OUR LEADER RISE^^ FROM THE RAMS! A WORKING MAN, FIRST IN THE FIELD,AND EVER READY WITH SWORD AND PURSE TO DEFEND HIS COUNTRY. 870 i"! "BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ■'r^ -vffno soil f I OF COL. JACOB MILLER CAMPBELL, UNION CANDIDATE FOR SURVEYOR GENERAL. Jacob Miller Campbell is a native of Alle- gheny township, Somerset county, Pa., and was born on the 20th day of November, 1821. When a mere youth his parents removed to Allegheny city, where he went to school until 1835. In that year, being fourteen years old, he became an apprentice in the office of the Somerset Whig, a Democratic newspaper, in which he remained until he had mastered as much of the printing business as could be learn- ed in a country office of that day. In 1840 he left Somerset and worked for some time "at case" in the office of the Literary Examiner, a monthly magazine of considerable merit published in Pittsburgh. From here our '* jour printer" found his way to New Orleans and into another printing office. But his ac- tive nature was not satisfied. The steamboat trade on the lower Mississippi presented in 1840, as does the oil business in 1865, tempt- ing inducements to enterprising spirits who care less for hard knocks than the sub- stantial benefits which they sometimes pro- duce. Laying down Ms composing stick the boy of nineteen became a steamboat-man, and for several subsequeiit years filled successive- ly the positions .'. oIer'E7i>i2't^aj^'*"i'^^*^*'*^' W?IS^' '" "^ of !• vessel, alw>78, ':o ever, making Penn- sylvania his home, which ^he frequently visit- ed. In 1847 the iron business of our State attracted his attention, and he embarked in it at Brady's Bend. In the same year he married. In 1851 he followed the course of empire to California, but did not long re- main there, and in 1853 we find him in Johns- town, assisting in the construction of our mammoth rolling, mill. With this splendid enterprise he remained connected up to the breaking out of the war, holding all the time } was one of the few men who knew how to build and manage successfully the greatest iron es- tablishment in the Union. In April, 1861, Fort Sumter was bombarded and the first call appeared for volunteers to "rally round the flag." At the time Mr. Campbell was first lieutenant of a volunteer company in Johnstown, and this company at once tendered its services to the Governor, who promptly accepted them. It was the first com- pany to enter Camp Curtin. Upon the organi- zation of the Third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieutenant Campbell was ap- pointed Quartermaster, a position which he filled with great acceptability until the regi- ment was discharged. While yet in the "three months' service," the State of Pennsylvania asked for a loan of three millions of dollars, for the purpose of raising and equipping the " Pennsylvania Re- serve Corps," which the Governor was author- ized to call into the service of the State. This was at a time when those having^ money were loth to lend it to the Government, as it was difficult to see or foretell what would be the result of the contest just commenced, Lieut. xi/ampbeU, however, did not share in the feel- ings of u. ubt and uncertainty expressed by many of the community. He at onoe placed at the disposal of the State $30,000 (all that he possessed in the world, except his family residence.) At the time the papers of the city of Philadelphia spoke of the matter and said: One of the noblest among the noble offer- ings in this particular, is that of J. M. Camp- bell, of Johnstown, Cambria county. He sub- scribed and has paid to the Treasurer of the State, thirty thousand dollars, while he is at the same time serving as a volunteer in the army. This is truly pledging life, fortune and an important and responsible position. He] sacred honor in the cause of the country. Soon after his subscription to the State, and whilst our troops were yet at Camp Scott, it became 'evident that some arrangement would be necessary to provide for the wants of the ofl&cers of his Regiment as the Govern- ment had not made any arrangement for their pay. Many of them were without uniforms and were without the means to procure them. Lieut. Campbell obtained a three days' leave of absence, went to Pittsburgh, raised on his own responsibility $6,000, took it to camp and distributed it among such of the officers and men of his Regiment as stood in need of it. At the time this generous act was noticed as follows, by the correspondent of the Pittsburgh Dis- patch : — On last Saturday Quartermaster Campbell, who was formerly a resident of Allegheny City, visited Pittsburgh, and raised, on his own individual responsibility, for the use of his regiment, six thousand dollars, which he to-day disbursed to the men. He has also ■made arrangements for fourteen thousand dollars more for the same purpose, in case the Government should not make a payment soon. Such noble disinterestedness on the part of Quartermaster Campbell is only in keeping with his general character ; indeed, his devo tion to the interests of the Third Regiment is proverbial throughout the Camp Lieut. Campbell served with his Regiment in General Patterson's abortive campaign in the mouth of the Shenandoah valley and re turned to Harrisburg with the troops of that command. He was mustered out on the 28th of July, 1861, and on the 30th of the same month was commissioned to recruit a regi- ment. In due time the regiment was raised, the companies composing it having been mainly recruited through Col. Campbell's individual ©xertions. Eight of the companies were re- cruited in Cambria and Somerset counties, and two in Lehigh and Northampton coun- ties. The