NEWS:  Alleghanian; 9 Jun 1864; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich 
<millich84@hotmail.com>

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The Alleghanian
Ebensburg, Pa.
Thursday, 9 Jun 1864
Volume 5, Number 37


Local and Personal  

We see the announcement in the daily papers that surgeon R. M. S. Jackson, U. 
S. V., formerly of this county, has been appointed Medical Director of the 23d 
Army Corps commanded by Gen. Hartsuff. 


Cresson Springs 

This celebrated resort was opened for the reception of visitors on the 10th inst.  A 
large number of improvements have been added to the house and grounds the 
present season causing these to present a more tasteful and picturesque 
appearance than ever.  Of course the Springs will be crowded – our metropolitan 
friends all go to the country nowadays during the heated term and naturally seek 
the best and most eligible hotel. The Mountain House at Cresson is empathically 
that hotel.


The Locusts 

The earth is now yielding up its long buried swarms of locusts.  The hogs are 
rooting after them, and farmers are plowing them out of their holes.  Let the 
owners of all young fruit and ornamental, deciduous and evergreen trees procure 
a quantity of oat or other soft straw.  As soon as the locusts commence getting 
through the ground, soak the straw from six to ten hours in a strong lye made 
from good wood ashes or lime.  While wet make the straw into ropes and wind 
them into balls.  Wrap the body of the tree with these straw ropes from three to 
six feet, owing to the age and size of the tree, commencing at the bottom and 
fastening well at top, so as to prevent it being loosened by the wind or shaken off 
the tree.  If the young tree has formed its top, wrap around the bottom of the 
main branches. The Locust bores into the main branches and sappy parts of the 
wood where the bark is tender and deposits its eggs.  The bark soon opens and 
the limb soon dies and unless removed, injuring, if not kills, the tree.  As soon as 
the locusts are principally gone which will be in about six weeks after they 
appear, remove the straw bandages and cut off the tops of the trees as low down 
as where they are strong.  New branches will immediately shoot out and in two 
years you will have a much larger and healthier tree. 


A Bloodless Duel and a Murder 

A Falmouth correspondent says:

It is not often that we have to chronicle duels here.  A one-sided affair of the kind 
came off yesterday morning at six o'clock in French's Division, 2d corps.  On the 
night previous Capt. Fuller of the 108th New York became somewhat elated by 
whiskey and slapped the face of Lieut. Porter of the same regiment.  The latter 
challenged him and was on the ground with a pistol and second at the appointed 
hour.  Fuller also appeared but stated that he was unable to borrow a pistol or 
procure a second.  "That need not interfere," said Porter.  "We will toss up for the 
first fire.  You being the challenged party may select the number of paces."  The 
tossing ensued and Fuller won. He then chose four paces.  "It will be nothing less 
than murder," said Porter, "But never mind, blaze away."  Inserting his hands in 
his pockets he then quietly faced his antagonist.

Fuller fired on one side into the ground and the matter ended.  This was a 
bloodless sequel to a sad murder committed last Wednesday night in Owen's 
Brigade, Gibbon's Division, 2d Corps.  Capt. M'Manus of the 69th Pennsylvania 
had spoken of Capt. M'Mahon of the 71st Pennsylvania as a coward.  M'Mahon, 
on hearing this, proceeded immediately with a pistol to M'Manus' tent, demanded 
if the assertion had been made by him and being answered affirmatively, shot 
him. M'Manus fell instantly dead.  M'Mahon is under arrest and will soon be tried 
by court martial.  He is from California.  His victim was a native of Ireland, 
residing before the war in Philadelphia.


Cavalry 

Any one desiring to join any particular regiment of cavalry in the field can be 
accommodated by reporting to Provost Marshal Campbell at Huntingdon before 
the 22d inst.  See advertisement elsewhere. 

Provost Marshal's Office
17th Dist., Penna.
Huntingdon, May 22, 1864

All men who desire to join any particular Regiment of cavalry now in the field are 
hereby authorized to present themselves at any time during the next thirty days 
at these Head Quarters when they will be enlisted and furnished with 
transportation.  They will be immediately mustered into the service of the United 
States and bounty paid.

Pay and subsistence to commence from date of enlistment.

By order of
J. D. Campbell
Capt. And Provost Marshal


War News 

On Friday Gen. Hooker ordered a strong reconnoitering force consisting of the 
Sixth Army Corps to cross the Rappahannock below Fredericksburg and stir up 
the Rebels.  This they did in fine style capturing about 100 prisoners and 
otherwise weakening the foe.  The movement was very satisfactory and stirring 
news may be expected from there shortly.

The President has disapproved so much of Gen. Burnside's recent order as 
suppressed the Chicago TIMES and Gen. Burnside has revoked the whole order 
so the TIMES and the WORLD are no longer under ban in the Department of the 
Ohio.

We have an account of Gen. Kilpatrick's recent successful raid back from 
Gloucester Point.  He crossed the country between the York and Rappahannock 
Rivers, making an extensive circuit through the garden spot of Virginia – a 
section where our troops have never before penetrated.  Col. Kilpatrick made a 
large haul of negroes, horses, &c., and has arrived safely at Urbanna with them. 
He spread general terror among the Rebels. His forces were taken across the 
Rappahannock by our gunboats and proceeded at once to our lines. 


