Headrick. After the parade the square was again the scene of a jubilee, of which the speakers were Col. John P. Linton, Abraham Kopelin and Cyrus Elder. Proper salutes were fired from a cannon and mortar located on the commons, interspersed with plenty of martial music and fireworks galore. The sad news of the assassination of the beloved Lincoln came early on Saturday morning, April 15, which caused profound sorrow. All the churches were draped and impressive services were held on the next day. On July 4th, '65, the citizens welcomed the returning soldiers at a picnic held in Murray's Grove, which was just across the railroad tracks, below the Woodvale overhead bridge. There more than 4,000 soldiers were entertained. Grant, Sherman and Sheridan were the heroes of the day. One of the banners was: "The United States Stands Firm. Our Brave Soldiers, Defenders of our Country and our Firesides, We Welcome You Home." CAMBRIA TROOPS IN THE CIVIL WAR. The people of Cambria were loyal to their country in that internal strife. The troops in the field made splendid records for gallantry, and the men and women at home gave President Lincoln their patriotic support. The population of the county was about 29,000, yet during that four years' struggle for the abolition of slavery there were recruited within its limits thirtyeight complete companies and two more in part. This does not signify that many troops in the field at the same time, but that so many were organized and went into the service during the period. It has been the endeavor to show what part the soldier took on the march, in the camp, or in the engagement. It is doubtful if in any of the great battles Cambria county did not have at least one company actively engaged. Capt. Suter's Company K began it in a skirmish at Falling Waters, Virginia, on July 2, 1861, while in support of Gen. McDowell in the battle of First Bull Run, July 21; and at the close at Appomattox, April 9, 1865, Cambria was represented by thirteen companies, eight of whom were with Gen. Grant, and five as prisoners with Gen. Lee. The latter were released that day and were the subject of consideration between Grant and Lee while in the McLean House. A history of our soldiers is a substantial history of the battles of the war. In order to make the record as useful as possible the war has been the object, and each company from Cam bria has been considered as a unit of the great armies therein assembled. The company is followed from the beginning to the end, giving the names of the soldiers, the details of the wounds inflicted, their capture or death, and their military service so far as is possible. However, while the company is engaged on the field or on the march the smallest unit is usually a regiment or a brigade. Ordinarily a regiment was composed of ten companies, of which at that time each completed company consisted of 105 men; four regiments formed a brigade; four brigades, a division; four divisions, a corps, and two or more corps, the army. A captain made no report of the actions of his company while in battle or on the march; that duty rested upon the colonel, the brigade commander, or the superior official. Where there was more than one company in the engagement, it has been endeavored to give a concise view of the battle in its larger scope, and to follow each company through it, showing the part of the field on which it was located and what it did. For instance, in the great conflict at Fredericksburg there were six companies from the county; therefore, the history of these companies will be found under the title, "The Battle of Fredericksburg," and not in the consecutive order of the service of the company. This rule does not apply to Company C, 19th U. S. Infantry, from Ebensburg, inasmuch as it was the only one from the county in the western armies, and its history is continuous, beginning at Shiloh and ending at Atlanta. October 19, 1864, was probably one of those nerve-racking days for Mr. Lincoln, of which all the world now knows. It was the occasion when Col. Suter's 54th Regiment was with Maj. Gen. Sheridan in the most brilliant battle of the war, when the latter made his famous ride from Winchester. The telegraph offices nearest to the field of Cedar Creek were Rectortown and Harper's Ferry, and the distance was too great for a practical messenger service to keep the government advised of the progress of the conflict. Mr. Lincoln knew a battle was raging at a very early hour in the morning, and the only indication whether it was for victory or defeat were the sounds of the artillery firing, of which the officers at these places wired to the President. When faint, hope reasoned that it was farther away and the enemy was probably retreating; however, in a short time the fierce cannonading indicated a renewal of the fight with its uncertainties. Several telegrams of this character were sent to the War Department during the day, and the last one, at 8:45 in the evening, indicated that Sheridan had been defeated. We try to picture this day in the words of the telegrams from these places, and finally from Gen. Sheridan announcing the route of the 54th Regiment, and Capt. Blough's Company K, at the dawn, the rally and the assault made at 4 p. m., when Gen. Early's army was practically destroyed. It would be a story only half told without Gen. Early's reasons for his many defeats, and the uncomplaining conclusions for the disasters of Gen. Lee, who was waiting and hoping for "one victory" which would make all things right. This composite story begins at Shiloh, the first severe battle, when Company C, of Ebensburg, was on the banks of the Tennessee with Gen. Grant; the Cambria troops are next engaged with McClellan on the Peninsula, ending at Malvern Hill. They move to Maryland, and are in the terrible slaughter in the cornfield at Antietam; they follow Lee to Fredericksburg, and go in with Humphreys