NEWS: The Alleghanian; 26 Nov 1863; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ The Alleghanian Ebensburg, Pa. Thursday, 26 Nov 1863 Volume 5, Number 9 Heard From Sergt. Abram Smith of Co. C, 19th U. S. Infantry, missing since the battle of Chicamanga (sic) and supposed to have been killed has been heard from. He was taken prisoner by the Rebels during the fight and is now in Libby Prison. Local Correspondence Johnstown, Nov. 28, 1863 A fearful accident occurred at Conemaugh station, two miles above this place on Wednesday of last week which resulted in the death of four men and probably fatal injury of two others. The facts as near as I can ascertain them, are as follows: An engine which had been used for the purpose of assisting heavy trains over the mountain, was being brought out of the engine house to be attached to a train of stock cars, which were destined for the east. In the rear of these trains there is generally a car for the accommodation of drovers who accompany their stock and it was while the engine was approaching this train that from some cause its boiler exploded, throwing the engine a distance of thirty feet in the air, in its descent striking partly upon this drovers' car and partly upon a truck loaded with oil. Of three persons in the car, two were instantly killed and the third mangled in such a horrible manner that he expired a few hours after the occurrence. The engineer, fireman and flagman were on the engine at the time of the explosion, the first of whom was scalded and otherwise so badly injured as to cause his death the next day. The fireman was thrown several rods, also badly scalded and it is feared internally injured. The flagman was seriously hurt and his precarious condition precludes much hope of his recovery. The names of the killed and injured are as follows: John Hodges, Ky., and A. J. Cole, Toledo, O., drovers; Nathan Rosenfuchs, N. Y. pedler; and James Finley, Altoona, engineer, killed. Charles Donaho of Hollidaysburg, fireman, and James Mills of Centreville, flagman, are the names of the injured. Mr. Thos. Doran is about commencing a new map of this city. The changes and improvements which have occurred since this gentleman got up his first map make it desirable to have a new one and he will doubtless meet with liberal encouragement in his undertaking. Rev. A. J. Hartsock has accepted the chaplaincy of the 110th P. V., and will report for duty in a few weeks. A protracted meeting is at present going on in his congregation here, at the close of which I understand the Rev. gentleman leaves. The officers and men of the 110th can congratulate themselves upon having secured the services of Rev. H., as he stands sans puer et sans reproche in this neighborhood. An oil house belonging to the Rolling Mill and kept for the purpose of storing the oil used in greasing coal cars was burned with its contents last week. Several barrels of oil and tar fed the flames. The Ebensburg correspondent of the DEMOCRAT finds fault with our ladies visiting the railroad depot. Now, we boast of as moral and virtuous a set of girls as can be found anywhere and if they see fit to promenade to the station, or "any other place," whose business is it but their own? I would remind the fault- finding scribe of an old saw which runs, "Evil to him that evil thinks." All of which is respectfully submitted. [Signed] May Leon Sheriff's Sales We subjoin an abstract of the real estate advertised to be sold by the Sheriff of Cambria county on Monday, 7th December next, at one o'clock P. M.: Mary Ann M'Kenzie, Chest Springs, two lots of ground with large three story plank house and frame stable. William W. James, Johnstown, lot of ground with two story plank house. Christopher Noel, terre tenant of Benjamin Figart, White township, 286 acres and 74 perches and allowance with hereditaments and appurtenances. B. F. Slick, Summerhill, Croyle township, lot of ground with seven houses, tan house and stable. Richard Griffith, Ebensburg, half lot of ground with two story frame house. Uriah Emigh, Summerhill township, 398 acre, about 3 acres cleared with small cabin house and stable. John Walters, Sylvania, Taylor township, lot of ground with two story plank house. Stephen Plummer, Summerhill and Croyle townships, 80 acres, 25 acres cleared with two story log house and frame barn. Michael Boland, Taylor township, 4 acres, one acre cleared with one- and-a-half- story log house. Wm. B. Darlington, Jesse J. Bailey and J. Lancy, Darlington, White township, 1000 acres with boarding house, barn, grist mill, sawmill, storehouse, four frame tenement houses and outbuildings. Charles M'Bride, Taylor township, lot of ground with one-and-a-half story plank house. John Harshberger, deceased, Yoder township, 100 acres, 12 acres cleared with round log house and log stable. George J. Rodgers, Cambria township, 5 acres and 152 perches with hereditaments and appurtenances. William Duke, Millville, lot