NEWS: The Alleghanian; 15 Dec 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, 15 Dec 1864 Volume 6, Number 12 Ebensburg Borough Officers At Large Justices of the Peace -- David H. Roberts, Harrison Kinkead. Burgess -- A. A. Baker School Directors -- Abel Lloyd, Phil S. Noon, Joshua D. Parrish, Hugh Jones, E. J. Mills, David J. Jones East Ward Constable -- Thomas J. Davis Town Council -- J. Alexander Moore, Daniel O. Evans, Richard R. Tibbott, Evan E. Evans, William Clement Inspectors -- Alexander Jones, D. O. Evans Judge of Election -- Richard Jones Jr. Assessor -- Thomas M. Jones Assistant assessors -- David E. Evans, Wm. D. Davis. West Ward Constable -- William Mills Jr. Town Council -- John Dougherty, George C. I. Zahn, Isaac Crawford, Francis A. Shoemaker, James S. Todd Inspectors -- G. W. Gaiman, Robert Evans Judge of Election -- Michael Hasson Assessor -- James Murray Assistant Assessors -- William Barnes, Daniel C. Zahn War News An order has been issued from the War Department authorizing the organization of a new 1st Army Corps, to be composed of officers and men who have been in the military service not less than two years, giving to each man a government bounty of $300, and allowing him the privilege of crediting himself to any sub- district in the district where he may be domiciled, and to serve one year. The privilege is also accorded each enlisted man of retaining his gun as his own at the end of his term of service. This new Corps will be commanded by Maj. Gen. Hancock, one of the bravest and most efficient officers with the Army of the Potomac. It is already speedily filling up. Government pays $75 apiece for artificial limbs furnished to maimed soldiers. We learn from the DEM & SENT., that a conscript by the name of John Sitzler was shot, on Sunday week, in White tp., by one of the provost guard. He was endeavoring to escape from arrest at the time, and in crossing a log was shot through both arms. His arms are said to have been badly shattered, and it was thought amputation would have to be resorted to, to save his life. A Big Haul of Deserters On Sunday night last, Provost Marshal Jas. C. Burke, assisted by a squad of soldiers, executed a raid on the deserting conscripts resident in Carroll township, this county, of whom there are many thereabout. Great success attended his movement, as no fewer than seven arrests then and there made will attest. Six of those arrested were non- reporting conscripts, whose names are Anthony Mahler, Henry Luther, John Rieger, Robert Campbell and two others. The other one arrested was Mr. Henry Hopple, a wealthy German, who is charged with the serious crime of counseling resistance to the draft, advising drafted men to not report and harboring deserters. If found guilty, it will go hard with the latter. The prisoners passed through here Monday on their way to Provost Marshall headquarters, Hollidaysburg. From Our Soldiers Letter from Co. C., 209th P. V. Meade's Station, Va., Dec. 5 When I last wrote you, we had just got located on the extreme left of the lines of Maj. Gen. Meade. Thinking we would there remain for some time, everybody went to work building quarters suitable to the season; but scarcely were the tents stretched ere we were ordered to move towards the right. On Wednesday, about midday we started on the march, arriving at our present position some time after dark the same day. Our position is on the Army line railroad, south by west of Petersburg, and distant about two and a half miles therefrom. Though we form part of the 9th corps, and have taken the place of the colored troops formerly composing the third division, yet we are not permanently assigned any position, being still styled the "Provisional Brigade." The brigade commander is Brig. Gen Hartranft, formerly Colonel of the 51st Pennsylvania. The colored regiments before spoken of have taken our place in the defenses of Bermuda Hundred. Since their advent, there has been almost continuous firing on the picket line. None but white troops now compose the Army of the Potomac. How long we may remain in our present position can hardly be guessed at, but even though it be the intention for us along with other portions of the army to remain where we now are, yet, judging from signs that are significant, there will soon be movements initiated here of no ordinary character. Some time since a "call" was made on the Rev. Mr. Lemmon, pastor of the Ebensburg M. E. Church, to officiate as Chaplain for this regiment, but although signifying his intention of accepting the tender made him, he has not as yet arrived upon the scene of his labors. When he comes, welcomed as he will be by all, he will find before him an ample field of labor. A good Chaplain, one competent, worthy and willing is of all men in a regiment the most useful and it is just such a Chaplain as this that we are confident the present choice of the regiment will prove. May he soon be with us. The air is clear, cool and bracing. In the morning, the frost covers everything exposed to the night, but the sun soon makes the day pleasant as one could well wish. The health of Co. C continues not only good, but excellent. [Signed] Gamma Soldier's Orphans Arrangements are now perfected and schools selected for the education and maintenance of the children of those brave men who have fallen in their country's service, and it is the duty of School Directors to see that application for admission into one of these schools is immediately made for every needy soldier's orphan in their respective districts. Applications should be correctly made out, attested by the Secretary of the Board and forwarded to the chairman of the proper County Committee from whom blanks for this purpose can be obtained. Great care should be taken that names, dates, &c., are correctly given. The chairman of the committee should immediately add his certificate to these applications, if correct, and forward them to Dr. Thomas H. Barrowes, Superintendent of Orphans, Lancaster, Penna. He need not call together the Committee for this purpose, as the certificate