Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1864-08-12

sho vas then at Casnbersturg, The
head Of this columa Isachei Cdarabers-
burg aI o'clock, An. On Saturday, the
3utb.
The rebel trigaie5 Of Vaughn and
Jackson, NUN berIDg about 3 COO mounted
men, crossed tie Potou.Go al about the
same time, at OF near NIlilapsport-pA.
Of the command advanced oE HAgerstown
the main body moTed OF the read lead
i1g from Wi.!ismspoEt 10 Greeacasile.
Another rebel column Of Infantry sBd ar
t!l,ery crossed Ife Potomac simultaneously
at SheppaEdstoEo, aud moved togards
I.-ilersbuTc. Gen. AVerIli, shc c1milln-
dct force reduced to about = 2,6UG iaen,
was st Haserslown, and being tbreaieued
in fron, Icy Vaughn aud Jackson, OF his
rgh, by M'CausIand aud Johuston. who
also the e.teoed bis rear, and on hia left
By the column which crossed stShePpards-
town, be therefore fell baak 9poa GEeeu-
cas- ,s.
c eu Arerill, itis understood, was uuder
tie orders of Cen. Hunter, but vas Le2t
a, fully sdylsed by Gsu. C9uca as Was
possible, o: the enemy : movements ou
bis righ: and to has rear. Gen. Couch
was il Chambes,iuFg, where his entire
f,rce conaisted Of 90 iuf.uiFy, 10 cavalry,
soi :. otion Of a battery OF artillery, ii
ell, ies. than 100 meu. The siE elmpa-
mics OF men enlisted for one huodrt! days
remaining in tie State, aud two conpa-
mes Of cavalry had, under orders from
Washington. ,as | am uBcficia.ly in-
formed ] ined Gen. Averill. TIE town
ct Chan. uersturg was h5ld until daylight,
by the smsl, force under Gen. Couch, du-
rlng vlich time the Government stores
aud tI.in were zaved. Two batteries were
then planted by the enemy commanding
the ;OSo, sut Il was invested By the whole
command Of JObQstcu aud M'Cau-iaud.
All o'clock, An, SIX companies Of dis-
u JuDiei men, commanded by Sweeney,
entered the town, followed by mounted
men under Gilmore. The main force
Was IN lac Of bstile-a demand was made
tor LOO 600 dylla!s 10 gold, or $50 600 10
Government f1oGs, as ransom, and num-
hostages 10. its payment. No offer OF
money was made ty tie citizens Of the
town, aud esen i! they had any lD,eution
oi paying 3 ransom, DO time was s!!oEed,
as ihe rebel. uommeDced Immediately to
barn and pillsge the town, disregsrdlpg
the appeals Of women sOi children, the
aged and infrm, AMI even the bodies Of
the dead were DO, protected from their
brutality. /. would have been vain for
ell tae citizens Of tue town, If armed, to
base attempted, in connection with Gen.
Couch's small force, to defend 1t. Gen.
Couch withdrew bis command, aud ii!
not himself Leave uDtil the enemy we're
actually in theiown. Gen. Ave,ilis COM
nand beIog within nine miles of Cham
bcrsburg, il was hoped would arrive 10
time to save the town, and Efforts we're
made during the nigh. 80 communicate
with him. In the mean time, the small
force of Gen Couch held the enemy at
bag. Gen. Averill marched on Cham
ber.burg. but did DO. arrive until after the
town was burned and the enemy had re-
tired. lie pursued and overlook them 6,
MCounellsburg, in Fulton county, in
time to ssTe that place from pillsge and
destruction. lie promptly engaged and
defeated them, driving them to Hancock
and across the Potomac
! commend the houseless aud ruined
people Of Chambersburs to the liberal be.
pevolence Of the Legislature, and sugges,
that suitable appropriation be made for
their relief Simialr charity has been
heretofore exercised in the case Of an &C.
ciieu.al and destructive FIRE az Pit,sb1rg,
and | can aot doubt the disposition Of the
Legislature On the present occasion.
On the fifth day Of this mouth a large
rebel army was 10 Nsry land and at various
points on the Potomac as far west as New
Creek, and as there was u adcquate force
within the State l deemed j. ny duiy on
that day 10 call Thirty thousand volunteer
Militia, for domestic protection. They
will be armed, transported sad supplied
By the United States, b1', as no provision
is made for their pay ment, it will be nee
sssary, should you approve my action, to
make an appropriation for that purpose.
Feeling it to be ,ha duty Of .he General
Government to afford fall protection to
the people Of Peonsylsania and Maryland
by the defence Of the line Of the Potomac,
united with Gov. Bradford in the follow
ing letter to ths President, dated July
2lst., A.D., 1861:
STATE OF MARYLAND,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
ANNAPOLIS, July q, 1864.
His Ezceilency, ARgAHAM LINCOLN, Pres
ideut Of the United States