The Draft – The Exemption 

A pamphlet giving instructions to Provost Marshals has just been issued by the 
authorities at Washington from which we have selected a few items.  In the new 
enrolling law the United States is divided into districts, each Congressional 
district of a State constituting a district and over each there is to be a Provost 
Marshal.  Each district shall also have a Board of Enrollment to be composed of 
the Provost Marshal, who shall act as President, and two others who are 
appointed by the President of the United States, one of whom is to be a regularly 
licensed and practicing physician.  Should they deem it necessary, they may 
divide each district into two and appoint an enrolling officer over each whose duty 
it shall be to enroll all persons subject to military duty before the first of July.  This 
enrollment must include all able-bodied men between the ages of twenty and 
forty-five years, not exempt by law, and all persons of foreign birth not so 
exempted, who shall have declared their intention on oath to become citizens of 
the United States; students of colleges or scholars, teachers, apprentices, 
sailors, travelling merchants and similar classes of citizens must be enrolled in 
the district in which they have their residences.  The draft is to take place under 
the direction of the Board of Enrollment.  A discharge from one draft furnishes no 
exemption from any subsequent draft.  The judges of the various courts of the 
United States, the heads of the executive departments and the Governors of 
States are exempt as also the only son of a widow or aged parents dependent 
upon him for support; where two or more sons are liable the mother may chose 
which shall be exempt; the only brother of orphan children under twelve years of 
age, and the father of motherless children of the same age dependent upon him 
for support, are also exempt.  When two or more of one household are already in 
the service, the rest liable, not exceeding two, are exempt.

Any of the following diseases will be sufficient causes for exemption:  

Epilepsy
Paralysis of one or more limbs
Acute or organic disease of the brain or spinal chord or of the heart, lungs, 
stomach or intestines, sufficient to impair the general health
Confirmed consumption
Cancer
Aneurism of the large arteries
Extensive diseases of the skin
Decided feebleness of constitution, whether natural or acquired
Scrofula  [a type of tuberculosis, affects lymph of the neck]
Constitutional syphilis
Habitual or confirmed intemperance or solitary vice
Great injury or disease of the skull
Total loss of sight in right eye
Cataract or serious disease of the eye
Loss of nose
Deafness
Purulent storrhoea 
Caries of the nasal or palate bones
Cleft palate
Extensive loss of substance of the cheeks
Dumbness
Atrophy or chronic ulceration of the tongue
Confirmed stammering
Loss of sufficient teeth to prevent proper mastication of food or tearing of 
cartridge
Deformity to either jaw
Tumor of neck, if impeding respiration
Fistula of larynx or tracia
Forticellis
Deformity of chest sufficient to prevent carrying of arms or to impede respiration
Deficient amplitude or power of expansion of chest
Grossly protuberant abdomen
Excessive obesity
Hernia
Artificial arms
Stricture of rectum
Prolapsus and fistula in and fistula in ano, if extensive or complicated
Old or ulcerated hemorrhoids
Epispadia
Hypospadia
Urinary Fistula, permanent or organic structure of the urethra
Stone in the bladder
Confirmed or malignant sarcocele
Hydrocele
Excessive anterior or posterior curvature of the spine
Loss of arm, forearm, hand, thigh, leg, or foot
Wounds or fractures sufficient to prevent marching
Irreducible dislocation of shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, hip or ankle joint
Muscular or cutaneous contractions from burns or wounds so as to prevent use 
of limbs
Total loss of thumb, two fingers of right hand
Index finger of right hand
Loss of first or second joint of fingers of right hand
Permanent extension for contraction of any fingers, except the little one
Total loss of great toe
Loss of any three toes
Toes all joined together 
The great toe crossing the others, overriding of all the toes
Club Feet
Splay feet
Varicose veins of inferior extremities if large or numerous
Chronic ulcers 
Extensive or deep cicatrices of lower extremities

Certificates from surgeons are to be sworn to before a Justice of the Peace.  
Examinations are to take place in a well lighted room, in presence of the Board of 
Enrollment and that party to be examined is to be stripped.


The Reserve Frontier Guard

Gov. Curtin has received from the Secretary of War directions to form a 
Volunteer force of fifteen regiments of which five will be cavalry designed, it is 
understood, as a defense for the State border in any contingency of raids.  The 
Gov., we believe, has long desired to organize such a force; and now that he is 
authorized, will make every effort to secure its early completion.  We shall, 
therefore, before very long, have in the field a valuable reserve force sufficient for 
State defense and convenient to the general Government in case of need.  We 
know from the lessons of the war what would be the worth of such a standing 
assurance of safety to both Government and State. So long as the border is 
poorly guarded, the temptation to invade is held out to the rebels.  But lately we 
heard that Lee contemplated a new offensive movement northward; true or not, 
the rumor has its warning.  The example of Pennsylvania might be wisely 
followed by all of the Border States.  The rebellion would thus be confined to 
narrower limits by the presence of a reserve standing force.  This move will give 
general satisfaction.