NEWS: The Alleghanian; 26 May 1864; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty. PA
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The Alleghanian
Ebensburg, Pa.
Thursday, 26 May 1864
Volume 5, Number 35
NEWS
The 55th Pa. Vols. Baptized in Blood
Heavy Loss in Killed and Wounded!
The 55th Pa. Vols., Col. Dick White, were fully engaged in the late battles along
the James river and lost heavily in officers and men. Col. White was at first
reported killed but late news inspires the hope that he is yet living, although a
prisoner in the hands of the enemy. The Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment was
wounded and the Adjutant is missing. The loss in company officers is very great.
Mr. William A. Leavy of the 55th, writing under date "New Port Walthall Junction,
Va., May 18," to The ALLEGHANIAN, gives the following as the list of casualties
in Co. A., recruited in Cambria county:
Killed
Capt. David W. Fox
Wounded and Cared For:
Second Lieutenant John Lynch, kidneys
Corp. James C. Fagan, right leg slight
Private Demetrius Bendon, right arm
Private George Dunmire, left hand
Private Henry Flenner, left shoulder
Private John G. Noel, left arm and right hand.
Private David M. Parker, both legs
Private Thomas Rupe, in hand
Private Jeremiah Topper, thigh
Private Joseph Wherry, right arm and side
Wounded and Captured
First Lieut. P. F. Hodge.
Corp Henry Bennett
Private John A. Conway
Private Elias Edminson
Private William Howard
Private James Montgomery
Private John Otner
Private Michael Stanley
Private Michael Cawley
Captured
Corp. Bernard M'Atamany [died from his wounds in prison, Richmond, May 31,
1864]
Corp. Richard P. M'Guire
Corp. Peter M'Guire
Private Samuel Brindle
Private George Beierline
Private George Brown
Private Philip Cramer
Private John Donaldson
Private Andrew Dougherty
Private Robert Dufur
Private Theodore F. Devlin
Private James Dasher
Private Patrick Daisy
Private John Flemer
Private John Fry
Private David Gibson
Private Samuel C. Hite
Private Jacob Helsel
Private Robert Kaylor
Private John Keating
Private Samuel Langham
Private John W. Long
Private Felix J. M'Guire
Private John D. Moreland
Private Henry Martz
Private Michael M'Call
Private Nicholas Semore
Private Michael Stanley
Private John Varley
Private Paul Wilble
Private James Wharton
Private John H. Wilt
Recapitulation
Killed, 1; Wounded, 20; Captured, 32. Total loss: 53.
Mr. Leavy states that the above list is as reliable as it was possible to make it,
under the circumstances, and his letter goes on to say:
"The Regiment left camp on the morning of the 11th, 1,100 strong and returned
on the 16th with 774. The great number of casualties is attributable to the fact
that the regiment, advancing as skirmishers through a dense fog, were flanked
by the enemy, before our men were aware of the near proximity of a foe. We
were subjected to a sudden enfolding fire of artillery and infantry, and were
forced back with the results stated. The right wing suffered more severely than
the remainder of the regiment.
"Our forces retired to their line of entrenchments on the evening of the 16th, in
good order, having accomplished at least a portion of the expedition, namely,
the destroying Lee's communications south of Petersburg and between that place
and Richmond. By this means all reinforcements are prevented from going
forward to Lee.
"In the action of the 16th, we captured prisoners who had just arrived from Lee's
army, going to show that part of that General's command has been withdrawn
from Grant's front to check Gen. Butler's demonstrations on Richmond.
"In the fight, Col. White had command of the 1st Brigade 3d Division 10th Army
Corps. He is either killed or wounded and in the hands of the enemy."
It is announced in the daily papers of the 24th, on authority of rebel prints that
Col. Richard White, Capt. James Metzgar, Capt. David W. Fox, and Lieut. Pat
O'Connell, all of the 55th are now in prison in Richmond.
The 54th Regiment P. V. Cut to Pieces
We learn from the Johnstown TRIBUNE (extra) that the 54th Pa. Vols., Col.