of ground with hereditaments and appurtenances. Richard Ellis, Millville, lot of ground with hereditaments and appurtenances. James Burk, Summerhill township, 425 acres, 200 acres cleared with two story plank house, several other houses, frame barn and several plank stables. William Duke and George Cann, Taylor township, lot of ground with hereditaments and appurtenances. Allegheny Railroad and Coal Company, Allegheny township, 10 acres; also the coal right in, upon or under 245 acres and 106 perches of land, same township with appurtenances. Matthew M. O'Niell, Ebensburg, lot of ground with two story frame house with basement story and outbuildings. War News William T. Smithson, convicted by the general court martial of holding correspondence with the enemy in violation of the fifty-seventh article of war and of giving intelligence to the enemy in violation of the same article has been sentenced to be confined to the penitentiary for the term of five years. Late telegrams from the East and West indicate active movements in the armies. General Meade has crossed the Rapidan and taken possession of the enemies' earthworks. General Thomas' army moved on Saturday. The Rebels have been repulsed at Knoxville and had withdrawn from the south side of the town. Gen. Burnside in a private dispatch dated Knoxville, Nov. 19 says: "We are all right yet the line is still interrupted between Knoxville and Cumberland Gap. Nothing was heard from the latter place last night, nor up to 11 o'clock today." Parson Brownlow telegraphs from Barbour Hill, Nov. 19, that "there is fighting all about Knoxville." Governor Curtin has conferred the appointment of Quartermaster General of Pennsylvania, made vacant by the death of the late incumbent, Gen. Reuben C. Hale, upon James Reynolds, Esq., of Lancaster county. Mr. Reynolds occupied a prominent position in the Democratic party under the treacheries of Mr. Buchanan when he discarded that organization and has since been actively cooperating with the friends of the Government. The brave and never to be forgotten Gen. John F. Reynolds was a brother of the new Quartermaster General. What renders this prompt action of the Governor more honorable, after his triumphant election, is the marked manner in which he recognizes the loyal Democratic element which contributed so effectively to his success on the 13th of last month. Letter from Kansas Ft. Leavenworth, Nov. 12, 1863 Some time ago it was my intention as an item of interest to have furnished you and the readers of THE ALLEGHANIAN with a resume of military operations in this Department and along what is now called "the Border." But subsequent events so shocking and fiendish in character and perpetuated by men so lost to all sense of honor and mercy as to be utterly unworthy the proud name of "Americans," made it prudent in me to let the deeds earn for themselves in the estimation of the loyal men of the Eastern States that everlasting infamy and disgrace they so deservedly merit. It would be a useless task on my part to attempt a description of the raid upon and the wholesale destruction of the beautiful city of Lawrence, and the indiscriminate massacre of over one hundred of her most prominent citizens by the Missouri Guerrillas under the leadership of the now notorious Quantrel. A wail of anguish and sorrow rose from the burning ruins on that fatal morning which touched the hearts of the people of Kansas and made them the more firmly resolved that no peace shall be made with the Rebels until they lay down their arms and acknowledge the supremacy of the laws and power of the United States Government. Missouri and Kansas are now comparatively free from the Bushwhackers. Three months have witnessed a magic change in this region. Then Quantrel had destroyed Lawrence; the militia were called out to protect the State from a large and preconcerted plan to destroy Lawrence, Topeka, and Leavenworth and to obtain possession of the arms and munitions of war stores at Fort Leavenworth. Sentinels were doubled here and in the streets of Leavenworth and every possible exertion made to retain possession of the city and Fort and defeat the plans of the guerillas – for, having once obtained possession of this place, they could have destroyed the depot for the supplies of Gen. Blunt's army and made the transfer of Quarter Master stores to the military posts of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, quite a risky experiment. Now, since the raid of Shelby and Cooper they have all disappeared, having, no doubt accompanied those "chivalrous gentlemen of the South" into the mountains of Arkansas to recruit their forces preparatory to entering upon their next summer's campaign. All hope, however, that by summer the forces of Gens. Blunt and Steel will have been pushed so far southward as to confine the operations of these "Chivalry" to such a small space as to be even unworthy a passing notice. Kansas, and