The Alleghanian, Ebensburg, Pa. Thursday, August 27, 1863 Volume 4, Number 48 NEWS Letter from Our Soldiers Camp in the Field, Alabama August 13, 1863 Thinking a few lines from the Army of the Cumberland - from Co. C, 19th Regulars – might not prove uninteresting to your readers, I take the liberty of addressing you. You are doubtless aware that after the battle of Stone river we lay some six months at Murfreesboro without moving. The orders to march came at last on the 24th June. The morning we left camp it commenced raining and rain was the programme for twenty-two days. This made our situation very uncomfortable, notwithstanding which the boys remained in the best of spirits and were eager for the fray. The roads soon became almost impassible and our trains were greatly delayed, which accounts for Bragg’s escape. You are aware of what took place during the Rebel general’s retreat, so it is unnecessary for me to give particulars. Suffice it to say that in the operation of skedaddling, he lost some five thousand men. If I am not greatly mistaken you may expect some news from this department soon which will cause a thrill of joy to penetrate every loyal heart and give the Copperheads reason to skulk dismayed to their holes. Talking of Copperheads: If these disloyal gentry only knew the true feelings of the soldiers toward them, it would give them but little consolation. But perhaps to men so lost to all feelings of patriotism and principle as to sympathize with armed treason, it makes but little difference what soldiers think! They would soon, possibly, bask in the good graces of Jeff Davis, the Devil and others of like ilk, than have the respect of the loyal and honest. If so, we avow ourselves unable to cope with the difficulty – they are beyond the reach of moral surgery – so we are obliged to leave them to Jeff Davis and Devil. We in the army have some respect for those in arms against us. They at least have the courage to meet us in a fair field. But for those cowardly miscreants who stab their country and its cause in the back, we have none. They are beneath our contempt even. I pity their children; for the words and deeds of their slimy progenitor will be a stumbling block in their path forever. One consolation to us is that the Copperhead fraternity composes but a small portion of the great mass of the people of the loyal States. Abraham Lincoln was constitutionally elected President of these United States – that all men know – as such should be obeyed. When the proper time arrives, if the majority of the American people desire a change of measures and men, they can have it and we will give them our hearty support. In the meantime, we are bound by every dictate of honor and duty to support those in authority over us. There is certainly some difference as regards pleasure, between a soldier’s life and that of a citizen – the difference preponderating in favor of the latter. Now, much as we desire to return to our fiends and homes, I am free to say that, so long as there is an armed traitor above ground, it is our determination to remain fighting for the old flag our forefathers bequeathed us – that priceless emblem of a liberty achieved after eight long years of deprivation and suffering. The Rebellion must be put down at any cost. To see our glorious old banner once more floating over every foot of Uncle Sam’s farm - not a single star of its bright constellation erased nor a stripe obscured – would more than doubly repay us for all efforts directed in that behalf. And these are the sentiments of nine-tenths of the Army of the Cumberland. Yours, &c. [Signed] Thomas Davis Sheriff’s Sales Following is an abstract of the real estate advertised to be sold by the sheriff of Cambria County, at the Court House, Ebensburg on Monday, 7th September, proximo: George Gates, Yoder township, 800 acres, 25 acres cleared with small cabin house. George Gates, Conemaugh township, 300 acres, 100 acres cleared with two story frame house, log barn, spring house and saw mill. Samuel Henshey, Clearfield township, 801 acres and 145 perches with hereditaments and appurtenances. George C. K. Zahm, Ebensburg, piece of ground with one story frame building. Mary Ann M’Kinzie, Chest Springs borough, two lots of ground with large three story plank house and frame stable. Stephen Kerns and Philip Kerns, Summerhill township, parcel of land with appurtenances. John R. Thomas, Ebensburg, lot of ground with two story frame house. Alexander D. Goughenour, Sylvania, Conemaugh township, lot of ground with two story plank house and plank stable. Richard J. Evans (one of defendants) Cambria and Carroll township, 300 acres, 70 acres cleared with log house, frame barn, grist mill, saw mill, dwelling house, stable and blacksmith shop. Eli B. Horner, Conemaugh township, 71 acres, 30 acres cleared with two story plank house and cabin barn. John Ross, administrator of John B. Stewart, dec’d, White township, 49 acres, unimproved. Also: 137 acres and 84 perches, White township, unimproved. Edward Burk, Washington township, 130 acres, 1½ acres cleared with one and a half story plank house and large frame stable. William Cree, White township, 65 acres, 35 acres cleared with two story log house, weather boarded and log barn. George Banfield, Johnstown, lot of ground with two story plank house. Elizabeth Perkins, Perkinsville, Taylor township, 146 perches with one and a half story frame house. Elizabeth Kratzer, Allegheny