The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-08-18
VOLUME 5. EBENSBURG, THURSDAY.


have not failed in this duty. If Pennsyl-
vania, by reason Of her geographical posi-
ton, has required TO be defended by the
common enemy. 1t has not been necessary
to weaken the army in the field by send
ing heavy detachments of veterans to save
her cities from being devasted by small
bands of ruihans, composed of their own
inhabitants. Nor have her people been
disposed to sneer at the great masses of
law-ablding citizens In any other State
who have required such protection. Yet
when brutal enemy, pursuing defeated
body of Union forces, crosses our border
and burns 6efenceless town, this horrid
barbarity, instead Of firing the hearts of
all the people of our common country, is
actually In some quarters made the occa-
sion of mocks and gibes at the unfortunate
sufferers, thousands of whom have been
rendered houseless. And these heartiess
SCOTS proceed from the very men who,
when the State authorities, foreseeing the
danger, were taking precautionary meas
ures, ridiculed the idea Of there being any
danger, sneered at the exertions to prepare
for meeting it, and succeeded to some ex-
tent In thwarting their efforts 10 raise
forces. These men are themselves moral
y responsible for the calamity over which
they now chuckle and rub their hands
1t might have been hoped-nay, we
had right to expect--that the people of
the loyal States engaged In common
effort to preserve their Government and
all that is dear to freemen, would have
forgotten, at least for the time, thei.
wretched local jealousies, and sympathized
with all their loyal fellow citizens, where
ever resident within the borders of our
common country. 1t should be rcmen-
bered that the original source of the. pres,
ent Rebellion was in such jeaiousies en-
couraged for wicked purposes by unscras
puIous Hssll;ioisns. Its. pe en- WHO for any
ndff5dsSsnew eeniih hue.t TO. encourage thsw,
ouSK t. behsli as public enemies-en
mics of our union Nhf our peace, and
should be treated -as such. Common feel
.iHgs-cemmon .sy ynrpathies-are the nee
essar, foundations of common free gov
ernment
[ am proud 20 say that the people of
Penn-y !vania feel every blow at any of
her sister States as an assault upon them
selves, aud give to them all that hearty
good will the expression of which Is some
times more important under the inf.ction
of calamity than mere material aid
Ii is unnecessary to refer 70 the ap-
proach of the rebel army up the Shepan
doah Valley on the third day of July iast
to the defeat of Gen. Wallace on the
Monocacy, their approach to and the
threatening of the Capital, or to thel-
destruction of property and piilase of the
counties of Maryland lying on the border.
These events have passed into history, and
tie responsibilities viii be settled by the
judgment of the people.
At that time, call was made upon
Pennsylvania for volunteers to be muster
ed into the service OF the United States
.sto ser2e for one hundred days In the
States of Pennsylvania aud Maryland, and
at Washington and It's vicinity" Not.
Hitfstanding the embarrassments which
Implicated the orders for their organiza-
ton and muster, SIX regiments were en-
listed and organized, and battalion OF
six companies. The regiments were with
drawn from the State, the last leaving the
18th day of July.
L desired that at least part OF this force
should De con6Eed in their service to the
States of Pennsylvania and Mary yland, and
made such an application to the War De-
partment, but as the. proposition did not
meet their appreciation, it was rejected,
aDd the general order changed to include
the States named and w WashiDgton and its
vicinity.
No part of the rebel army at that time
had come within the State. The people
of the border counties were warned and
removed their stock, and at Chambersburg
and York were organized aud armed for
their own protection. | was not officially
informed OF the movements OF the Federal
armies, and of course not of the strategy
of their commanders, but it was stated in
the newspapers that the rebel army was
closely pursued after it had crossed the
Potomac, and was retiring up the Valley
of the Shenandoah. Repeated successes
of our troops were also announced, and
the people O. this State had just cause to
believe that quite sufficient Federal force
had been thrown forward for its protection
upon the line of the Potomac.
On Friday, the 10Th of July, the rebel
brigades of Johnston and M'Causland,
consisting Of from 2 800 to 3 1000 mounted
men, with six guns, crossed the Potomac
at Clear Spring Ford. They commenced
crossing at 10 o'clock, A. NJ, and marched
directly on Mercersburg. There were but
As men picketed in that direction, under