Jacob M. Campbell, composed part of Sigel's force when he met with his
unfortunate repulse at New Market in the Shenandoah Valley. The regiment was
in the thickest of the fight and suffered severely. The following is the list of
casualties:
Lieut. Col. John P. Linton, slightly wounded, but remains with regiment.
Co. A: Killed
James Allen
J. Clark
D. Findley
N. Griffith
H. Smith
Co. A: Wounded
H. Carroll
---Callahan
---M'Clellan
H. Snively
James F. Howard
W. H. Lindsy
Charles E. Smith
Thomas Williams
Co. B: Killed
Lieut. Sylvester Colburn
Hiram Lohr
Edward Fleegle
William P. Kneeper
Co. B: Wounded
Abraham Faith
Jesse Liston
H. J. Penrod
John Wagner
William Wilson
Co. B: Missing
Wesley Young
Co. C: Killed
Jonathan Baker
Jonathan Lohr
William H. Patterson
Samuel Pile
Frederick A. Smith
John Yoder
Co. C: Wounded
William Barclay
John Hawn
Joseph D. Miller
Joseph Rhoads
Henry Speice
John Spicher
John Weimer
A. Ingram Ellis
Samuel Faith
John G. Klingaman
Josiah F. Klingaman
Michael E. Shaffer
Alexander Showman
Walter Scott
Co. C: Left on the Field
Francis Dickey
Solomon Huffman
Henry Horner
George Weller
Josiah Wendell
Joseph C. Yutzy
Co. C: Missing
Melanothon Walker
Co. D: Killed
George Beltz
William Luke
Cyrus Pile
M. Fierstone
Co. D: Wounded
Christ Ball
Jacob Hutzel
Sylvester P. White
John Robinson
William Aitkins
Samuel Bowman
Thomas Walters
David Yeager
Co. E: Killed
Capt. P. Graham
Lieut. B. P. Anderson
William Crider
Michael Hagan
Thomas M'Clure
John M'Fadden
Peter Robinson
Co. E: Wounded and Left on the Field
Sol. Bagnel
Daniel Crider
Benjamin Davis
Edward Harbaugh
Joseph Rodgers
Co. E: Wounded
John Depther
James Glass
John Glass
Ben Hummel
Thomas Johns
John Stacer
Nathaniel Teeters
Daniel Young
Robert Bennett
D. Goughnour
John Gore
Daniel Hill
William Holmes
John Jordan
John M'Manamy
George Morris
Co E: Missing
John Murphy
Andrew Sims
William Thomas
Henry Weddel
Val Wolford
John Young
Co. G: Killed
Samuel Stout
Co. G: Wounded
William Owens
Joshua Ringler
J. B. Atchison
Co. H: Killed
Capt. Geisinger
Peter Gearhart
Daniel Kelichen
Tobias Miller
Henry Oaks
Lewis Sourbrine
Co. H: Wounded
Charles Bently
Henry Flegel
James Gilmore
Edw. Reichart
George Williams
M. Gindelsperger
P. Gindelsperger
Abram Fry
Lieut. A. J. Kilpatrick
Co. I: Killed
Capt. William B. Bonacker
Robert Burke
J. Craig
Joseph Donahoe
George Hartz
Henry Helsel
John Knees
Robert Marlett
John Plummer
Co. I: Wounded
Sergt. Hagan
Corp. Holsapple
Mark Burke
G. Penrod
Charles Cullen
Peter Cullen
Jacob D. George
John Morris
Lewis Nagle
Corp. Funk
Samuel J. Custer
John Brem
Charles Amsler
Adam F. Brenner
Noah Fry
John Kahoe
Daniel Murphy
John M. Stull
Jacob Weaver
Co. K: Wounded
John Cairn
John Coffel
----Kessler
Edward Krisler
Corp. Walter
A new recruit, name not known
Henry Donstead
Edwin W. Miller
The killed were all left on the field, and fell into the hands of the enemy; one
hundred of the wounded were brought off with the regiment.
-- Since the foregoing was put in type we have received a note from Col.
