Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-03
The burning of Chnn,bersbnrgil.
The correspondent of the New Yorl
Herald says:

The correspondent OF the New York
Herald says
General MoCausland was in command
Of the rebel troops when they burned
Chambersburgh. He is desperate, ferO-
cious, and untamed freebooter, ready at
any time to violate the usages of civilized
warfare, in order to crafty his dark and
malignant passions. After he had taken
formal possession of the town he made a
proclamation demanding one hundred
thousand dollars in gold. Itwas, of course,
impossible to comply with the demand
made no doubt in full confidence of its
failure and sure of its affording pretext
for executing the premeditated plan for
the destruction of Chamber burgh. The
fact that the most valuable portion Of the
merchandise had been removed pi evieusly
added to the rage and disappointment Of
the rebels, and when they We're thus in
spired the order was given to fire the
court house town hall and bank building A
| strong breeze communicated the flames
TO the surrounding buildings. Parties of
soldiers, having sacked the several drug
stores, manufactured turpentine balls,
which they threw in all directions, Great
| ing as many different flames in different
| localities, which soon united in one gener-
al conhagration. Speedily the scene be-
came heartrending and appalling.
The cracking and roaring of the flames Is
/ they leaped from house to hOnse, the
shrieks of terrified women, panic stricl-
en- and suffering children. and the pititul
| appeals of the old and helpless, formed an
iudescribable scene of horror The citi-
| I.
pll1nAar. and had even appealed to the
mercy Of the rebels bit nothing could
appease the butcher and incendiary Nc
Ausland.
Two hundred and sixty five. Of the
most valuble and elegant public and pri-
vate buildings were destroyed. The town
was fred about eleven o'clock in the fore
noon The rebels remained Just long
enough to see the flames spread and get
vnder proper headway, when the alarm
was given that AveriIl was approaching
the town. Instantly every freebooter
was inhis saddle and hurriedly took 10 the
st. Thomas. road, with Averill close at
their heels.
No intelligence has reached Harrisburg
concerning the direct effect of Averills
attack. 1t Is believed, however, that he
has succeeded in Furnishing McAusland
very severely.
4 trsin, heavy laden with commissary
stores, was dispatched from this city this
morning to Cnambersburg, to relieve the
present wants Of the houseless women and
children Of that town, who now crowd the
surrounding fields and woods. In.
Many residences Of prominent citizens
in the outskirts Of the town were burned
that Of Colonel Mcclure among others,
with his stables and outhouses.
Among other valuable property burned
were Lockhart & Howe's mill Washing
tons brewery Ludwig's brewery, and
many others.
On Nam street the fire was started at
Benjamin Chambers residence, on the
west side of the street. The following
residences were burned-William O..
l;-eds, George Chambers Allen Smiths
property, John Schofeids, Mathew
Walsh's, estate Of Joseph Eyster and the
Female Seminary, Demicks drug store
james Watson's mansion and store