NEWS: The Alleghanian; 24 Nov 1864; 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, 24 Nov 1864 Volume 6, Number 9 From Johnstown Johnstown, Nov. 20, 1864 One of those sudden sad accidents which cause a shudder when we hear of or read about occurred in a family named Cooney, residing a short distance east of Gallitzin, this county, on last Monday. At the time of its occurrence both Mr. and Mrs. C. were absent from home, leaving behind them as sole occupant of the house their child, aged about three years. The child, finding itself alone, commenced tampering with the fire; and the result was that the flames speedily communicated themselves to its clothing and when the mother returned a short time after, it was to find nothing remaining of her little one but a blackened and shapeless crisp. Let this be a warning to parents to never permit children to remain alone in the vicinity of fire. A man named William Frew was caught between the bumping–beam of an engine and a car, near Lilly's station, this county, one day last week and squeezed to death. His remains were taken to Hollidaysburg for interment. An engineer on the railroad named Frank Colie had one of his legs taken off a few days ago by falling under his engine a short distance west of this place. Not long since, I chronicled the sudden death of a brother of Colie in a railroad smash-up at Conemaugh. Our "hundred day men" returned home last week before last, under charge of Lieut. Heyer, their term of service having expired. Capt. W. R. Jones (commander of the company) enlisted a company of one hundred and fifty men out of the regiment, to serve for one year and is now doing provost duty in Baltimore. The Capt. was home on brief furlough last week and showed me an elegant sword which had been presented him by the members of his company. He is worthy to wear it, for there are few better officers or men above ground than this same Capt. Jones. Lieut. Dan Jones of the Signal Corps and Lieut. A. K. Babcock of the 54th P. V., returned home here last week. Both these officers served their country credibly for three years and are now honorably discharged the service. Col. Linton of the 54th P. V. left to rejoin his regiment last week. He has almost wholly recovered from the effects of his late wound. Mr. William Fritz, superintendent of the new Government rolling mill at Chattanooga, Tenn., was in town last week. He expects to be able to commence the manufacture of railroad iron there about the 1st of January next. Persons in need of employment can get good situations with transportation free, by applying by letter to him at Chattanooga. From Our Soldiers Letter from Co. C, 209th P. V. Bermuda Hundred, Nov. 14, '64 The bright days of sunshine are past, at least for the present. The North wind is upon us, cold and dreary, and as the sentinel paces his beat or the vidette watches at his weary post, he longs for fire to warm this benumbed fingers or his almost frozen feet. If you would have news, the only news of importance that I can give is that everything is quiet here. There is the usual routine of business so that before the dawn begins to break, the drums beat reveille, the camp is awaked, and the fortifications lined with troops to prevent even the possibility of a surprise. A little smart walk, an occasional "rough and tumble," or a few embers serve to keep one comfortable until daylight sends him to his quarters. It is a pleasure to still be able to state that the health of Co. C is good. We have not one seriously ill and only four all told off duty on account of sickness. In a neighboring regiment, which came out about the same time as we, the deaths amount to twenty, there being as many as three in one company. We are so unfortunate as to be cut up into a good many detachments. A corporal and ten men have been on duty in redoubt Carpenter ever since we first reached this neck of earth. The names of these ten are Corp. Wm. F. Baum; privates Gordon Sinclair, William Humphreys, Henry Houp, Richard Griffith, Wallace Stiles, William Montague, John Gittings, Alexander Leslie and Archibald Smith. There is also a detail for fatigue duty to build hospitals at Point of Rocks. They have been absent during the present month and will probably be through the winter. Their names are: Sergt. Alex Johns; privates Robert R. Jones, David J. James, Ed. W. Humphreys, Peter Wagner, Uriah Wagner, H. W. Delozier, Adam Shinafelt, William M. James, Evan S. Jones and John Darby. There are also other details but they are small ones. In the company there are but forty men present for duty. On Tuesday came the election and Wednesday evening, it was announced that Abraham Lincoln was reelected to the Presidency of the United States. Upon that announcement, not one, nor three, nor nine cheers went up, but cheer upon cheer until they united in one continuous roar, mingled