Campbell enclosing copy of his official report of casualties in regiment, in which
he says: "Only six hundred of my command were in the engagement, the
balance being on special duty at the time. All the officers and men conducted
themselves most gallantly and are entitled to the gratitude of their countrymen."
List of Casualties in Co. A, 11th Pa. Reserves
Through the kindness of Major James C. Burke, we are enabled to lay before our
readers the following full list of casualties in the above company up to May 10th:
Killed:
Capt. Dan D. Jones
William J. Patterson
Wounded:
John Makin
Wm. Powell
Sergt. George W. Brown
Dallas Patrick
John M'Feely
Prisoners:
Lieut. Charge Fagan
Sergt. Luke
Sergt. Bolewine
Jacob S. Boring
William M'Creery
John Gillespie
Sam Boocks
In a note accompanying the list, Major Burke writes, "All the men marked
prisoners are undoubtedly wounded. We were surrounded and had to cut our
way out and they were with us up to the last fire we received when they all
suddenly disappeared."
In addition to the foregoing casualties, Joseph Owens of same company, was
wounded slightly in the hand. He is now in hospital in Washington.
We have been shown a letter from Adjt. Thomas D. Litzinger of the 11th, of date
15th inst. He states that the regiment went into the fight with 348 men and
came out with only 118.
George W. Brown, of same regiment writes us that he is now in Mount Pleasant
Hospital, Washington, and that he is wounded in left hip, not dangerously.
Local and Personal
Our friend, J. Alex Moore, proprietor of the "Mountain House," was rather
seriously injured on Tuesday by being thrown from a horse. We commiserate
him in his misfortune.
Peter B. Cassidy of this county has been appointed Adjutant to the 188th Pa.
Vols. His friends will be glad to hear of his promotion.
Robert Davis of the 12th Regular Infantry, a resident of this place, is reported
killed in one of the recent battles in Virginia.
Major Robert Litzinger has been appointed Post Master of Strongstown borough,
Indiana county.
Local Correspondence
Johnstown, May 22, 1864
Last week a telegraph was received here by Sheriff Linton, from Lieut. Nix
Kinkead, stating that the 54th Regt. P. V. - four companies of which hail from
this place – had been in an engagement near Strasburg, Va., and had been badly
cut up. Among the casualties he mentioned the names of Capt.'s Bonaker,
Graham and Geisinger killed and Lieut. Col. Linton wounded. The most intense
excitement was manifested by our citizens to learn the extent of the loss and on
Friday evening several copies of the CUMBERLAND UNION (Extra) were received,
giving a list of the killed and wounded. The following embraces the total loss:
Killed 32
Wounded, at Cumberland 40
Wounded, at Martinsburg 38
Wounded, Left on the Field 22
Missing 42
The above includes three Captains and two Lieutenants killed and one Lieutenant
wounded. Col. Linton received a severe flesh wound in the thigh, the ball from
which has not yet been extracted. He returned here this morning.
The 54th went into the fight 550 strong. It will be observed that the total loss is
174 – a very large proportion in one Regiment.
An extensive robbery was perpetrated there last Friday morning. Two Germans
came to this place from New York for the purpose of obtaining employment at
the Rolling Mill. They began work about a week ago, boarding at a house near
the Iron Bridge. On Friday morning, they started to work, as usual, but one of
them shortly returned to the house, upon pretence of being sick. He immediately
went to the chest of his room mate and breaking it open, abstracted therefrom
$1,400 in gold, a valuable gold watch and a passport and then left for parts
unknown. The other party did not discover his loss until evening when he
immediately telegraphed in all directions, describing the robber and offering a
reward for his arrest. Lawyer Henning starts tonight for New York in pursuit as it
is said the robber intends leaving the country. The losing German is almost
crazy over his loss.
William M'Lane of this place was tried in Wheeling, Va., a few weeks ago, for
deserting from the 54th P. V., and sentenced to five years at labor in the
Tortugas.
Joseph Moore, with his wife and son, departed for Iowa last week. A great deal
of sympathy had been manifested in his behalf hereabout but by this unlooked
for act he deprives himself of a great portion of it.