and Clearfield townships, with 308 acres, 20 acres cleared with furnace building, copper shop, saw mill, twelve 1 1/2 story log houses, three two story log houses, two stables, coal house, two large frame stables, large coal house and large two story frame house. William H. Aaron, Hemlock, Washington township, lot of ground with two story fame house. James Glasgo, White township, 80 acres, 70 acres cleared with hewed log barn. John Miller and Susan Miller, Cambria township, one acre with old house and old stable. Charles Murray, Jackson township, 250 acres, 40 acres cleared with log house. Cambria County Teachers’ Institute The Executive Committee of this organization met at Cresson on Saturday last, and prepared a programme of exercises for the next semi-annual meeting – to be held at Wilmore on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 28th, 29th and 30th, September coming. It is as follows: Orthography: Class drill by Mr. Thos. J. Chapman. Lectures by Messrs. J. F. Allen and W. H. H. Freeman. Reading: Class drill by Miss Julia Wilcox and Miss Sue Magehan. Lecture by Daniel W. Evans. Penmanship and Drawing: Essay by Miss Jennie Sterling. Mental Arithmetic: Class drill by Mr. Henry Ely. Written Arithmetic: Class drill by Mr. J. F. Parrish. Lecture on Mathematics: by Prof. D. B. Mahan. Geography: Class drill by Miss Lizzie E. Roberts. Lecture by S. B. M’Cormick. Grammar: Class drill by Miss Mary M. Swank. Lecture by Mr. S. Singleton. Essays: On the importance of Education to the individual and to society by Miss Mary J. Jones. On the proper method of elevating the science of Teaching to its proper place among the learned profession by Miss Hannah Evans. On the influence of intelligence upon the morality of a community by Rev. B. L. Agnew. On Physical Culture forming one of the branches of instruction in our common schools by Mr. Schwartz. Subjects for General Discussion: Resolved, that public school exhibitions are injurious. What books on Teaching should be read by the Teacher? The understanding of the last Institute was that the next session would be held at Loretto; but this was found to be impracticable by reason that no building of a suitable character could be secured in the village. Wilmore, occupying a central position as regards the county at large, will be found to be a good exchange. Drafted Men Given the Same Bounties as Volunteers There are few who understand that the provision of the conscription act place drafted men on terms of equality with volunteers, giving them the same Government bounty, the same title to pension, the same pay, the same everything. When the statement has been made heretofore, many have discredited it; and to end all questions upon the subject, we quote from the act itself: Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all persons thus enrolled shall be subject for two years after the first day of July succeeding the enrollment, to be called into the military service of the United States and to continue in service during the present rebellion, not however, exceeding the term of three years; and when called into service, “shall be placed on the same footing in all respects as volunteers,” for three years or during the war “including advance pay and bounty as now provided by law.” The Draft On our opposite page we print the names of the persons in this county who were so “Fortunate” as to draw prizes in the late draft. The drawing came off at Huntingdon on Thursday last and was conducted throughout with entire fairness. The manner of proceeding was about in this wise: The names of all those liable to the draft in each sub- district were placed in the wheel; a blind man was then blindfolded, who, after the wheel had undergone a complete revolution, would draw forth a ticket; this ticket was read aloud, spelled, subjected to the scrutiny of the judges and finally passed to the clerks to be entered down. Thus, until the quota of each sub-district had been drawn. The total number drawn from the county was 781, which included the fifty per cent excess to cover exemptions. Four citizens of this county, namely, Messrs. A. A. Barker, Wm. Kittell, C. L. Pershing and John M. Bowman, were present by special invitation to witness and participate in the drawing. In this borough the number drawn was 21, politically classified as follows: 10 Democrats, 10 Unionists, 1 Negro – the latter the only one in town, by the way. Lawyers, merchants, carpenters, laborers - almost every profession and class was levied upon for contributions. No less than three printers were drafted – which is rather a “big thing” on the art preservation confraternity. In the county, four ministers of the Gospel were also “called.” Truly the presiding deity of the draft – stone blind Chance - is no respecter of persons! There was no disturbance nor sign of disturbance manifest at the drawing. On the contrary, everything passed off quietly and in order. It is furthermore noticeable that there is now no talk of “resisting the draft” or obstructing the workings of the law. The conviction has impressed itself on every mind that one of three things has to be done – put on a “Sub,” pay $300 or go. And, like good men and patriots they hold themselves prepared for the execution of one of the alternatives. _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™ Hotmail®…more than just e-mail. http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_hm_justgotbetter_howitworks_012009