with the sound of drums and the notes of trumpets. If the hosts of Israel as they came out of the depths of the Red Sea had raised their voices in one universal acclamation for their deliverance, it would have been a fit counterpart to the union of voices that rose upon the air and swept over to the rebel lines when it was announced that copperheadism was forever laid low by the re-election of Abraham Lincoln. Your statement of the vote cast for President by our company is erroneous. There was an aggregate of sixty-six votes polled, every one of which was for Father Abraham. Of this number, forty-nine were cast by Cambria county electors. Truly, [Signed] Gamma Almost a Disastrous Conflagration On Monday morning last the hotel building of Mr. Isaac Crawford in the West Ward was discovered to be on fire, between the ceiling and second floor. Happily the flames had not then made much headway so what must speedily have become a destructive conflagration was readily overcome. The fire was communicated by a defective stovepipe. Important to Drafted Men Capt. Lloyd, Provost Marshal of this district, sends us the following announcement, with a request to give it publicity through our columns: "Notice is hereby given that from this day forward the 13th section of the Enrollment Act will be rigidly enforced Any person drafted and wishing to put in a substitute must do so 'on or before the day fixed for his appearance.' The privilege of putting in a substitute expires with that day and if on hearing his claim for exemption he is held to be liable, he cannot escape personal service." A. M. Lloyd Capt. & Pro. Mar, 17th Dist., Pa. Hollidaysburg, Nov. 18, 1864 Phonography At the urgent solicitation of many of our citizens, Prof. Mahan, superintendent of the Ebensburg Union schools, has consented to receive a class in Phonography. He is a thorough master of the science himself and professes his ability to impart a tolerably full knowledge thereof to pupils in so few as twelve lessons. The first meeting of the class will be held at the Union School House on next Friday eve, 25th inst., commencing at 6 o'clock when and where all desiring to enter it are invited to be present. War News It is now generally known that Sherman, leaving behind him Thomas with a force sufficient to attend to Hood, has gone off on an expedition – where to? It maybe be to Mobile, it may be to Savannah; it maybe be to Charleston! We will soon know. Resignation of M'Clellan and Promotion of Sheridan The mooted question as to whether Maj. Gen. George Brinton M'Clellan has or has not resigned his commission in the United States army is at length definitely determined. We are happy to say it is determined in the affirmative; and so we have an end of the greatest military humbug of this or any other age. The order of the President accepting the resignation is as follows: War Department Adjutant General's Office Washington, Nov. 14, 1864 General Orders No. 282: I That the resignation of George B. M'Clellan as Major General in the United States Army, dated November 8, and received by the Adjutant General on the 10th inst, be accepted as of the 8th of November. II That for the personal gallantry, military skill and just confidence in the courage and patriotism of his troops displayed by Philip H. Sheridan on the 19th day of October at Cedar Run, whereby, under the blessing of Providence, his routed army was reorganized, a great national disaster averted and a brilliant victory achieved over the rebels for the third time in pitched battle within thirty days, Philip H. Sheridan is appointed Major General in the United States Army to rank as such from the 8th day of November, 1864. By order of the President of the United States [Signed] E. D. Townsend Assistant Adjutant General Harrisburg Railroad Accident A horrible railroad accident occurred at Harrisburg on Friday night last, resulting in the death of U. J. Jones, Esq., of that city. The Baltimore accommodation train is run into the city ahead of the locomotive, which is attached to the rear car. On the evening before mentioned, when the train reached the depot, the body of Mr. Jones was found beneath the "cow-catcher" rolled up in an almost shapeless mass, terribly crushed and almost beyond recognition. It is supposed that he was upon the track when the train came in and that the entire train passed over him. The ash–box of the locomotive must have killed him as it was impossible for it to have passed over the body without crushing it. The body could not be removed until the cow-catcher had been taken off the locomotive. Mr. Jones was a newspaper man and well known in the interior of the State. He possessed considerable ability as a writer and was the author of a number of books which attained a large circulation. Prominent among these was his "History of the Juniata Valley." He leaves a family.