A son of Peter Maltze of Conemaugh boro was kicked in the face by a circus
horse on Wednesday and badly injured.
Irvin Rutledge, Esq. has commenced correcting the enrollment list in Johnstown
and Mr. Canan in Conemaugh boro.
Doran, the map man, has a new map of Johnstown in the hands of the
lithographers. Perspective views of the new churches, Woolen Factory &c.,
taken from designs, will embellish it.
The following are the appointments of teachers for our Union schools for the
summer session:
Room 1: Miss Sterling
Room 2: Miss Swank
Room 3: Vacant
Room 4: Miss Ramsey
Room 5: Miss Strubel
Room 6: Miss Marshall
Room 7: Miss Dickey
Room 8: Miss Postlethwaith
Room 9: Miss Wilcox
Room 10: Miss Flanagan
Yours,
[Signed] May Leon
Cambria County and the Draft
The following table will show at a glance the condition of Cambria county with
regard to the draft. One column gives the number of men required from each
delinquent sub-district after deducting credits to date; the other the sub-districts
having quotas filled or a surplus. The figures are official and may be relied upon
as being correct.
No. of Men Required Surplus
Allegheny and Gallitzin 55
Loretto 7
Carroll 38
Carrolltown 3
Susquehanna 22
Chest 21
Clearfield 11
Chest Springs 1
White 23
Washington & Summitville 29
Munster 9
Croyle 4
Summerhill 12
Wilmore 3
Richland 28
Taylor 31
Conemaugh 23
Yoder 29
Johnstown Full
Cambria Boro 38
Conemaugh Full
Millville Full
Cambria twp. Full
Blacklick 5
Jackson 16
Ebensburg Full
Total number deficient in county: 392
By reference to an advertisement in another column it will be seen that the draft
for this district will commence at Hollidaysburg on the 30th inst.
Frauds Upon Soldiers
On the 10th of March last in the State Senate a joint committee of six was
appointed to make investigation of the manner in which certain of our soldiers
have been swindled out of their bounty money by their officers and make report
of the same. This report which is very voluminous has been published. We
transfer so much of it to our columns as relates to the 55th regiment Pa. Vols.,
commanded by Col. Dick White, formerly of Cambria county:-
The 55th regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Col.
Richard White, was the first brought to the notice of your committee.
This regiment had been doing duty for the past two years at Beaufort, S.
Carolina and had reenlisted in the month of January, 1864, and were sent home
to recruit. In a few days after the arrival of the regiment, the rank and file were
permitted to depart for their respective homes with orders to report at
Harrisburg on a day fixed in their furloughs.
It appears that when the men of the 55th reenlisted they were not credited to
any particular locality; and Colonel White, finding by order of the War
Department his men could be credited to any locality in the state they might
select, set himself to work to make arrangements for that purpose, with a view
to make money out of the transaction. In order that there should be no failure
in the process, he selected, as his coadjutors in the business his own brother,
Alex M. White of Baltimore, Md.; a man by name of A. B. Farquhar of York, Pa.,
and Captain David Fox of Company A, 55th regiment P. V. - (Both Captain and
company from Cambria county).
Through the agency of Farquhar, Col. White and his brother, A. M. White, were
put in communication with a Mr. Reuben Bernard of Chester county, Pa., who
was authorized to procure a large number of recruits to fill the quota of Chester
county and to pay a local bounty to each man amounting to such sums as might
be agreed upon not to exceed a limited amount per man. From the evidence of
Representative M'Clellan, of Chester county, we learn all the particulars of this
interview which we give in his own words:
"My connection with this business was at the request of the county
commissioners to assist Mr. Bernard in securing recruits to fill the quota of our
county. It was proposed by Mr. Farquhar that he could get over three hundred
men of Col. White's regiment. Mr. Farquhar told me either then and there or
previous to that, that these men could be had for two hundred and seventy-five
dollars per man. This I think was on the last Thursday in February. On Monday
by appointment, Mr. Bernard, Mr. Farquhar, Col. White, A. M. White and myself
went into one of their rooms, either the Col's. or A. M. White's to make
arrangements to pay two hundred and fifty dollars per man to Col. White. He
offered A. M. White as security for the faithful performance of the trust, A. M.