regiment was designated the Fifty- Fourth. Whilst the Fifty-Fourth Regiment was in the vicinity of Washington, in March, 1862, it was selected by General Casey to escort through that city the remains of the lamented Colonel Cameron, (brother of the late Secre tary of War,) who fell at the first battle of third of the product of said land shall be paid Bull Run. On the 29th day of March, 1862, Col. Camp- bell received orders to report with his Regi- ment to Gen. Miles at Harpers' Ferry, and in accordance with instructions from that oflicer proceeded to occupy the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, from North Mountain Station, 56 miles westward, to the South Branch of the Potomac, the Regiment occupy- ing ten stations at the most important points along the line. The headquarters of the Regi- ment were at first at Great Cacapon, but at the expiration of a fortnight Col. Campbell removed them to Sir John's Run. The Colonel soon discovered that his posi- tion was of a kind to call into play the experi- ence and tact of an administrative and judi- cial officer, rather than the more brusque abili- ties of a military commander. In two of the counties through which his command extended (Morgan and Hampshire), there was no recognized civil authority of any kind — all the officers of both counties, civil as well as military, having espoused the Southern cause. As for the citizens who remained at home, not only were they divided in their political adherence, but personal rancor ran high among them. Nearly all had grievances (real or imaginary) to urge, and all alike sought redress from the only power at hand. Many of the farms along the line of the road were desolate, the fences prostrate, and the build- ings falling to wreck — the owners being in the'Southern'.army. Many respectable house- holds who remained were without decent shel- ter for their families, their homes having been laid waste by one or tho other of the contend- ing factions. * The first duty, therefore, devolving upon Col. Campbell, after he had concluded a mili- tary exploration of the country, with the view of guarding against surprise, was to hear and determine many of these cases. As law was outof the questianhe'^esolyedlodecide alTcases brought before him in equity, so far as it might be within his jurisdiction to do so. Many of tho deserted farms along the line of the road, whose owners were in the Confeder- ate /irmy, he gave out to responsible persons "until such time as it should be otherwise ordered by competent and lawful authority" on condition that after the first year, '* one- over to such officer as may bo designated by the Government of the United States, or other authority legally competent to receive the same." All the fences were to be rebuilt within the first year by the parties farming cl 5 the land. Thus many families were enabled to live in comparative comfort, who would otherwise have been reduced to various suffer- ing, perhaps to actual starvation. Col. Campbell also required a number of the most hostile and mischievous persons to give bonds for their future good behavior, and many, who had angry dissensions of a strict- ly personal nature, he persuaded to shake hands in his presence, and enter upon new terms of friendship. The men under his com- mand were subject to the most stringent orders to respect the private property of every citizen, and in no case to obstruct or annoy the people in their lawful pursuits. By such wise and truly patriotic measures, a friendly understanding, expressed in many instances of amicable reciprocity, was established be- tween the citizens and the soldiery, and even the most obdurate Secessionists of Hampshire and Morgan learned to regard the quiet Colonel of the 54th as "not so bad for a Yan- kee."; On the 2oth of May, when Gen. Banks was driven down the Shenandoah Valley, General Miles ordered Col. Campbell to concentrate his Eegiment for the protection of South Branch Bridge, as a large force of the enemy were advancing in that direction from Rom- ney with the intention to destroy it. He promptly carried out the order, and after driv- ing the enemy far beyond Romney, he return- ed to his post at the bridge, and on the 3d of June, again deployed his command along the line of the road as they had been before the retreat of Gen. Banks. Skirmishing with the enemy's pickets was kept up daily with the rebel force occupying Hedgesvirre and Jil.-^-iJ.^' .h::.-'^ <«ftor fhp h>)ttle of Aniietam. Gen. McClellan attached Col Campbell's Regiment temporarily to the com- mand of Gen. Franklin, but with orders to retain their position on the road, unless threatened by a very superior force, in which event he was to concentrate his regiment at Hancock, on the north side of the Potomac. Col. Campbell, however, never deemed it neces- sary to availhimself of the discretionary power given him and mainteined his position oa the road. When the Army of the Potomat mov*^, after the battle of Antietam, Col. Campbell ur- gently requested that his regiment mightbe re- lieved from its present duty and sent with the main army in the " onward march to Rich mond," but he was not permitted to do so. The Baltimore American, in speaking of the services of this regiment at the time, pays the Colonel and regiment the following compli- ment od> oi " Here is a regiment which has held its ground with notable fidelity, in situations always per- plexing, and often most perilous. Here, too, is a commaiider with a head full of policy and a heart full of spirit. Set to guard, with a comparatively insignificant force, the most important military thoroughfare in the coun- try — in a region almost unanimously hostile and