Bellefonte Secrets Issue 38

WRITING AND RESEARCHING LINCOLN HISTORY, A TRIBUTE TO THE 150th ANNIVERSARY
OF THE ONSET OF THE CIVIL WAR

The accuracy of history depends on several factors with the source of information being the most important and knowing what the information represents is second. In my historical research I have found it difficult to determine the difference between fact and fiction or determine precisely the importance of the facts being presented. In the beginning of my writing I used other historian's recommendations for reading material but I discovered that too often people were presenting speculation as fact.

You can find many books that no one can actually verify the facts, books based on second hand word of mouth information many years after the fact, information that came from a distant relatives, books based on information from a close relative, information from people who worked with the items they are writing about or information from someone who worked in Lincoln's administration.

I could find only one book based on Information of Lincoln from someone who wrote only about discussions that occurred during his presence. Simply reading this book does not always present a good picture of every subject since important facts may seem trivial as you read them but putting all
trivial parts together creates a different picture. Personally, the first time I read "Lincoln and Men of Wartime"  I did that exactly.

It was some time later that I was looking for information on Andrew Gregg Curtin and remembered there was information on him in "Lincoln and Men of Wartime." The second time I read it I found a gold mine.
"Lincoln and Men of Wartime"  by A. K. McClure is the must read book for people who want to write history of Lincoln or the behind the scene actions of the Civil War. The first thing you should do before reading the book itself is to read the preface and introduction for it paints an excellent picture of A. K. McClure. Pages 27-57 and pages 248-275 are the pages that most of this article came
from.

Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin, President Abraham Lincoln's most trusted ally. Curtin went to the 1860 Republican Convention in Chicago to search for a presidential candidate who would support him in his bid to become the Governor of Pennsylvania. The leader of Pennsylvania's Republican party, Simon Cameron, hated Curtin and would not support him.

Between Henry Lane, a candidate for Governor of Indiana, and Curtin they decided the best choice was an obscure candidate named Lincoln. After the first ballot Curtin went to all of the members of the Pennsylvania delegation, except for Cameron who was himself a candidate, and convinced them that Lincoln would make the better candidate. Cameron found out about the switch and went to the Lincoln camp and made a deal that he would give Lincoln his delegates if he were promised a cabinet position.

THE CIVIL WAR'S MOST DISASTROUS MISTAKES

An important political man named A. K. McClure of Chambersburg, who the South feared and burned Chambersburg with orders to capture him if possible, went to explain to Lincoln, that it was Curtin who secured the delegates for him. Lincoln then decided to not offer Cameron a cabinet position but after further consideration Lincoln decided that Cameron's influence had brought the additional votes needed for victory and did make him the Secretary of War.

There are many letters in the Library of Congress where McClure pleaded with Lincoln to not make Cameron Secretary of War. This mistake was one that haunted Lincoln for the rest of his life since many people lost their lives because of it.

With Lincoln's support, Curtin and Lane did win although Lane immediately resigned on the day of his inauguration to accept the position as a Senator of Indiana.

On April 25 1861, Major General Robert Patterson wired Curtin a request explaining the need for 25 additional regiments of infantry and one regiment of Calvary. Curtin wired Washington for approval of the need. Cameron wired Curtin telling him that there was no need. I really believe that his answer was because of his hatred for Curtin or else stupidity.

The battle at Bull Run was lost by the North which made Cameron look like a fool and would lead to him being replaced by Stanton.

Washington immediately wired Curtin asking him to immediately develop additional troops. Curtin wired back to Lincoln that the troops were already trained and needed only marching orders.

Curtin had disobeyed his Commander in Chiefs orders and enlisted 75,000 men that cost Pennsylvania six million dollars. If they had been in the field during the battle at Bull Run, the outcome more than likely would have been different. There is a good chance the war would have been a short war with
few lives lost since the Confederacy gained great momentum and confidence from the victory.

This is the second incident that Curtin did behind Lincoln's back that he was again owed a large debt of gratitude. Without the additional troops he illegally developed, the war may have been lost.

From that time forward both Curtin and McClure would be brought to the President's office for consultation on all matters relating to the war. McClure's book "Lincoln and Men of Wartime" is based only on things he was present at when they were discussed. All other books I have read on Lincoln
are based basically on speculation including persons who were part of Lincoln's staff.