in fact, the whole Western Frontier, is again filled with rumors of the richness of the newly discovered Gold mines at Bannock City, Idahoe (sic) Territory. The region in which the mines are situated is described as being one of the most healthy and romantic spots in America, abounding in all kinds of game, such as Buffalo, Elk, Antelope and Indians and well watered by the limpid steams of Beaver Creek, Salmon River and one bearing the euphonious and classical sobriquet of "Stinking Water." On the Plains and in Leavenworth, everywhere and on every side, can be seen specimens of the "Yellow Dust," pronounced by old and well known miners to be the richest they have ever seen. Many are returning to the States for the purpose of purchasing the necessary material with which to carry on mining on an extensive scale. Everybody in Kansas is pleased with the cheering intelligence from the "Army of the Potomac," and all hope that the day is not far distant when America, freed from the cankering sore of slavery, will be more powerful, opulent and happy than if the scourge of war had never desolated her fields or made sorrowful her hearthstones. They are all willing to let bygones be bygones and to unite in an earnest effort to lure our lost Pleiad from her wanderings that she may again sparkle more brilliantly than ever in our Nation's coronet of Stars. [Signed] "Taos" Jottings from Washington [extracts] (The subjoined letter, it will be seen by the date, was intended for last week's paper. Through some disarrangement of the mails, however, it failed to come to hand in time for publication). Washington City Nov. 14, 1863 Dear Sir: [Snip] As I informed you would be the case, the Army of the Potomac has advanced and compelled the enemy to retreat after suffering a loss of nearly 2,000 prisoners. They also lost a number in killed and wounded. General Meade's loss in killed and wounded was about 400; no prisoners. Meade has probably all of 70,000 fighting men and it will not be his fault, nor that of his men, if he does not win a great victory this month. The weather is still all that could be desired. With a substantial victory by the Army of the Potomac and another by the 100,000 men under Grant and Thomas, the Rebellion would be so effectually staggered that starvation and a rapidly increasing Union sentiment in the South would soon end it. Every loyal man in Washington expects these victories and therefore do I refer to them. [Snip] "Our starving soldiers at Richmond" is the burden of all loyal conversation in this city today. Our friends in Libby Prison and on Belle Isle are being literally starved to death by the Rebel authorities – deliberately and demonically. The proof is only too abundant. Our Government of course will do all it can to put a stop to such unexampled barbarity. It would send bread by the shipload but would our brave boys get it? If the rebels refuse to allow us to feed the prisoners, they can't or won't, no alternative is left to our Government but retaliation in kind and it will be resorted to. Evidently the Rebels despair of success or they, would not, could not act so inhumanly. [Snip] Yours, truly, [Signed] James M. Swank Second Letter Washington City Nov. 20, 1863 Dear Sir: The muster rolls of companies and detachments of soldiers as all know are intended to embrace a condensed history of the service they perform and to present an accurate report of casualties, resignations, &c. These muster rolls sometimes contain very funny entries. Here is one which I penciled the other day from the roll for May and June 1862, Co. F., 17th Regiment, Ill. Vols.: "June 15th and 16th, Brig.-Gen. Logan commanding; made a ne plus ultra 'forced march' and camped one mile north of Jackson, Tenn., where your humble servant, Co. F, now hugely enjoys the balmy Southern clime, made thrice congenial by the noble bearing of sneering women and insolent men strutting around with as much sangfroid as a little 'lad' in its first pants." Dr. Wm. A. Hammond, Surgeon-General of the U. S. Army, it may not be generally known to the readers of THE ALLEGHANIAN, when a boy ran barefooted in the streets of Somerset, Somerset county. The Dr.'s father, John W. Hammond, who was also a physician, was practicing his profession in Somerset in 1833 when the town was half consumed by fire. His son, the present Surgeon-General was then a lad of six or seven years. In 1836 or 1837 the father received the appointment of chief clerk in the Auditor General's Office at Harrisburg – Nathaniel P. Hobart being the Auditor–General and Joseph Ritnor the Governor. He remained in Harrisburg many years and is now a resident of Philadelphia. Dr. Wm. A. Smith, of Ebensburg, who gave me this information in a conversation with him a short time ago was himself in 1833 a practicing physician in Somerset and was intimate with the old Dr. He now holds a commission from the son. [Snip] L. S. Montgomery, formerly of