NEWS: Alleghanian; 12 Jan 1865; Ebensburg, 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, 12 Jan 1865 Volume 6, Number 14 The Sheriffalty During the last week of December court, Mr. Jas. Myers, the newly elected Sheriff of Cambria county, was duly "sworn in," vice Mr. John Buck, whose term of office had expired. Candor compels us to say that Mr. Buck made an excellent Sheriff, and from the well known character and ability of Mr. Myers, we are sure the reins of office will descend to a most worthy successor. Letter from Our Soldiers Letter from Co. C, 209th P. V. Meade's Sta., Va. Jan. 3, 1865 Well, the holidays have come and gone. Previous to Christmas the weather was cold but the day itself was pleasant. The sun shone bright, the air was mild and one could easily fancy that the rigors of winter were abated out of deference to that day on which, either correctly or incorrectly, is placed the birth of Him who died that we might live. But the outgoing of the old and the incoming of the new year were different. The last day of the expiring year was full of driving, howling, chilling wind, filled at times either with rain, snow or sleet. As night came on apace, the fury of the storm rather than being diminished was increased. There was no quiet, modest retirement of the old nor gentle advance of the new year as though the dying lingered awhile to welcome the newly born. Nay, the one, as if loath to go and full of envy at its successor, seemed anxious to combat its entrance to life by all the fury of a winter storm. Meanwhile the moon hid her face, the stars refused to behold the strife and all nature robed herself in the darkest darkness, till is seemed as if she had clad herself in the habiliments of mourning. But as the soldier in his tent thanked his stars that he was not a soldier on picket and looked in the glowing fire before him, he could see, or at least he would think he could see, in its blazing, a brightness of hope that bade him rejoice in the raging storm without. It was fancy - of course it was only fancy - but that fancy seemed to whisper in the tones of a prophesying angel that the fury the old year was spending in its dying agonies was only to show us the wrath, as foolish as it is mighty, of an expiring treason against Liberty. I have a word to say about letters, letter-writers and the mails. There is an impression deep and strong that there is something wrong with the mails; but where or with whom it is not my province to say. To be sure a soldier will growl and if he fails to growl at one thing, it is only because he has fixed his attention on something else; but when he exercises his growing prerogative at the mails, he does so with apparent good reason. "Is there a large mail today?" is a common inquiry. "None from Ebensburg," is a common answer. Then there comes, "What's the matter with the mails?" "There must be something wrong with the mail?" Why don't we get our letters?" &c., &c. Poor soldiers! Who wonders that he growls? Consider the case of a man who has a dutiful wife's assurance that she writes him twice or thrice a week while he gets not more than one letter out of three. But that's only one case. Poor soldier! Oughtn't he to growl?" Ah, Mr. Delinquent Mailman, try come up to times hereafter. But, seriously, what is a soldier's letter? Or, if you prefer, what ought it to be? That boy wearing his country's uniform was as well reared as any. He looks rough just now for he has rough work to do, but among the comfortable homes of New England or amid the hills of Pennsylvania, is a spot about which is enshrined all that human memory holds sacred, and that spot is that boy's home. When a letter sent thence reaches him, a new fire lights up the eye, a new vigor starts the blood to quicker action, the soul receives new life and joy fills the heart as the seal is broken. A solder's letter carries him back to the scenes of home and fireside. It carries the boy to the parental roof, and the father of that circle of which he is head. It is read, not once, but over and over again and ere he lays down to rest, it is read still another time. In the night when the mind revels in dreams, these dreams take shape in accordance with the influence potently tho' silently exerted by the letter from home. Does it bring bodings of ill and does it wear dreariness of tone? Or is it a sprightly, lively letter, full of news, but not of tattling? The latter is what it ought to be. A plague upon all dull, prosy, gloomy, ill-foreboding, bemoaning letters when sent to a man wearing the Union