The Alleghanian, Ebensburg, Pa. Thursday, November 28, 1861 Volume 3, Number 10 Letters from Our Volunteers Camp Pierpoint, Va., Nov. 22, 1861 Nothing of interest has transpired since my last letter, barring the grand review at Munson’s Hill on Wednesday. The review ground is some eight or nine miles from camp and in order to reach it at the specified time - twelve o’clock - we were in line at six A.M. On our road thither we passed through “Bailey Cross Roads” and “Falls Church,” both points somewhat celebrated as being the scene of skirmishes during the present struggle. The former derives its name from the fact that three roads cross and intersect each other there. The latter is a small village of perhaps a score of houses, the principal building being a church which has been converted into a commissary by the Government. It is now nearly deserted, only some two or three families remaining. Munson’s Hill is about one mile from Falls Church and has been strongly fortified since falling into our possession. An observatory having been erected here by the Government, a magnificent view of Washington and Georgetown and also of the country for miles around is obtained. The review took place a short distance from Munson’s Hill in several large, level fields, embracing about four miles of an area. The review itself was indescribably grand. There were seven divisions of the army present, viz: Gens. McCall’s, Heintzelman’s, Smith’s, Franklin’s, Blenker’s, Porter’s and McDowell’s; in all eighty- five regiments of infantry, twenty batteries of artillery,- one hundred pieces - and nine regiments of cavalry forming a grand total of nearly eighty thousand men! The different divisions were so formed as to describe a circle of four miles in extent. Gen. McClellan and staff accompanied by President Lincoln, secretaries Cameron and Seward and a large number of other distinguished personages, rode along the whole line and were loudly cheered by each regiment. Subsequently they returned to the centre and occupying a prominent position, the different divisions passed in review by battalions, McCall’s taking the lead. They were four hours passing. All the details of the review were admirably arranged and everything passed off smoothly and without confusion. To guard against any surprise from the enemy the pickets were strengthened all along and every man had one day’s rations in his haversack and forty rounds of cartridge. No passes were required during the day over the different bridges from the capital and it is estimated that between twenty and thirty thousand persons took advantage of this fact to become spectators of the grandest review that has ever taken place on this continent. Dr. Russell of the London TIMES and all the Foreign Ministers were present. We returned to camp in the evening, after having been on our feet for nearly twelve hours. The 11th regiment was paid off on Tuesday. Each man received two month’s pay or twenty-six dollars. A large proportion of this amount will be sent home. Co. A alone is remitting nearly one thousand dollars! We were paid partly in gold and silver and partly in Treasury notes. We have very agreeable weather here at present, much resembling Indian summer. Signed: E Military We see it stated that the 4th Penna. Cavalry, Col. Harlan, has been ordered to Annapolis to embark in the naval expedition to sail from thence for parts unknown shortly, under command of Gen. Butler. Capt. Jim Skelly’s Cambria county cavalry company forms Co. G of this regiment. Accompanying the 76th Penna. Regiment, Col. Power, which left Harrisburg for Annapolis en route to South Carolina last week is Rev. B. L. Agnew of Johnstown as chaplain. Dr. R. M. S. Jackson of Cresson this county has also departed for the same destination as Surgeon of the 11th Penna. Regiment, Col. Coulter. Personal Col. James M. Swank, of Johnstown, having obtained the appointment of a clerkship in the Treasury Department at Washington has resigned the office of Superintendent of the Common Schools of this county, which position he had acceptably filled since February last. We heard the names of Messrs. Henry Ely, and S. B. McCormick of Johnstown and Daniel McLaughlin of Gallitzin mentioned in connection with the vacancy but are not advised as to who has the inside track. A Cambrian Dangerously Wounded Many of our readers will probably recollect the battles at Cross Lanes in Western Virginia on or about the 27th of August last in which the 7th Ohio regiment was repulsed with terrible loss by a vastly superior force of Rebels. Co. C of this regiment was composed principally of students from Oberlin College, Ohio, among the number of whom was Lewis J. Jones, a young man of twenty-three or twenty-four years of age, son of Mr. John O. Jones and resident about one mile north of this place. Lewis took part with his company in the battle and in the thickest of the fight was seriously, and for a time, it was thought, mortally wounded. Being unable to leave the field in the retreat, he was taken prisoner by the Rebels. He remained with his captors for over two weeks, during which period but faint hopes were entertained of his recovery. At about this juncture and when the Rebels were at Gauley Bridge, Gen. Rosecrans made his sudden appearance thereabout. The Rebels, doubtless thinking discretion the better part of valor, immediately destroyed the bridge and executed that celebrated retrogressive movement which has become part and parcel of history, leaving behind only a small squad to guard the prisoners. This squad ultimately followed suit and “skedaddled,” after which the prisoners to the number of about twenty-five, erected a raft and crossed to the other shore, where they regained the protection of Union troops. Lewis, who was among the number that thus escaped, was immediately ordered to Cincinnati to undergo treatment for his injury. He is still an inmate of the hospital in that city. His wound, which was caused by a musket ball is located in the region of the right breast and was exceedingly dangerous. Thanks to a naturally hard constitution and kind, efficient treatment, however, he is recovering as rapidly as circumstances will admit and will be able to rejoin his regiment in the course of a few weeks. Letter from Johnstown Johnstown, Nov. 26, 1861 The recruiting service has received a fresh impulse in our midst in consequence of Lieut. Hugh Kelly arriving here and opening an office for the enrollment of names for a company for Col. Thomas F. Meagher’s regiment. Quite an enthusiastic meeting was held at Zouave Hall on Friday evening and the prospect is cheering for a goodly number of recruits for the Regiment of this noble patriot. Col. J. M. Power’s regiment has left Camp Cameron and is now at Fortress Monroe, Va. It is said to be the finest Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers now in the field. Col. J. M. Campbell’s Regiment now at Camp Curtin, is nearly full and they are expecting marching orders daily. It is understood that the following are the staff and field officers of this Regiment: Colonel J. M. Campbell Lt. Colonel B. McDermitt Major John P. Linton Chaplain Rev. Groft M. Pile Adjutant Wm. Linton Quartermaster D. F. Gordon Sutler Jos. A. Garman Mr. Charles Gahegan was run over by the local freight train on the Penna. RR., on Monday morning and seriously if not fatally injured. The injured man was in the employ of the railroad company, and in attempting to pass from one part of the train to the other, he lost his footing and two trucks of the train passed over him, crushing him severely. Blair County Soldier Shot We learn from the Phila. PRESS that a soldier from Altoona, Blair county, named Sybil in Capt. Rodier’s company, District volunteers, was dangerously wounded near Washington on last Friday night under the following circumstances: “He was in his camp asleep when a private, in liquor, a real Baltimore Plug-ugly, was brought into the camp in irons. He, however, got his hands through the handcuffs and commenced pulling bricks out of the fire place and throwing them violently at the guard. Presently he seized a musket and aimed it at Lieut. Colonel Towers, who escaped the charge, which was lodged in the thigh of private Sybil, then lying asleep. The limb is horribly mangled and cannot be saved, and the recovery of the man is doubtful. Sybil is from Altoona, Blair county, Pa., where he has a wife to whom a few days ago, he sent twenty-five dollars, out of twenty-six dollars received as his dues up to 1st of November. _________________________________________________________________ Get more out of the Web. Learn 10 hidden secrets of Windows Live. http://windowslive.com/connect/post/jamiethomson.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!550F681DAD532637!5295.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_domore_092008