use of our wounded soldiers. The appeal should be liberally responded to: Central Office Sanitary Commission Washington, Oct. 2, 1862 The inquiry being frequently made whether the Commission wishes to receive apples for the use of the wounded, it should immediately be published as widely as possible, that dried applies cannot be sent to its depots in too large quantities. Town and village Relief Societies are requested to make arrangements for paring, cutting and drying by their members and such volunteer assistance as they can enlist and to notify farmers that they will receive such good fruit as they may be disposed to offer and are unable themselves to properly prepare. Dried apples may be sent in barrels or boxes or in strong bags marked, "To be kept dry." Dried Fruit of other kinds, and all good canned fruits, will be very acceptable. [Signed] Fred. Law Olmsted, Gen. Sec'y. War Correspondence As there are many persons who wish to communicate with the different bureaus of the War Department, a memorandum of the proper persons to address may be useful to our readers: All letters relating to pay of soldiers on furlough or in hospitals should be addressed to Gen. B. F. Larned, Paymaster General. Applications for back pay and the $100 bounty of deceased soldiers should be addressed to Hon. E. B. French, Second Auditor. Application for pay of teamsters, employees of Quartermaster's Department or for horses killed in service, should be addressed to Hon. R. I. Atkinson, Third Auditor. Applications relating to back pay and bounty in the marine or naval service should be addressed to Hon. Robert Berrian, Fourth Auditor. Coming the Spread Eagle When the bill for the protection of the bald eagle commonly called the American eagle came up in the House of Representatives on its reading on Monday, Mr. Severence, the author of the bill, arose in its defense and addressed the house as follows: "Mr. Speaker, I have only to say that any man who will in any way injure or take away the life of our national bird, is mean enough to carry rotten sardines in the same pocket with musty fine cut tobacco and pass the same around on the ace of spades at the communion table or would empty the canteen of a rebel prisoner and sit upon it and whistle a Confederate air through the keyhole of Washington's tomb." The bill of course passed unanimously.