overrun with partisan bands — he begins by procuring the favor, or securing the neu- trality, of an embittered and reckless popula- tion, by measures of justice, liberality and for- bearance. With discretionary instructions from all of his superior officers with whom he has correspondence, often under circumstances that would have abundantly justified him in abandoning the road, he invariably exercises that discretion on the side of duty, and sticks fast by his lonely post, while the locality, and almost the existence, of his regiment is un- known to our army. Moving day and night from one post to another, as often as he is threatened, cleverly escaping when des- perately beset, frequently throwing out his whole force as pickets when he hasnoreserves to fall back upon, again and again ingenious- ly befooling his enemy by almost amusing de- vices, he has shown himself a capable strate- gist, a vigorous commander, a faithful soldier, and a brave man. Col. Campbell has on several occasions re- quested to be relieved from duty on the rail- road (where, unhappily for him, he is exact- ly the right man in the right place), and sent into active service in the field. Had he availed himself of the discretionary orders given him the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company would have 77 miles of road to rebuild instead of 23, including the Paw Paw and Doe Gully tunnels, and the magnificent iron bridge over yu\. ^outh Branch. Whether Cumberland it- self would not have fallen into the hands of the Rebels, is a matter for conjecture ; for with Romney in their possession the brave and vigilant Gen. Kelly had not troops enough at that time to defend the place. When Harper's Ferry was invested Col. Campbell procured from the west end of the road a locomotive and several open platform cars. With these he moved his men from point to point, wherever threatened, and always in time to checkmate the' enemy and preserve the 54 miles of railroad under his •tMirgs. It Ib to the energy and vigilance of Colonel Campbell, and the activity of his brave oflfi'- cers and men, that we are indebted for the preservation of so much of the road." ,6 The Wheeling (daily) Pre5«, in speaking of] ed, but sent out detachments wherever the this regiment, uses the following language : <' Whilst the newspaper press is enumerat- ing the gallant deeds of our army, and giving just praise to the different Divisions, Brigades and Regiments comprising it, there are many equally meritorious who are omitted, and who are equally entitled to the gratitude of their fellow-citizens. Among this class I would name the 54th Pa. Vols., Col. J. M. Campbell. This regiment has been stationed along the line of the Baltimore and Ohio R.. R. since last April. A better disciplined set of men, or a more vigilant set of officers are not to be found in the service. Col. Campbell, by his gentlemanly and unassuming deportment, his vigilance and fine administrative abilities, has endeared himself to the citizens of Berkley, Morgan and Hampshire counties, and his mili- tary qualifications are of the highest order. He is emphatically the right man in the right place, a fact of which the government appears to be well aware, as they have turned a deaf ear to all his numerous applications to be re- moved to other fields of service." Col. Campbell continued to guard the line of the road until the 25th of December, 1862 when his regiment was once more brought to- gether at North Mountain station, and the different posts along the road were occupied by the 15th Virginia. Here Col. Campbell and his regiment remained until the 6th of March, and all time not necessarily taken up in scouts and expeditions after the forces of Imboden and McNeil, was spent in perfecting his men in regimental drill, the long sepa- ration of the different companies of his regi- ment rendering this essentially necessary. On the 6th of March, 1863, Col. Campbell was or dered with his regiment to Romney, and there assigned to the command of the 4th Brigade let Division, 8th Army € -rps. With this force he proceeded to occupy the diffeient enemy could be found, giving them no rest. By sending out a decoy train at one time he almost succeeded in capturing the whole rebel force. Although not entirely successful in the attempt, the enemy was severely punish- ed, and a large number of them captured. But they were always very careful thereafter about attacking any of our trains. On the 5th of July, Col. Campbell, with his command, was ordered to New Creek to form part of the column under Gen. Kelly, which was to march to Cherry Run to prevent the Rebel force under Lee gaining possession of the fords at that point, and prevent their com- ing farther west. On the 16th, Col. Camp- bell, with his brigade, was sent across the river, and after a spirited engagement drove the rebel force out of Hedgesville, and took possession of that place. On the 19th they came upon the enemy near the junction of the Winchester and Martinsburg road, and with the assistance of Gen. Averill's cavalry suc- ceeded in driving the enemy as far as Mar- tinsburg. In the meantime the rebel Gen. Early, with 22,000 men, made a detour to the ,west side of North Mountain for the purpose of capturing Gen. Kelly's entire force, which now lay near Hedgesville. In this he entire- ly failed. Our force fell back in the night across the river at Cherry Run, Col. Camp- bell bringing up the rear, and holding the enemy in check until all our force was across the river. After reinforcements had arrived ©ur forces again crossed the river and drove the enemy south of Winchester, when Col. Campbell, with his brigade, was ordered to returu to their former