Wilmore, afterwards of Johnstown and for the last two years a resident of this city, has recently been appointed a member of the Metropolitan Police of Washington. Sterrett wears a blue uniform with brass buttons furnished by the city and in addition draws the comfortable item of sixty dollars a month from the city Treasury. Dr. Joseph M. Toner who once practiced medicine at the Summit in your county and who has been a citizen of Washington during the last eight years is coming out as an author. He has in the press of John Murphey & Co., Baltimore, a volume of 150 pages on the subject of "Maternal Instinct." It is to appear in a few weeks as a holiday book. Prices of living in Washington are still tending upward. An eight-by-ten room, plainly furnished, brings from $12 to $20 a month, not including fuel. Wood is $10 a cord; coal $12 a ton. Think of paying $12 for as much coal as two horses can haul! Butter is 40 cents; beefsteak 20 and 25 cents. San Francisco in 1849 and St. Paul in 1856 did not much exceed us in prices. Yours, truly, [Signed] James M. Swank Consecration of the Gettysburg Cemetery According to appointment, the great National Soldiers' Cemetery at Gettysburg was consecrated on Thursday, 19th inst. The weather remained pleasant throughout the day and it is estimated that upwards of forty thousand persons were present to witness the ceremonies. The cemetery is laid out on the northwestern slope of Cemetery Hill and forms semi-circular allotments at the end of which are lots set apart for the unknown brave who were so disfigured by wound or decay as to be unrecognizable by friends. The allotment allowed each State is in proportion to her number of dead. New York having the largest and Pennsylvania the next. The President, Secretary of State and other members of the Cabinet, the Governors of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, New jersey, Indiana and Virginia, a number of foreign ambassadors and distinguished gentlemen from every section of the country were in attendance. On the evening preceding the consecration, the President was serenaded by an excellent band. After repeated calls he came forward and said: I appear before you, fellow citizens, merely to thank you for this compliment. The inference is a very fair one that you would hear me for a little while at least were I to commence to make a speech. I do not appear before you for the purpose of doing so, and for several substantial reasons. The most substantial of these is that I have no speech to make. In my position it is somewhat important that I should not say any foolish things. (A voice: if you can help it.) It very often happens that the only way to help is to say nothing at all. Believing that is my present condition this evening, I must beg of you to excuse me from addressing your further. The band also serenaded Secretary Seward, Governor Seymour, John W. Forney and others, each of whom responded in short speeches. The ceremonies attending the consecration commenced Thursday morning by a grand military and civic display under direction of Major Gen. Couch. The line of march was taken up at 10 o'clock, the procession moving through the principal streets to the Cemetery, where the military formed in line and saluted the President. At 11¾ the head of the procession arrived at the main stand. The President and members of the Cabinet, together with the chief military and civic dignitaries took positions on the stand, the President seating himself between Mr. Seward and Mr. Everett after a reception marked with the respect and perfect silence due to the solemnity of the occasion. After the performance of a funeral dirge by Birgfield by the band and an eloquent prayer by Rev. Stockton, Edward Everett, the orator of the day, was introduced. He spoke for two hours, holding the vast audience spell-bound by his restless magic of his entrancing eloquence. We are sorry we have not room to give even a synopsis of his speech. At the conclusion, President Lincoln delivered the following dedicatory remarks: Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new Nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that Nation or any Nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We are met to dedicate a portion of it as the final resting place of those who here gave their lives that that Nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work that they have thus far so nobly carried on. [Applause] It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain (applause); that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom; and that governments of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth. After the delivery of this address, a dirge and benediction closed the exercises and the immense assemblage dispersed at 2 o'clock. The ceremonies were the most solemn and impressive ever witnessed on this continent. God grant that the dead who fell at Gettysburg may not have fallen in vain!