NEWS: Items from The Alleghanian, December 25, 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, December 25, 1862 Volume 4, Number 13 Note: Page one is totally faded; the rest of the paper is barely readable. Local and Personal Ellis R. Williams a member of Co. F, 133d Pa. Vols., is now at home on a brief visit. He looks well. A son of Mr. Amos Lenderstein of this place was seriously injured on Friday last by being run over by a train of freight cars. Hopes are entertained of his recovery. A little daughter of Mr. George Page of Conemaugh township lost her way in the woods thereabout one day last week, and was forced to remain out all night. She suffered dreadfully from the cold and her recovery is considered doubtful. On Sunday morning the house of Mr. John C. Cooney of Conemaugh caught fire, but the flames were extinguished before much damage had been done. The Battle of Fredericksburg Cambria Sons in the Fight Our Killed and Wounded [only readable extracts are transcribed from this lengthy article] Sorrow and gloom again encompass our homes - desolation and anguish enshroud the hearts of the people. Dark and somber clouds overcast the way as a pall and the "silver lining" is scarcely discernable. The high, the noble, the excellent of earth have been laid low - and pride and hope are departed. [Snip - remainder of paragraph faded] Today there is mourning in twenty thousand homes in the North - binding [word faded] and heart breakings over the wreck and destruction of high and vigorous manhood. Precious blood has been spilt as water and for every drop there is a sigh. Oh! [Snip - remainder of paragraph and rest of column one are unreadable] [The beginning of this list of casualties is faded] Sergt. John N. Evans, slight fracture of right shoulder. Corp. Nathan Sanders, thigh, slightly. Corp. Elbridge Stiles, thigh, very slight Joseph Miller, breast Demetrius Weakland, head, slight. The missing are Richard M. Jones, supposed to be killed as he was seen to fall; Sergeant Nathan Bracken, also seen to fall when within two rods of the Rebel breastworks; Robert H. Singer, Milton Jones, Martin Shoffner, Richard J. Bennet, Eldridge G. Evans. The names of those who were in action and came out safely are as follows: Lt. F. M. Flanagan Sergt. John O. Evans Corp. Jas. M. Thompson Corp. Joseph Steams Corp. Saml. W. Davis Hosea J. Evans Edwin E. Robert S. A. Severance Edw. J. Humphrey Henry Carland Ellis B. Williams Patrick Burns Evan J. Michael Edward Patterson Edward Jones Jr. Peter Aerhart John Kimball David D. Lewis Andrew E. Evans Lewis Snyder Valen. W. Krise William D. Gibson Levi Severance List submitted by Ellis R. Williams Recapitulation: Killed 8; Wounded, 15; Missing, 7. Total casualties: 30 out of 54 men who appear to have been engaged in the fight. Those members of the company whose names do not appear in the foregoing lists were absent through sickness or other service &c. Robert H. Singer and Milton Jones, two of the missing as above, have been heard from. They escaped injury in the field but both are now sick in hospital at Washington. Such are the sickening details of the affair. The narrative of disaster may become worse as more news comes in - it can scarcely grow better. Who that has a heart that throbs with human passion and emotions but will shudder at the reckless effusion of precious blood! Who fail to invoke deepest, bitterest [word unclear] upon the heads of the hell-accursed fiends whose machinations have wrought the ruin upon us and upon the Country! May a just God, who "tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," prove our guide and counselor, our prop and surety in this hour of affliction! We cannot possibly make room this week for extended notices of all the heroes who yielded up their lives on that ill-fated day in defense of a scared principle, but will take upon ourself the performance of that sad task at an early day. At present we must content ourself with the following brief and mayhap imperfect biographies of a few of the number. Maj. George W. Todd was born in Ebensburg and was about 38 years of age when he fell. He resided here until he had attained the full vigor of adulthood when he removed to Philadelphia. There he engaged in mercantile pursuits. On the breaking out of the war he was chosen First Lieutenant of a Philadelphia company and served with credit during the three months campaign. Returning, he was last summer selected Major of the 91st Pa. Vols., in which capacity, nobly doing his duty, he met his death. He also served with distinction through the Mexican War, going out as First Sergeant of the Ebensburg company and returning Third Lieutenant. His death was occasioned by a wound to the right leg, necessitating amputation. Major Todd was a person of rare sweetness of manners and disposition. To know him was to love him and those who knew him best loved him most. He was well and intimately acquainted throughout the entire county and his loss will be deeply felt. May the sacrifice not have been in vain. The remains of the deceased were brought thither on Monday and on Tuesday consigned to their last resting place amid the muffled sobs and lamentations of sorrow stricken relatives and friends. Adjutant James C. Noon was born and passed the major portion of his life in our midst. He had resided in Johnstown however for some years past but his widowed mother and family still live here. At the commencement of hostilities between the North and the South he was elected Second Lieutenant of a company from Johnstown and shortly after was promoted to the Adjutantship of the regiment - the 3d Penna., Col. Minier. He participated throughout the three months campaign under Gen. Patterson and returned safely home at the expiration of the term of enlistment. Upon the formation of another Johnstown company the past summer he was chosen to be First