stations among the Hamp.shire mountains, where they remained mountain passes, making his hoadquarj;^«u.aiJi}.OJ.tt?f tL*ti^'^ -'-'^-^.vYfupeurDer Gth, when he Mechanicsburg Gap. While occupying thisjvras ordered, with his command, to Spring- position they wcxe in almost daily conflicl fi«W., and had assigaed to him all the troops with the guerrilla forces of Imboden and McNeil. These guerrilla chieftains had suc- ceeded in driving from these mountain passes all the Union forces that had ever occupied or attempted to occupy them. If they had not the force to attack our men they would invari- ably cut off their communications, capture al- most every train Bent out for supplies, and by this means compel them to evacuate their po- sitions. Col. Campbell soon changed the as- pect of affairs. Up (}jd not wait to be attack- along the line of the railroad from Cherry Run to New Creek, in addition to his brigade. On the 4th of Jan., 1864, he moved with his command to Cumberland, which point was threatened by the forces of Rosser and Fitz- hugh Lee. Here he remained until General Sigel took command of the Department o West Virginia. In a reorganization of the troops which took place. Col. Campbell, at his own request, returned to the command of his regiment. At the battle of New Market, May 15th, the regiment suffered severely. It oc- cupied the extreme left of the line, and was the last to leave the field. We quote from the official report of that battle as follows : < Just then, as our left was falling back, hotly pressed by the enemy, who were advanc- ing with loud shouts, Col. Campbell ordered a charge by his gallant 54th regiment. They had been lying flat on the ground, and when the charge was ordered they sprang to their feet with a loud yell, advanced at a double quick, firing as they advanced, driving the enemy back for full a hundred yards, but the enemy were promptly reinforced, and, after an obstinate stand, our brave boys were again driven back, the enemy again advancing, while our infantry and artillery were mowing down their ranks at a most frightful rate. The o4th was driven back to their original position, where they made a stand once more, while the enemy still continued to receive re- inforcements. About this time our right be- gan to waver ; they were outflanked by the enemy, and compelled to give way in some confusion. The enemy then made a dash upon our centre amidst a torrent of grapeshot from our batteries, but still they advanced, and would have taken our batteries if they had not been promptly moved from their position. Still, the left of our forces held their position. Col. Curtis, with his 12th, and Col. Weddle, with the 1st Vir^ginia, stood their ground bravely, and disputed it inch by inch. Col Campbell, with the 54th Pennsylvania, on the extreme left of our line, would not give an inch whilst the enemy were flanking him on his left. Finally, the force of the enemy which had been engaged on our right, came sweeping down on the right of our line, com- pelling the 1st and 12th to give way. The Mth still stood, until almost surrounded, and thear capture appeared inevitable." A correspondent of the Philadelphia Fress, in its account of the battle, says of Col. Camp- bell and his Regiment : «' Hnr loss in killed, wounded, and missing is about nine hunafeu. ihnTavvx^ ifm^i-^K. certainly three times that number, as they were mowed down like grass. • The greatest proportionate loss on our side was in the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and I may add, without disparagement to any other regiment, that they are entitled to the ^eatest meed of honor. Their conduct called forth the admiration of their commanding General, and Col. Campbell and his brave men were acknowledged as the heroes of the day Their loss in officers was quite heavy for the number engaged." Under Hunter the regimeni took a promi- nent part in the battle of Piedmont, June 5th, ^ain occupying the left of the line, and this time flanking the enemy's right and attack- ing him in the rear. After the battle Colonel Campbell was assigned to the command of a brigade, and as a special favor his own regi- ment was transferred to it, that it might re- main under its old commander. In all the engagements of Hunter while on his celebrated <« Lynchburg Raid," Colonel Campbell and his brigade took a prominent part. The brigade suffered heavily in the at- tack upon Lynchburg, the loss in his old Regiment alone being 55. On the return from that place. Col. Campbell with his Brigade covered the retreat. On July 24th, the brigade participated in the battle of Winchester, and upon the fall of Col. Mulligan, Col. Campbell took command of his division. He continued in its command until its consolidation into a brigade, consequent upon its many losses in killed and wounded, and afterward command- ed the brigade. After Sheridan came to the head of the Department, he participated in the engagements in the Shenandoah under that renowned chieftain until he was muster- ed out of service nearly two months after the expiration of his three years' term of enlist- ment. Two companies of his regiment had been mustered out of service, the remaining ones fearfully reduced, it was no discretionary matter with him to remain, as the orders of the War Department (General Order No. 36 Series of 1864,) required the mustering out of all Colonels whose regimental organization was broken. His total period of service, in- cluding the three months' campaign, it will thus be seen, covered nearly three years and a half. Col. Campbell vras never absent from his command except three weeks in Feb, 1864, ;iwEfen he was detailed by order of the Secretary of War to sit «