blue! Let a letter be full of little bits of news, the doings at and about home, bearing good will towards all men and recounting the labors of the provost marshals and their crippled soldiers with all skulkers from the service. Only such a letter is worthy to be sent to a Union soldier. He knows his danger, knows his labor and privations and wishes not to have them morosely recounted, for he lives rejoicing in the hope of the final triumph of his country. On the 15th ult., we were permanently brigaded and now form a part of the first brigade, third division, ninth army corps. This brigade is formed of the 200th, 208th and 209th regiments of one year troops and is commanded by Col. Diven, of the first named regiment. The 205th, 207th and 211th regiments, also one year troops, form the second brigade under command of Col. Matthews of the 205th. The two brigades form the third division commanded by Brig. Gen. Hartranft. Letters for us, in order to avoid all mistakes, should be addressed to Co. C, 209th Pa. Vols., 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 9th Army Corps. The health of the company continues excellent. The deaths in the regiments by sickness are only three, of whom one was buried on Saturday. On Saturday 24th ult., we were glad to welcome the arrival amongst us of our Chaplain, Rev. J. S. Lemmon. The following day, he commenced what beyond doubt will prove a career of usefulness by delivering a brief but appropriate discourse. [Signed] Gamma Etchings Charles Albert Mills, son of Capt. David Mills, of Gallitzin, this county, who was captured by the rebels in the Shenandoah Valley some fourteen months ago and has been a prisoner ever since has been exchanged and arrived home. He is well but reports that he suffered beyond description in the rebel coal-holes. Mr. James F. Campbell has retired from the editorial management of the Johnstown DEMOCRAT and is succeeded by Messrs. H. D. Woodruff & Son of Perry county. Both the outgoing and incoming editors have our best wishes for their future success. Quartermaster E. Frank Lytle, of the 209th P. V., was home here on brief leave of absence last week. His personal appearance left the impression on our mind that sogering agreed with him to a constitutional nicety. E. & C. RR. Co. At an election of the stockholders, held on Monday last, the following named officers were elected by the Ebensburg and Cresson Railroad Company to serve during the ensuing year: President: A. A. Barker; Directors: J. Moore, E. Roberts, H. Foster, James Myers, Jno. Williams, Thos. Griffiths, H. J. Lombart, Geo. J. Rodgers, Abel Lloyd, Richard Jones, Jr., Isaac Evans, Robert Davis. The Late Call for 300,000 Men – Drafting to Begin on the 15th of February Washington, Dec. 20, 1864 By the President of the United States – A Proclamation Whereas by the act approved July 4, 1864, entitled "An act further to regulate and provide for the enrolling and calling out of the national forces and for other purposes," it is provided that the President of the United States may at his discretion at any time hereafter call for any number of men as volunteers for the respective terms of one, two or three years for military service, and that in case the quota or any part thereof of any town, township, ward of a city, precinct, or election district or of a county not so sub-divided shall not be filled within the space of fifty days after such call, then the President shall immediately order a draft for one year to fill such quotas or any part thereof which may be unfilled. And whereas by the credits allowed in accordance with the act of Congress on the call for five hundred thousand men, made July 18, 1864. the number of men to be obtained under that call was reduced to 280,000 men; And whereas, the operations of the enemy in certain States have rendered it impracticable to procure from them their full quotas of troops under the said call; And whereas from the foregoing causes but 250,000 men have been put into the army, navy and marine corps under said call of July 18, 1864, leaving a deficiency on that call of 250,000; Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, in order to supply the aforesaid deficiency, and to provide for casualties in the military and naval services of the United States do issue this my call for Three Hundred Thousand Volunteers, to serve one, two or three years. The quotas of the States, districts and sub-districts, under this call will be assigned by the War Department through the bureau of the Provost Marshal General of the United States and in case