NEWS: Items from The Alleghanian, July 17, 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, July 17, 1862 Volume 3, Number 43 Lieut. Kern Lieut. Wm. H. Kern of Co. H, 12th Penna. Reserves was severely wounded in the left leg in the recent fight at Mechanicsville before Richmond. He lives in this county and has arrived home. Robbed in Harrisburg A man named Richard Ashcraft of Susquehanna township, this county, was so unfortunate as to allow himself to be robbed in Harrisburg a couple of weeks since of the neat little sum of $400. Subsequently he made information against a negro woman, charging her with the theft; when she was arrested and confessed the crime, implicating a worthless negro named Jake Jones in the transaction. This latter personage was also arrested in Pittsburg shortly after and both parties are now rusticating in the Harrisburg jail. We did not hear whether any of the stolen money had been recovered. No Paper Owing to diverse and sundry good and sufficient reasons, all of which it were useless to here refer to in detail, no paper was issued from this office last week. Pic Nic at Carrolltown A very pleasant pic nic came off at Carrolltown, this county, on the "Fourth," at which the editor of this paper was so fortunate as to be present. The exercises were had in the most umbrageous of groves, just out of town, where a large and select assemblage were congregated at the appointed hour. The Declaration of Independence was ready by Henry Scanlan, Esq.; the Constitution by the Rev. Giles Christopher; and speeches in the English and German languages delivered by Messrs. Ben Wirtner, Henry Scanlan, Rev. Christopher, Henry Hopple and A. A. Barker. Everybody enjoyed himself to the fullest full extent of his abilities and the occasion went off "merry as a marriage bell." Carrolltown and vicinity is patriotic to the core. At Ebensburg The pic nic at Ebensburg the same day was also a large affair. The attendance was respectable and the exercises piquant and varied. Altogether it was eminently creditable to those through whose exertions it was gotten up. The Great Struggle on the Peninsula: Pennsylvania Reserves Since our last issue, a series of the most terrible conflicts this continent or perhaps many other section of the world, ever saw have been fought. For seven long summer days the flower of two grand and powerful armies contended together in deadly grapple before the avenues leading directly to the Rebel stronghold, Richmond; for seven days the contest waxed fierce and unequal; but the going down of the sun of the last day of blood illuminated the banners of our successful if not victorious soldiery. Right was pitted against Might, and - Thank God! - with the infallible result. The Army of the Potomac was saved and in its temporary reverses not less than in its triumphs, it covered itself with glory. That the carnage was dreadful on both sides cannot be gainsayed. The carnival of blood ran high and thousands went forth to their long account. It is admitted on all hands, however, that the mortality in the ranks of the Rebels far exceeded ours, their loss, having been set down at as high a figure as seventy-five thousand, whereas ours is reported to be about thirty thousand. The main features of this Week of Battles are no doubt familiar to our readers. They all know why we fought, how we fought and against how many. Suffice it to say then, that the result is considered in military circles to be a brilliant and entire success for our arms. Without attempting to detract from the blood-bought laurels of other heroes, we would say a word as to the Pennsylvania Reserves. When their history comes to be written, will it not be said of this splendid corps that their courage and fortitude went far to throw the trembling fortunes of the day in the right direction - that they really saved the Army of the Potomac from destruction? They were in the very front and for five consecutive days fought with a bravery and tenacity never surpassed by any army in the world. The evidence of the war correspondent of the New York TRIBUNE on this point is briefly as follows: "At intervals as some points in the line seemed weak, they went sternly into the wooded valley and shadow of death. Not a regiment behaved unseemly." Even when reduced to half their original numbers, they showed no signs of flinching. The loss of the Reserves was terrible. Gen. M'Call was wounded and taken prisoner; Gen. Reynolds was taken prisoner; Gen. Meade was wounded; and it is estimated that from three to four thousand officers and men are either killed, wounded or missing. Sorrow and gloom have been cast over this community by the apparently well authenticated report of disaster to Company A, 11th Reserves, Col. Gallagher. This company was organized in Ebensburg and vicinity and contains within its ranks the hope and pride of the Mountain City. The first rumor in this connection was to the effect that the company had been cut completely to pieces, commissioned and