of the School Directors who live in the same township with the applicant is the best evidence as to the necessary facts he can get. Each member of the Committee, as well as each public-spirited citizen, should cheerfully and promptly aid in securing to those entitled to it the full benefit of this just and beneficent measure. Mr. E. Shoemaker, of Ebensburg, is chairman of the Soldiers' Orphans Committee of Cambria county. Further information can be obtained from the Penn. School Journal. Administrator's Notice Letters of Administration on the estate of Evan D. Davis, late of Cambria township, Cambria county, dec'd., having been granted the subscriber by the Register of said county, all persons indebted to said estate are requested to make immediate payment, and those having claims against the same, will present them, properly authenticated, for settlement. Rachel Davis, Administratrix Cambria tp., Dec. 15, 1864 Etchings Needs repairing—the street crossing between Mr. Fenlon's and Mrs. Stahl's residences, High street. In muddy or icy weather, it becomes almost impassable. Johnstown Items T. J. Chapman, Esq., of Johnstown, is preparing for publication a history of the "Valley of the Conemaugh." The volume will contain about 150 pages and will be sold at $1.25 per copy. Capt. J. K. Hite has dissolved his connection with the Harrisburg PATRIOT & UNION, and returned with his family to Johnstown. The foregoing items were condensed from the Johnstown DEMOCRAT. Court No business of particular importance was transacted in the Quarter Sessions of Cambria county last week. The only case wherein any considerable interest appeared to be manifested, that of the Comth. vs. Col. Wm. K. Piper, was continued. The case of the Comth. Vs. James Updegraff, George Updegraff and David Johnston, three boys of about ten years each, for petty larceny, resulted in the acquittal of the defendants. In the case of the Comth. Vs. Rush Hawkins, a conductor on the Pennsylvania Railroad, for assault and battery upon the person of a passenger, the jury found defendant not guilty, and the prosecutor to pay the costs. Some other petty cases were disposed of when the Court went into the civil list. Adjourned on Thursday evening. The Campaign (From the New York TRIBUNE of Monday) Perhaps no week since the war began has witnessed a greater degree of activity than the one just passed; yet we are without intelligence of its actual results. Sherman has approached and probably has reached the goal of his magnificent march across the Keystone State of the Confederacy. Thomas, besieged in Nashville, has every day been gathering strength for the conflict, which is not merely to raise that siege but to strike a decisive blow against the invader of Tennessee. A part of the Army of the Potomac under Gen. Warren, has been in motion and presumably has fought a battle. There are other movements in the neighborhood of Richmond of which we shall know more soon. The special dispatch which we print this morning seems to indicate clearly the hitherto uncertain direction of and purpose of Gen. Warren's movement. That officer, with Griffin's and Crawford's division of the 5th Army Corps, Mott's division of the 2d Corps and with Gregg's cavalry – altogether a very formidable force - broke camp on Wednesday morning and marching by two roads on either side of and parallel to the Weldon Railroad reached Stony Creek on Thursday. That stream is twenty miles south of Petersburg and the station near the bridge which formerly spanned it is the point whence started the branch road from the Weldon to the Southside Railroad. The recent cavalry expedition under Gregg proved that that branch was still incomplete at its Southeastern extremity. Gregg, having ascertained that fact, returned and Warren, being in possession of the results of Gregg's reconnaissance, shaped his campaign accordingly. He struck so boldly South that it was at first conjectured in the army he meant to go to North Carolina. Crossing the Northern branch of the Nottoway by pontoons on Thursday, he pulled up his bridge after him, and since the time when he thus broke off communications with the main army under Grant no positive information about his movements has been received. But on Thursday night a reconnaissance was sent out – apparently as much to get news from Warren as for any other purpose. It was ascertained then from stragglers that Warren was off in search of a fight. It was further discovered that the rebel lines in his direction were surprisingly weak, and the reconnaissance was pushed with vigor toward the road which Warren probably took. But his march had been so rapid that already he was to the North and West of the creek, and on Friday morning heavy firing was heard in the direction of Dinwiddie Court House, which stands on the Petersburg and Boynton plank road, midway between Stony Creek station and the Southside Railroad. Thither had marched Hill's corps to intercept Warren, and at that point it seems pretty certain a battle of greater or less magnitude was fought on Friday morning last, Dec. 9. Of its result there is no news whatever. But the mere fact that there was a battle shows that Warren was marching for the Southside Railroad, having made a wide and rapid detour for that purpose. The central and interior position of Lee enabled him to march a corps somewhat at random to a point from which he might strike in almost any direction which Warren could be supposed to take. From Gen. Sherman there is no other intelligence than such as can be gathered from the account brought by a transport from Charleston. When that steamer left, on the 7th, heavy firing was heard in the direction of Savannah, or on the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. But that may have been either Sherman or Foster who is placed pretty solidly on that line. Rebel papers seem now to think the forces of those two leaders intend to concentrate on the Charleston Railroad – but positive news will come so soon that it is useless to speculate. We may expect a steamer at Fortress Monroe at any moment.