the quota or any part thereof of any town, township, ward, of a city, precinct, or election district, or of a county not so sub-divided, shall not be filled before the 15th day of February, 1865, then a draft shall be made to fill such quota or any part thereof, under this call, which may be unfilled on the 15th day of February, 1865. In testimony whereof, I have herewith set my hand and caused the seal of the [U.S.] United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this 19th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and the Independence of the United States of America, the eighty-ninth. [Signed] Abraham Lincoln By the President: Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State The Supplemental Draft Below we give a list of those drafted in Cambria county on Thursday, December 22, 1864 to fill deficiencies under the call of July 18, 1864: Millville Borough George Holsman Lawrence Kahoe John James John Hough William Noland Edward Quinn Wm. P. Williams Edward M'Bride John Hughes Emanuel James Hugh Crossan Frederick Norris John M. Roberts Benjamin Bennett Thomas P. Potts Robert Morris John Haney John Bannan John Oates William Miller John Jones John Atkinson Michael Gleason Thomas Taylor Samuel Black Archibald Noland Peter M'Cann John Pugh Thomas Evans Bernard M'Bride Cornelius M'Ginley Daniel Evans Charles Trainer William Lakin Dennis M'Carty Patrick Driskill Christopher Meyer David Roberts John Looney Isaac Berringer Patrick Hogan Evan Roberts John Stork John Berringer Charles Whittle James Darby Joseph Karns John Hardman Jacob Stutzman John Davis Cambria City Charles Kelly George W. Atkins Michael Lee John Heider George Speace Dennis M'Veigh Anthony Carroll Michael Kritzer George Altbarter Laurence Baughamer Robert Dougherty Joseph Kling John Brown Henry M'Closkey Joseph Brindle Michael Raddin Owen M'Caffrey Andrew Foglo John C. Marsh Joseph Ruckey John Benning John Nicht Simon Boyer Charles Warner Michael Gilbert Gerre Blamel Philip M'Call Patrick Keelan Lewis Tremel Levi Wingard Conemaugh Borough Benj. Hinchman Henry Miller James C. Clark Henry E. Hudson John Smith Caleb Jones John Fritz Michael Burns John Fisher Herman Klinemier Christian Kreiger Wm. C. Smith Henry Hezelbine William Ort Jonathan Ferrier Swiss Heber John M'Ghee Edward Brady John O'Neill Andrew Taylor Ferdinand Vornick Henry Belz John Tynch Robt. Gladfelter George Belz Charles Earnest Pius J. Braddick Oscar Greafe Carroll Township Leo. J. Parrish William Gray Peter A. Weakland Jas. J. Kirkpatrick David Wetzel John Krumacher Paul Short George E. Melsel John Swathow William Richter James Douglass Joseph Fresh Francis Kilpatrick William Baker John J. Detrick John Weber Leonard Mangold James Hames Samuel Smith Peter Kane Thomas Buck Andrew Miller Taylor Township James Wise Peter Burkhart Jr. John M'Comey Richard Fox John Colbert Benj. Stutzman John W. Miller Thomas Strayer Valentine Smith George Knable Andrew Reinbolt Patrick Dinsmore Samuel Stutzman Patrick Mehan John Teeter Dominick M'Cue John Utzler Joseph S. Paul Croyle Township M. S. George Isaac W. Pringle Herman Paul John Knepper John Wintrode John Brown Christian B. Weaver Airwine Peth Wm. A. M'Gough Joseph Weiss Conrad Moyers John Popp John Schlosse Thomas M'Gough Summerhill Township John M. Barnes George W. Emigh Michael Gates Levi Plummer Cornelius Sellers Hugh Farren Wm. O'Connell Michael M'Dunn Bernard Little Henry G. Conrad Yoder Township John A. Pfarr George T. Martin D. H. Harshberger Wm. H. Thomas George Croyle John E. Smith Josiah Goughnour Charles Hoffman George Ream John Belsner Conemaugh Township Hiram Ribblett Valentine Ripple Philip Stuart Daniel Goughnour George Hildebrand Chas. Von Leunen Jonathan Ream John Shriver White Township William H. Gates Absalom Gibboney David Cree Jr. James R. Vallance Charles Brown Abram Cornelius John Matthews Jacob Kunsman Washington Township Fred H. Miller John Biglin Vitus Pheester James Hagans Sylvester Smeeder Patrick Dougherty Munster Township John S. M'Gaughey Joseph Myers Joseph O'Harra William Garrett Francis Itel Matthew M'Cugh Gallitzin Borough Frederick Miller Jacob Fassler Edward Patterson George Eckley Albert Bender James M'Cullough Richland Township Lewis B. Dunmyer Elias Ream Samuel Rose Emanuel S. Paul Wm. H. Morgan James Mowery Wilmore Borough Rev. J. Hackett John M'Colgan J. J. Rorabaugh William K. Carr Blacklick Township Samuel Brallier Thomas Duncan Isaac Makin Thomas Mahan Alleghany Township John Walker John Crook John Fitzgibbons John Kane Chest Township Martin Thomas Martin Detrick