Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-08-08
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
Gen. Jacob M. Campbell, Republic
can Candidate for surveyor Gcn-
ersll.


can Candidate for surveyor Gen-
eral.
General Campbell was born in Allegheny
township, Somerset county, Pa, on the goth
day of November, 1921 consequently, lie
will be forty. seven years old next November.
At an early age he was apprenticed to the
printing business, in Somerset, Pa. After
mastering the "art preservative of arts" he
cmigrated to Pittsburg, where he worked
at case" for some time. He next found his
way to New Orleans, and into another print
ing Office. Tired Of the composing stick
and rule" he tried his hand at steamboating,
first as deck hand, and subsequently as
clerk, mate, and part owner of vessel. In
1947 we find him in the iron business, at
Drady's Bend. In 1851 he followed the tide
of emigration to California, remaining there
but short time. In 1853 we find him in
Johnstowu, Pa, assisting in the construc-
tion of the mammoth Cambria Iron Works,
with which establishment he was connected
up to the breaking out of the war. In 1861,
he was among the first to enroll himself as
volunteer, to defend the flag of his country,
and belonged to the first company that entered
Camp Curtin. Upon the arrival of the COM
pany in Harrisburg, and the organization of
the Third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volun.
teers to which his company was attached,
Lieut.. Campbell was appointed Quartermas-
ter of the regiment, which position he filled
with credit to himself and to the satisfaction
of the officers and men of his regiment, as
all those who remain will testify. He was
mustered out of service on the 2Sth of July
1861, and on the 30th of the same month,
was commissioned by Gov. Curtin to raise,
a regiment. The regiment was recruited
ipl,, pal nh oil md i,,;l
ual excrtions, and upon being organized,
was designated the 4th. His regiment was
the escort of honor through the city of
Washington, to the remains of the lamented
Col. Cameron (brother of Hon. Simon Came
ROM who fell at the first Bull Run battle
On the Goth of March, 1862, Col. Campbell
was ordered to occupy the line of the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad from North Noun
tain station, tifty-six miles westward TO the
South Branch of the Potomac. In that po.
sition, the executive as well as the military
abilities of the Colonel were constantly call
ed into rcquisition. How well he performed
his arduous and multitudinous duties in this
trying position, the officers of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, as well as his superiors
in the military service, do not hesitate to
declare that but for his energy and sleepless
watchfulness, many miles of the road would
have been destroyed. On the 25th of De-
cember, 1862, he was relieved from duty
along the railroad, and on the 9th of March,
1868, was assigned to the command of the
Fourth Brigade, First Division, Eighth
Army Corps. In 1864, Gen. Sigel took COM
mand OF the Department OF West Virginia,
and in a re. organization of the troops, Col
Campbell, at his own request, was returned
to tue command vi his regiment, and took an
active part in the battle of New Market,
occupying the left Of the line. His regi
ment suffered severely and was the last to
leave the field. But for the determined
stand made by Col. Campbell, Sigels army
! would have been routed and demoraliZed.--
In his official report of the battle, he ac.
knowledged tho valuable services of Col.
Campbell in very handsome and fattering
! manner. A deserved compliment to a de-
serving officer. Gen. Sigel also took occa-
sion to thank Col. Campbell in person. MY
God! Col Campbell, wish had known
you betterl" Gen. Sigel exclaimed, rushing
to Col. Campbell and grasping his hand
| with both of his own, after the tumult of
the battle had subsidized. The Colonel and
his regiment took a prominent part in the
battle of Piedmont, under Gen. Hunter. He
was brevetted Brigadier General for brave.
ry and "fitness to command" IN this battle,
ana again RsslSned TO the command ol
brigade. He also took an active part in
Hunters celebrated "Lynchburg Raid" his
command suffering heavily in the attack
! upon Lynchburg. When Col. Mulligan fell
at Winchester, Gen. Campbell took command
of the division, and continued in command
until, by severe losses in killed and wounded,
it was consolidated in brigade, which he
afterwards commanded. lie also participa-
ted in the engagements in the Shenandoah,
under the gallant Phil. Sheridan, winning
other and new laurels while with that intre-
pid chieftsin.
General Campbell was mustered out of
the service in the fall of 1864, having been
in the army almost three years and half.
He was never absent from his command, ex-
cept three weeks, sitting as a member of a
COur. of Inquiry, at Wheeling, West Vir-
| ginia, and had but two "leayes of absence"
during his whole period of service, one for
ten and the other for twenty days.
The political record of General Campbell
will also bear exapination. Brought up a
jackson Democrat he voted for Polk aud
Dallas in lS44, but in 1S4S, seeing the de.
termined encroachments of the slavery
propsgandists, he voted for the free soil
candidates, Van Buren and Adams, and in
1862 again voted for the free soil nominees,