Another error in the war occurred when General Hunter invaded Virginia and vandalized, a term used by McClure, the area. Troops were drawn from the Chambersburg area to support Hunters troops. Within two days General McCausland invaded the defenseless town and vandalized it. If the troops had
still been there, the town would have been saved since the Union force outnumbered McCausland three to one.

Lincoln presented his utmost confidence in Curtin when he requested that Curtin come to the Whitehouse when he heard that Curtin was not going to run for a second term because of ill health.

During a discussion Lincoln told Curtin: "My dear sir, your state and country need you worse than you need your health!"  This remark was truly in jest, but probably true since Lincoln surely understood and knew that Curtin had already done more than his duty for his state and country. Curtin did run and won.

It was Curtin who suggested that the North and South trade prisoners of the war. The then Secretary of War, Stanton, objected to the exchange. Stanton's remarked to the suggestion: “Do you come here in support of the government and ask me to exchange 30,000 skeletons for 30,000 well-fed men?”

Curtin's reply:” Do you dare to depart from the laws of human warfare in this enlightened age of Christian Civilization?”  Lincoln agreed with Curtin and the exchange did occur. It was Curtin who created safe havens for Pennsylvania's war orphans.

It was Curtin who brought the Northern governor's to Altoona Pa because the number of volunteers had dwindled below the number of men needed to finish the war. Again Curtin came to the rescue of the Union.

It was Curtin who took the responsibility to find places throughout the North to bury the casualties of both sides in Pennsylvania fighting during the war.

It was always Curtin who was the first person asked when additional troops were needed. Curtin provided 367,482 soldiers for the Union and 87,000 for domestic defense. After his second term, Curtin served as ambassador to Russia.

Few honors have been credited to Curtin for the exceptional things he accomplished before and after the war.

Few historians fully understand who started the effort that actually got Lincoln elected and who Lincoln's most dependable ally was.

Andrew Gregg Curtin is a Bellefonte Pennsylvania hero and in reality he also should be a Pennsylvania hero as well as an American hero. Curtin was raised in the town of Bellefonte where slavery ended in 1794.

In 1880 Bellefonte was the first community to integrate the school system. The person responsible for this was William Mills, son of Lewis Mills who was a black Civil War hero. William was the grandfather of the world famous black singing group "The Mills Brothers."

Curtin, and the other six men of the Bellefonte area who became Governors shortly before and after the war, all had one thing in common. They all knew that America would be better off if slavery were ended.

In Bellefonte and Centre County they had produced a perfect example of what could happen if all people are free. A man from Chambersburg Pa named John Dunlop brought many ex-slaves, and slaves, people who were still listed as slaves somewhere, to the wilderness in 1794 and created a free area for them
he named Bellefonte.

Dunlop developed a prime example of how free people excel in their labors when they are free. They developed an iron works that would become famous for its production of iron. The name Bellefonte signified the iron that was created there. Bells were made of the finest iron. The word font means
casting. In other words the Bellefonte Iron Works was making the finest iron castings available.

* Iron was the King maker at that time because of the Industrial Revolution. Many vast fortunes were made at Bellefonte. About the time of the Civil War, Centre County, which was a very small Pennsylvania county, was only exceeded in wealth by Philadelphia. *A fact from books on the iron business of the
early 1800s and the area's old newspapers.

*I have read articles that the Brooklyn Bridge was built using Bellefonte Iron. It is possible that this is true since a number of people of Bellefonte had great influence with the important people of New York.

*Did you know that New York was the first place to be electrified by Edison? What you probably don't know is that the second place Edison electrified, for his rich friends, was Bellefonte Pennsylvania.

*Bellefonte men went to Erie Pennsylvania in 1812 to build the naval ships, and also fought on the ships, that destroyed the British fleet. They did use Bellefonte iron because of its superior quality.

*Information gathered from local newspapers available at the Bellefonte Historical Library. All other information comes from the book: "Lincoln and Men of Wartime" by A. K. McClure.

"BELLEFONTE'S No.9167 RDC"
by Rev. Keith G. Koch

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

For anyone traveling near Bellefonte's 1889 Train Station in Talleyrand Park will see two RDCs (Rail Diesel Car) sitting on a railroad track siding. This is the account of RDC No.9167.