in his repeated assaults; with Franklin, Meade and Reynolds against Stonewall Jackson below the city; then on to Chancellorsville, where Sickles helps to stay the panic stricken forces on Hooker's right flank. They interpose Lee in his invasion of Pennsylvania, and come in contact on the dreadful field of Gettysburg. The connected story of Capt. Jones' company of the 11th Reserves in defending Little Round. Top and driving the enemy on the second day; and that of Capt. Fite's company of Sickles' corps in the carnage in the Peach Orchard; the defense of the magnificent Hancock at the Bloody Angle, and lastly, that of Capt. Hamilton's company in "the Farnsworth ride to his death" on Lee's extreme right, is an accurate description of those three days of death and misery. It recalls the palmy days of knighthood. The scene moves to the west with Company C in the great battle of the West-Chickamauga, where Gen. Thomas held the enemy while the panic-stricken troops on the right and center fled, and then on to Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, where they drove the enemy from the mountain tops. It shifts again to the east. They cross the Rapidan with Gen. Grant, and were in the struggles in the Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor, and pursued Lee to Petersburg, where he entrenched. While Gen. Grant was thus engaged on the east side of the Blue Ridge, Col. Campbell's regiment was on the west side in the Shenandoah Valley, engaged in the severe battles of New Market, Piedmont and Lynchburg, and retreating across the mountains, during which, for want of food, maniacs were made of good soldiers. They escaped, and returned to the valley, where the 54th Regiment, under Col. Linton, were with Gen. Crook at Kearnstown, and with Sheridan at Opequon and Fisher's Hill. Another scene is brought from the west, where Company C is marching and fighting with Sherman in his triumphant campaign and capture of Atlanta in September, '64. During the last six months of the war Cambria county had thirteen companies with Gen. Grant, in and around Petersburg and Richmond. All of these were in active pursuit and took prominent parts in the capture of the retreating army. On the morning of April 6, the 54th Regiment had passed Lee's army and got in his front at High Bridge, while the main body of Grant's army was in the rear and on his flanks. The regiment was captured and the men were probably the last prisoners tak en. On April 9 they were at Appomattox, or in close proximity. The last maneuver of Gen. Sheridan on that Palm Sunday morning was most brilliant and interesting. Capt. Stackhouse's company of infantry, and Capts. Hads, Black and Blough with their cavalry were in the line formed in the face of the enemy; the command was given to charge; the bayonets and sabers were glistening; the flags were flying and the horses prancing, the first step was about to be made, when the white flag of peace was unfurled. The line was halted, but it was so sudden that the enemy not in the immediate vicinity kept up firing. The surrender was made, and within a few hours Gen. Grant and Gen. Lee had concluded the terms. On the 11th the Fifth corps, including Maj. Stackhouse's 198th Pennsylvania, was delegated to receive the formal surrender of all the troops and munitions of war in Lee's army. Then, with Gen. Johnston's surrender to Gen. Sherman, came the grand review in Washington City, May 23, 1865. Is this only history? Stand on Little Round Top where Warren stood, and where the blood of Weed and Hazlett flowed to death, and watch Col. Jackson's 11th Pennsylvania Reserves, then less than four hundred, making its charge down the rocky and craggy slope of that famous hill, breaking Longstreet's line and driving it back beyond the wheat-field, followed by other regiments of the Reserves. Look at Gen. Samuel W. Crawford, the division commander, who, riding up to them with hat in hand, saluting Col. Jackson, proclaimed on that gory field, where more than 25,000 men were dead and wounded at that hour: "Colonel, your men are worth their weight in gold." What a happy moment it was for Capt. Jones' men that they did so much to save the Union. Imagine Gen. Sheridan halting the assaulting line at Cedar Creek until Gen. Crook's men got in line to make the last charge on Gen. Early's army, because these men had done such good work at Opequon and Fisher's Hill, that he wanted them to participate in the glory. Another happy moment it was for the five companies in the 54th Regiment from Johnstown. Observe the flags and guidons of the regiments of the companies of Captains Fite, Ryckman and Stackhouse, and see the names of the battles inscribed thereon in which they had done meritorious things, and were so judged by Gen. Grant and Gen. Meade. COMPANIES RECRUITED IN CAMBRIA COUNTY. Capt. John M. Power, Co. K, 3d Pa. Inf. Capt. Robert Litzinger, Co. A, 40th Pa. Capt. John P. Suter, Co. A, 54th Pa. Inf. Capt. Joseph W. Gardner, Co. K, 125th Capt. John Downey, Co. A, 133d Pa. Inf. 1861. 1862. 1863. Capt. Thomas H. Lapsley, Co. D, same. Capt. James A. Skelly, Co. G, 113th Capt. John B. Fite, Co. D, 115 Pa. Inf. Capt. Josiah K. Hite, Co. K, 136 Pa. Inf. Capt. David Hamilton, Co. K, 163d Pa. Emergency troops from Johnstown: Capt. Richard Ryckman, Co. F, 182d Capt. Daniel O. Evans, Co. A, Indep. Capt. William R. Hughes, Co. B, same. Capt. William H. Mackin, Co. G, 192 Capt. William R. Jones, Co. F, 194th Capt. Powell Stackhouse, Co. F, 198th Pa. Inf. 1864. Capt. Powell Stackhouse, Co. A. Capt. W. B. Lowman, Co. D, 204th Pa. Capt. Robert Litzinger, Co. C, 209th Below is a summary of the engagements in which troops from Cambria participated. Endeavor has been made to give the name of the captain who led the company in the contest, and not the one who held the commission, if absent: Falling Waters, Va., July 2, 1861-Capt. John P. Suter, Co. K, 3d Pa. Inf. Vol. II-3 |