White agreeing with his brother Col. White in signing a bond to that effect. After
the bond was prepared and signed, Mr. Bernard, Col. White, A. M. White and
myself went over to the Harrisburg Bank to deposit part of the money to Col.
White's credit. A difficulty arose as to the arrangement with the bank. A. M
White proposed that the money should be deposited to his credit. Mr. Bernard
objected to that and stated that he would prefer to pay the men in person, to
which A. M. White took umbrage, as rather impeaching his integrity and
demanded his bond from Mr. Bernard, which was given to him. The controlling
idea for making this arrangement was that the men were on furlough, and that it
would be impossible for Mr. Bernard to pay them in person with a great deal of
trouble. The next day Mr. Farquhar made a new arrangement which was that
the men should be paid in person. On Thursday I heard Farquhar say that the
men were to get two hundred and twenty dollars apiece and the other thirty to
be paid to the Colonel (White). I don't recollect how many men were paid on
that day; but I believe some 18 or 20 and the rest the next week. Mr. Bernard
counted the money as I marked their names on the roll; and I did not know till
this evening but that the men received two hundred and seventy-five dollars
apiece. I had no conversation with Col. White in making the bargain as to what
was to be done with the money particularly, nor did I hear him say. Did not
know but that the men were to get two hundred and fifty dollars paid down in
cash until a few minutes before we commenced paying. I don't think Mr.
Bernard knew it, because he counted out two hundred and fifty dollars to the
first man. I then said to him, on information received from Mr. Farquhar that the
men were only to get two hundred and twenty dollars. Col. White was present
and did not object. At that I said to Col. White, that is the arrangement. He
said, "Yes, it was."
From the foregoing testimony we have the following facts established beyond
doubt or cavil, viz.: 1. That Col. White, in conjunction with his brother, A. M.
White and A. B. Farquhar, did attempt to effect an arrangement by which the
sum of one hundred and thirty-eight thousand dollars should be put on at the
sole disposal of A. M. White who was in no way responsible to pay the sum or
any part thereof to the men of the Fifty-fifth regiment; and failing in that
attempt, A. M. White relinquished the transaction on the rendition of the bond by
Mr. Bernard.
2. That when Col. White, A. M. White and Farquhar failed to induce Mr. Bernard
to place the funds at the absolute disposal of Mr. A. M. White, that Farquhar, the
next day, renewed the attack, by proposing that the money should be paid to
the men in person; but when the agent commenced the process of paying the
men, it was discovered that the sum of thirty dollars should be retained in each
case for the benefit of Col. White, Mr. Farquhar and the other officers of the
Fifty-fifth regiment, which amount was actually retained from the beginning to
the end of the transactions, thus revealing, in the most unmistakable manner the
original design of Col. White, A. M. White and Farquhar when they proposed that
the money should be placed to the credit of A. M. White – that these three men
should deal with the men of the Fifty- fifth regiment as they thought proper, in
other words, pay them just such sums as suited their purpose. Your committee
cannot avoid the conclusions drawn from these damning facts, that a dark
conspiracy had been deliberately formed between Col. White, A. M. White and
Farquhar to defraud the men of the Fifty-fifth regiment out of a large portion of
the money honestly coming to them from the county of Chester, to which they
had been credited by Col. White, without the least assent from any of the men,
indeed without their knowledge of what disposition had been made of them by
the Colonel. Suppose that the arrangement first proposed by these men to Mr.
Bernard had been assented to and the entire amount of money been placed to
the credit of A. M. White, would not Col. White have had it in his power to pay
the men just such sums as suited his purposes and where would they have had a
remedy? The men, it is fair to presume, had confidence in their Colonel and
would have been satisfied to receive one hundred and fifty or two hundred
dollars in full for local bounty; or such other sum as the Colonel and his
confederates, A. M. White and A. B. Farquhar, might agree upon; so that the
margin should be large enough to satisfy the desires of their worthies, to do the
very best for the men of the Fifty-fifth regiment. It is too palpable to admit of
doubt that instead of making the pitiful sum of thirty dollars per man, on three
hundred and fifty eight men, which is ten thousand seven hundred and forty
dollars, which went in the pockets of Col. White on that item alone, while Mr.