non-commissioned officers, privates and all with the exception of twelve or fourteen! Later repots however would seem to favor the probability that the company in common with the entire 11th regiment, had been captured en masse by the Rebels during the fight of Friday, 27th June. A war correspondent of the Philadelphia PRESS describing the incidents falling under his observation that day, writes as follows: "The last we saw of the 11th Reserves, Col. Gallagher, they were fighting, complete surrounded by rebel troops. Of this regiment, only one company escaped." The company here referred to is Co. B, from Indiana county, which, owing to their being absent on special duty, was not in the fight. From another source we have the following intelligence: "Nine companies of the 11th Pennsylvania Reserves were surrounded and taken prisoners in the fight near Gaines' Hill." Add to this the fact that in a partial list of prisoners captured by the Rebels, and now held at Richmond, as published in the Richmond papers, appear the names of Col. Gallagher, Lieut. Col. Jackson, Maj. Johns, Adjut. Robert A. M'Coy (of Ebensburg) together with eighteen other commissioned officers - all of the 11th regiment - and the presumption becomes violent that the fortunes of war have thrown a large proportion of our brave boys upon the tender mercies of the enemy. Various conflicting rumors are going the rounds as to the probable fate of the company. As no letters have been received here from the soldiers since the battle, these must necessarily be mere speculation, to which but slight importance should be attached. Although the suspense is terrible, let us exercise patience and hope for the best. President Lincoln having issued a call for three hundred thousand more volunteers, Governor Curtin has issued a proclamation calling on the gallant sons of the old Keystone to come to the rescue. Our regiments in the field are to be recruited to their original strength and in addition, several new regiments are to be formed. The President has decided that the term of enlistment for this last requisition shall be reduced from three years to one year. To arms! President Lincoln sent into Congress on Monday the draft of a bill to compensate any State which may abolish slavery within its limits, the passage of which substantially as presented he earnestly recommends. General War News An extract from a letter from Newport News to the New York POST announces the landing there of General Burnside's army. It is rumored that the rebel General Magruder was moving down the Peninsula. The rebels have entirely forsaken our army. Not one is left in front, nor within several miles of our lines and it is the prevailing opinion in the region of the war that they will soon be heard from in some other quarter. Guerillas are active in Kentucky. A band of them were thrashed at New Hope on Friday by Union troops. It is said they had burned the town of Lebanon and robbed the bank. No casualties on our side. Our troops under Gen. Hatch of Banks' column entered Culpepper on Saturday and drove out about 100 Rebel cavalry killing one and taking five. No Rebels in force were seen. A dispatch from Nashville gives us the stirring news that Murfreesboro was taken by the Confederates, mostly Texan Rangers under Col. Forest on Saturday but were shelled out by our battery. There was desperate fighting. The 9th Michigan regiment are reported captured. Brig. Gens. Duffield and Crittenden of Indiana are prisoners. An escaped prisoner reports that the first, second and fourth Georgia, first Kentucky, the Texan Rangers and seventeen hundred mounted infantry, under command of Foust and Warner, six thousand Rebels in all, are advancing on Nashville. Great excitement prevails. The best resistance possible will be made and if compelled to yield our forces will shell the city. A battery is in position for this latter emergency. Considerable excitement exists in Louisville in consequence of a rebel raid upon that city being threatened by Morgan's guerillas. Latest reports say that the rebels had reached Rough and Ready, nine miles south of Frankfort, at five P. M. on Sunday. The State archives are being removed from the capitol. The Petersburg, Va., EXPRESS of Thursday had the following: "Mobile, July 8, Passengers by the flag of truce steamer, Natchez, from New Orleans report that Baton Rouge has been taken by Van Dorn and that he captured 1,500 prisoners." This is without doubt a Rebel canard. The following is a special dispatch to the New York TRIBUNE, dated Memphis, July 11: "Arkansas refugees report that Gen. Curtis was attacked and completely cut to pieces by five hundred Confederates under Col. M'Neill, thirty miles east of Batesville on the 4th of July." We have, however the following telegram to the contrary, dated Memphis, July 12: "Refugees from Helena say that the enemy, four or five hundred strong attacked Gen. Cutis' advance but where utterly routed." The rebel Gen. Humphrey Marshall has resigned his commission.