Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-05-17
JOHN s. M'KIERNAN.

publican, of the Sd inst which we have de-
ferred noticing until the present, that we
might be prepared TO do it full justice Ear
ly in the history of the late war, John 5.
Nj Herman acquired some reputation as
brave soldier and hence we were always dis
| posed to overlook his shortcomings, and
bear with his .incompetency. He has seen
| proper, however, to thrust himself into
| print with grave charges against others, and
| ment, requires that we should lay before the
public the facts which exhibit him as a self
convicted liar.
On the fst of March last, letter from
Col. Campbell, Provost Marshal, was pub
| lshed; giving as among the reasons why
troops were sent to Clearfeld county the
fact that his Deputy, John S. M Herman,
had from time to time reported the impos-
| sibility of obtaining aid or assistance from
the inhabitants in the prosecution of bis du-
| ties-that, on the contrary, deserters and
non-reporting drafted men were secreted,
harbored, and employed by many influential
citizens-that his efforts must prove fruit
less unless sustained by military force, and
that he had been repeatedly fred upon while
in the execution of his duty" For two
months after the publication of this letter
! we heard nothing from Nj Kiernan. But
suddenly his ire was aroused, and on the Sd
instant, letter appeared in the Republican,
! substantially denying that he had made any
such reports, and saying that he was charg-
ed with it Ito bring him into disrepute with
| the Democratic party, and destroy what
friends he had among the Republicans
| The poor fool seems to have forgotten that
his letters were on file among the records of
| the Provost Marshalls office which fully
bear Col. Campbell out in all he said. That
| the public may know exactly what reports
he did make, we append a number of his
letters, commencing with the one in which
he accepted his appointment. There are, of
course, a vast number of others on file, of
| the same character. for which We have not
room. We give enough, however, (embrac-
ing more than year. to show the general
tenor of the whole.
| CLEARFIELD, JUNE 9TH, 1868
| CAPT. III. S. CAMPBELL DEAR SIR: |
! have received the appointment that you left
with Dr. Mechlin to fill, constituting me a
special officer to arrest deserters and spies
| | have the honor to accept it, and would
respectfully ask for instructions. In this
county they threaten the man that attempts
to arrest any deserters, and in some parts of
the county parties are organizing for that
purpose In case [ should arrest any one,
| where will ] get the guard to take care of
them, or what shall / do with them.
| Your obt sery't, JoHN S. VI KIERNAN.
| CLEARFIELD, July lsT, 1868
Col. ii. 5. CAMPBELL: SIR: Yours of
the Goth uls. | have just received, and l at
once comply with your request. The rolls
from Knox township (where the shooting
occurred} have again been returned to me
without completion Ihare been informed
to day that q party Of Slrty persons haze
been organized to resist the enrolling.
am respectfully, your obedient SER
| want, JOHN S. NJ KIERNAN.
CLEARFIELD, July 4TH, 1864
Col. III. S. CAMPBELL Sir: | have the
honor to report the following: Day before
yesterday | went up into Knox township to
get one of the citizens to enroll the town
! ship, but no one ,could do it. | then asked
the young nrpt1 that was with me if he would
agree to do it if [ would go with him and
assist He said he would, and so we went
at it. By last evening we had all the names,
but they are not yet copied. The people
tongue-lashed us at great rate. Some re-
fused to give their ages, and one man told
me repeatedly to leave, and said if L did
not would get shot, A lady (?) said to me
st out of this you dam'd black son of a
bitch or | Il scald you. ] didn't get out
though. ID. j. Cathcart | think is not i'm
proving, and it is feared that he will not re-
cover | hope by the last of next week to
report to you the arrest of the man that shot
him. Shall | arrest any of those persons
that refused to give their ages? Mr.. Cath
cart told me yesterday that Philip Sloppy
did not stone him but only picked up stones
and said he would if he (Cathcart) did not
leave, and he left for fear of injury. Dan
iel Bowman also told him in threatening
manner to leave his house, and he left.
Shall [ arrest ore, both, or either of them?
| am respectfully, your obedient ser
want. JOHN S. NJ KIERNAN.
CLEARFIELD, July 9th, 1868.
Col. III. S. CAMPBELL SIR The en-
rOllment for this County is at last complet-
ed. | was compelled to visit several of the
townships in order to have the enrolment
completed, as the officers were afraid to go
into some localities. Since L have been a.
round through the County find that TWEEN
ty or twenty-five cavalry will be necessary
for my posse. [ wish they were here as |
feel reluctance to call on citizens to assist
| me in arresting deserters as there is so much
| feeling in the matter.
am respectfully, your obedient SER
want, JOHN S. NJ HERMAN.
S>u11IS MFRS JIIy IS62