The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-11-26


in both Houses ke
As ] informed, you would be the case,
the Army OF the Potomac has advanced
and compelled the enemy to retreat after
suffering loss of nearly 1000 prisoners.
They also lost number in killed and
wounded General Meade's loss in killed
and wounded was about 400 no prisoners.
Meade has probably all Of 10000 fighting
men, and it will net be his fault, nor that
of his men, if he does not win great
victory this month. The weather is still
ell that could be desired. With sub
stantial victory by the Army of the Poto-
mac and another by the 100000 men
under Grant and Thomas, the Rebellion
would be SO effectually staggered that
starvation and rapidly increasing Union
sentiment in the South would soon end
it. Every loyal man in Washington
expects these victories, and therefore do 1
refer to them.
The Hon. Elihu B. Washburne, of
Illinois, is candidate against Schuyler
Colfax for the Speakership of the House.
There are no other Administration candi-
dates. An unusually large number Of
gentlemen aspire to the Clerkship. The
present Clerk, Emerson Etheridge, OF
Tenn. /; Green Adams, of KY, Sixth
Auditor Of the Treasury and ex- Members
of Congress Fessenden, of Maine, Bufing-
ton of Massachusetts, and MPherson, lf
Penn., are prominent. Ed. M'Pherson
is very worthy and competent gentleman,
and, We are informed, will go.into caucus
with many Members pledged to vote fer
him.
"Our starving soldiers at Richmond" is
the burden of all loyal conversation in
this city today. Our friends in Libby
Prison and on Belle Isle are being literally
starved to death by the Rebel authorities
deliberately and Economically. The
proof is only too abundant Our Gov
ernmcnt, Of course, will do all it can to
put stop to such unexam2led bar5arity.
1t would send bread by the shipsoad, but
would our brave boys get it? If the
Rebels refuse to allow us to feed the
prisoners they can't or aroni, no alternative
is left TO our Government but retaliation
IN kind, and it will be resorted to-
Evidently, the Rebels despair of success,
or they aeouza not, could not act SO
inhumanly.
But l find / am writing another letter.
I did not intend it. l merely took up my
pen to correct an error or two iu my last
letter. Yours, truly,
JAMES NJ. SWANK
WASHINGTON .CITY Nop 90, 1868.
To the Editor Of The AHeghanian:
DEAR SIR:-The muster-rulls cf COM
panies and detachments of soldiers, as all
know, are intended to embrace condensed
history of the service they perform and to
presen. an accurate report Of casualties,
designations, &c. These muster rolls
sometimes contain very funny entries
Here is one which I pencilcd the other
day from the roll for May and June 1862,
Co. T, 18th Regiment, Ill Vols. -
"June 18th, and 10th, Brighten. Logan
commanding made a ne plus ultra fore ed
| march and camped one mile north of Jackson,
Tenn, where your humble servant, Go. F,
now hugely enjoys the balmy Southern cline,
| made thrice congenial by the noble bearing
of sneering women and insolent men, strutt-
ing around with much sdngfroid as little
tad in its first pants"
DR.. VIM A. Hammond, Surgeon
General of the U. S. Army, it may not be
generally known to the readers of The
ANeyhamion, when boy ran barefooted in
the streets Of Somerset, Somerset county.
The Dr's. father, John w. Hammond, who
was also physician, was practicing his pro-
fession in Somerset in 1888, when the town
was half consumed by fire, His son, the
present Surgeon eneral, was then lad
of six or seven years. In 1886 or 1887,
the father received the appointment OF
chief clerk in the Auditor General Office
at Observation-Disclosures P. Hobart
being the Auditor General, and Joseph
Ritner the Governor. He remained in
| Harrisburg many years, and is now a
resident of Philadelphia. DR.. VIM A
Smith, of Ebensburg, who gave me this
| information in conversation with him a