Edward G. Budd started his Budd Company during 1912 in Philadelphia. His company was working on producing a self-propelled rail car powered by a gasoline engine. In 1934, the Budd Company introduced the first stainless steel streamlined train the "Pioneer Zephyr," later known at the "Burlington
Zephyr." This train-set placed the Budd Company in the forefront of modern railroad car builders.

Mr. Budd passed away in 1946, but his company went on to produce the very successful RDC. In fact, during the years 1949-62, 398 RDCs were made. Many railroads bought them as they were used as city and suburban commuter trains that saved almost 50 percent of their former operating expenses. Some were even used for long distance passenger service.

The RDC-1 was a self-propelled diesel-hydraulic passenger rail car. It was 85 feet in length and could seat up to 90 passengers. Powered by two Detroit diesel engines, each producing 275 horse power, these engines could propel the 126,730 pound stainless steel car and its passengers up to 85 miles per
hour.

Budd's RDC, serial No. 578, began its life during March, 1953 and was sold to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad where it served as commuter car No. 40 for almost 16 years. In 1969, the Hartford Railroad sold RDC No. 40 to the Penn Central Railroad where it was renumbered as No. 98 and also
served as a commuter passenger car until 1972. No longer having a use for this RDC, Penn Central sold it to a dealer who then leased it to the Baltimore&Ohio Railroad where it was renumbered as No. 9167 during their use 1975-1976.

In 1976, Penn DOT bought No. 9167 from the dealer and refurbished it in their Reading Shops. Later the Reading Railroad became a part of Conrail and this RDC was given to SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) where it was used as a commuter car in the Philadelphia region.

When SEPTA was finished using this now 31 year old RDC, they gave it to the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. The Commission in 1986 loaned No. 9167 to Bellefonte's Historical Railroad Society (BHRS). The members and friends of BHRS worked on refurbishing No. 9167 and used it for tourist passenger day trips from Bellefonte until 2005.
In 2005, this 52-year RDC could no longer meet the Federal Railroad Authority's (FRA) requirements for
safely transporting passengers, thus it has been sitting on the siding in Bellefonte hauling dust.

During 2008, the BHRS, including me, has been upgrading and replacing the emergency and some of the side windows so this car could again be FRA compliant. This process takes about 8 hours per window with the special windows costing over $400. Each. On March 5, 2008, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission no longer wanting the problems of leasing and insurance gave RDC No. 9167 and its title to the BHRS.

The other RDC sitting on the siding is No. 9153. Built in November, 1962, serial No. 7001 was one of the last RDCs built by the Budd Company. As a commuter car, it also traveled from the Reading Railroad to Conrail to SEPTA until March, 1984 when it was sold to Massachusetts Bay Transportation
Authority (MBTA) who retired it in 1991.
The BHRS bought No. 9153 from the MBTA during 1991 for $2,500 and used it for tourist rail rides. However, this RDC also is not up to railroad standards and is in need of windows, bathroom, air conditioning units, and a new generator. Thus, it too sits hauling dust.

The BHRS has applied for and has been awarded a grant to refurbish the historic No. 9167, however with the financial condition of PA; this grant may not come through until 2013 - if then. Neither RDC can move forward across High Street until they are completely inspected and okayed by the FRA. Also,
neither can move backward as part of the tracking behind them has been washed out by the waters of Spring Creek. Thus, they sit waiting for a better future.

1 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly."

MORE BELLEFONTE, PA SECRETS:
I don't think I ever wrote an article with so many abbreviations, nor so misapplied the above Bible verses. Sorry!

The historic rail snowplow car and caboose in Talleyrand Park are static displays and belong to the Borough of Bellefonte, although money is being raised and grants applied for to repair them.

The BHRS is again sponsoring Jeff Pontius' train rides for the Fall Foliage (October 22-23) and the Christmas Santa Train (December 16-18) from the Bellefonte Station. Watch for future official advertisements and tickets. Former such rides have been sold out, so get your tickets early!

The BHRS is looking for additional members. Maybe you could help get these RDCs back into active service. Contact them at 320 W. High St. Bellefonte, PA 16823. Also, your donations will be gladly accepted at this same address to help refurbish these railcars.
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You may contact me:  <mailto:kgkoch@comcast.net> kgkoch@comcast.net   or 110
Forge Rd., Bellefonte, PA 16823