Farquhar got seven thousand five hundred dollars according to his own receipt
dated March 5, 1864, that the dividend would have been swelled to double or
treble these sums had the original design not been frustrated by the objection to
place the funds under the sole control of A. M. White. Colonel White had
assured his men, so had Captain Fox, that they should have the highest bounty
that was paid to veterans and recruits; and the men believed them, because they
confided in their honor as men and officers, without the slightest suspicion that
they were to be deceived. It will also be found that Colonel Richard White
acknowledges to have received from Mr. Bernard as per receipt under date of
March 1st, 1864, on account of the local bounty of Chester county, the sum of
ten thousand and fifty dollars and that the receipted rolls for twenty-six men at
two hundred and seventy dollars each, making the further sum of seven
thousand and twenty dollars, making in the aggregate seven thousand and
seventy dollars, and if we presume that he paid the bounty to twenty-six men,
two hundred and twenty dollars each and retained thirty dollars off each man, he
pocketed on that item seven hundred and eighty dollars. It is worthy of remark
here that the sum paid by Chester county was two hundred and seventy dollars
and it is well established that none of the men of the Fifty-fifth regiment received
more than two hundred and twenty dollars, so far as the testimony before your
committee goes, except the eighteen or twenty men paid on the first day by
Messrs. Bernard and M'Clellan. If we deduct twenty men from three hundred and
fifty eight we have a total of three hundred and thirty men to whom but two
hundred and thirty dollars were paid, if, indeed, all these men were paid (the
testimony shows that nine at least have not been paid) which would leave the
sum of fifty dollars retained off each of the three hundred and thirty three men,
making the respectable sum of sixteen thousand six hundred and fifty dollars to
be accounted for by Colonel White.
To show beyond a doubt that the plan was well laid to cover the track so Colonel
White and those acting with him in this nefarious business, it is only necessary to
refer to the form of receipt which these men were required to sign on receiving
their two hundred and twenty dollars instead of two hundred and seventy
dollars, to which they were entitled, in these words:
"Harrisburg, Pa., February 24, 1864
We, the undersigned veteran volunteers belonging to Colonel Richard White's
regiment, No. fifty–five Pennsylvania volunteers have this day received of
Reuben Bernard the local bounty of Chester county."
The above receipt is couched in such language as to close the door against all
inquiry on the subject of the amount received by the men of the Fifty-Fifth Regt.
Pennsylvania volunteers, so far as the record is concerned; and if Colonel White
had not been intercepted by this investigation and some of his victims from his
regiment detained and examined before your committee, his guilty participation
in these dark transactions might have escaped that just exposure and
punishment it so richly merits until called to account before another tribunal,
from which no adroitness or finesse will shield the guilty from the scrutiny of that
eye that never slumbers.
Your committee regret the fact that just about the time that this investigation
was instituted, the Fifty-fifth regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers (Colonel White)
was ordered to South Carolina and thus they were deprived of the opportunity of
examining the men of that regiment in detail and thereby eliciting all the facts
from the mouths of living witnesses, to establish the entire transaction touching
the fraud that have been but partially detected. But your committee are fully
warranted in saying that enough have been disclosed to fix upon the Colonel of
the Fifty-fifth regiment Pennsylvania volunteers and Captain David Fox of
Company A, of said regiment, the charge of willfully and knowingly deceiving and
defrauding their men by the most shameless and barefaced misrepresentations
and artful deceptions that bad men could resort to in order to make money at
the expense of both truth and honor.
It is the opinion of your committee that Colonel Richard White and Captain David
Fox should immediately be summoned before the court of inquiry to answer such
charges as the Secretary of War should feel disposed to base upon this report.