Lieutenant, - Capt. Boland (sic) being Captain [words faded], subsequently was elected Adjutant [remainder of sentence faded] In this capacity he served up to the period of his death, winning the approbation of his superior officers and the love and respect of his men. He was brave, courteous, high [word faded] generous to a fault - such a man as one loves to call friend. His loss will be indeed irreplaceable. Some years ago he was connected with THE EBENSBURG MOUNTAINEER as editor, in which relation he developed rare talent and political acumen. He was shot through the head at the beginning of the fight and killed instantly. At the time of his death Adjt. Noon was 31 years of age. [snip - faded poem] Capt. John M. Jones, at the period of his untimely death was 25 years of age. He was born and raised in Cambria township but for many years past has resided in our midst. Upon the call of the President for additional troops in July last, he was among the first to respond and relinquishing his profession - that of medicine - he devoted himself assiduously to the task of recruiting a company. Success crowned his efforts and at the election for officers he was chosen Captain by a unanimous voice. The company, - known as the "Mountain Guards" - departed from our midst on Wednesday, 12th August, four months gone, since which time it has been identified with and has followed the fortunes of the Grand Army of the Potomac. Capt. Jones possessed the confidence and esteem of his men to a remarkable degree - in fact, by reason of his mild yet steady rule, they almost idolized him. To them, his loss will be a heartfelt bereavement. To his brother officers, it will be a matter of sincere and unalloyed regret. To his widowed mother who has already had one other son uniformed and crippled by bullets of the foe and to his loving brothers and sisters, the blow will be truly crushing. To the community of which he was a member and by whom he was respected for his uprightness of character and his [word unclear] of action and esteemed for his intelligence and manly bearings, the sudden smoldering of his flame of life will be deplored as a calamity indeed - loved while living, he will be revered when dead. [snip - several more paragraphs too faded to transcribe] Since the above was written we have obtained the following particulars concerning the casualties in Co. A., Capt. Burke, 11th Penna. Reserves which company is from Ebensburg and has been in service for eighteen months; Killed: John Roberts John L. Camp John Foster Wounded: Nason M'Allister John M'Bride John L. Stevens Jacob Mardes William Powell Richard R. Davis and taken prisoner William Davis and taken prisoner Sergt. William W. Evans and taken prisoner From Company A, 133d (from Johnstown) Wounded: Morris Lewis and Daniel Burket are reported wounded and missing - probably killed. Lieut. Hay, one side paralyzed by shell, not dangerous. He is now in a Washington hospital. John Williams, wounded in arm, slight Anthony Carroll, arm, slight David Goughenour, hand, slight George C. Fisher J. Williams From Company B, 133d (from Johnstown) Wounded: David and Daniel Howard James Sheehan John Lumison A. J. Lago R. Williams Richard Maher Noah Kansman George R. Morris Josiah W. Schrayer Hugh Meloy Thomas Mackill Nimrod M'Eleney Missing: Henry Cooper William Krepps From Company K, 136th, Capt. Hite, also from Johnstown Killed: Sergt. Jas. Moore Robert H. Pike Wounded: Jacob O [faded letters]tinger J. M. Barclay Corp. George A. Markie Joseph Hamilton Jno. Jones On the Rappahannock [extracts from a faded article] We - the editor of THE ALLEGHANIAN - have just returned from the field of operations along the Rappahannock whither we had gone on a visit to our soldiers. We arrived there subsequent to the great contest at Fredericksburg in which so many valuable lives were lost and just after the evacuation of that city had been achieved. We have only time to say a few words as to what we saw and heard. Company F, 133d Penna. Volunteers, in which unsurpassable body of men our citizens experience great interest seeing that it is composed of the flower of the youth of our town, was terribly cut up. Over one half of the number that were engaged in the fight - a wonderful fatality - were placed hors e combat. They went into the thickest of the fight, where the balls fell the fastest and the danger was most imminent - and no one flinched. On the contrary they bore themselves as only heroes can, eliciting [word unclear] of praise from all quarters. Those who were spared to their county were as cheerful when we left as the circumstances of the deaths of their beloved Captain and First Lieutenant and numbers of their comrades would admit. Truly Co. F has experienced the horrors of war. The whole number of killed and wounded in the regiment is about 187. Of this number some 20 are killed. Col. Spiekman, the commander of the regiment, who was under fire during the entire fight, and whose manly form afforded a conspicuous target for the bullets and the foeman, escaped unhurt. His bravery and capacity for command is the theme of all praise, both from his superior officers and from his men. He has just reason to be proud of his regiment and the regiment could not possibly get along without him. Captain Boeb (sic), acting Major of the regiment in the absence of Major Schrock on sick leave, and Capt. Baer of Somerset are highly spoken of. They both did yeoman service. Second Lieut. Flanagan, the only commissioned officer of Co. F who escaped alive, performed prodigies of valor. He led the company after the fall of his two superior officers - led them nobly well. He has endeared himself to his command with an undying love. The 133d belongs to Humphreys's division of Butterfield's corps, Hooker's Grand Division and was engaged in the assault on the right of the enemy's works. [snip-faded newspaper]