The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-08-18

y tempted; in conhection With General
: COUGHS small command, to defend it.
: General Couch withdrew his command
/. and did not himself leave until the enc
= my were actually in the town.
: General Averills cortttand bling with.
:, in nine miles of Chambersburg, it was
= hoped he would arrive in time to save
9 the town, and efforts were made during
t the night to communicate with him.
f In the meantime the sniall force of
General Couch held the enemy at bay
e General Averill marched on Chambers.
3 burg, but did not arrive until after the
town was burned and the enemy had re-
I tired. He pursued and overlook them at
: McConnelsburg, in Fulton county, in time
to save that place from pillage and de-
J struction. He promptly engaged and de-
: feated them, driving them to Hancock
and across the Potomac.
J | commend the homeless and ruined
people of Chambersburg to the liberal be-
, nevolence of the Legislature, and suggest
that sufficient appropriation be made for
: their relief Similar charity has been
, heretofore exercised, in the case of an
accidental and destructive fire at Pitts
) burg, and cannot doubt the disposition
; of the Legislature on the present ucca-
siuh
On the 9th day of the month d large
Rebel army was in Maryland, and at Va
rious points on the Potomac as far west as
New Creek and as there was no adequate
force within the State, 1 deemed it my
duty to call for thirty thousand volunteer
militia for domestic protection.
They will be armed, transported, and
supplied by the United States, but as no
provision is made for their payment, it
will be necessary, should you approve my
action, to make an appropriation for that
purpose.
Feeling it to be the duty of the Gener-
al Government to afford full protection to
! to the people of Pennsylvania and Mary
land by the defense of the line of the Po-
tomac, | united with Governor Bradford
IN the following letter to the President,
dated July p, 1864 =
State of Maryland, Executive Depart
ment, Annapolis, July 2l, 1864. His
Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States-Sir 1.-THE repea-
ted raids across the Potomac river made
by portions of the Rebel army, and the
extent of the damage they have succeed
ed so frequently in inficting, have most
injuriously affected the people of Mary
land and Pennsylvania, in the neighbor
hood of that river, and many of them, it
is believed, as the only security against
such losses in the future, are seriously
considering the propriety of abandoning
their present homes, and seeking safety
at the North.
1t seems to us that not merely in the
sectional aspect of the case, but in this
national relation, the security of the bor
der line between the loyal and rebellious
States as an object justifying and requir
ing disposition of portion of the ma
tional force with all especial view to Its
defense.
The Potomac river can only be crossed
in lis ordinary state of water at some FIVE
or six fords, and we propose to enlist from
that shall be sufficient, with the aid of
the Notifications which the force itself
can speedily construct, to effectually guard
them all. We ask of the Government
that the recruits so raised shall be credited
to the quotas of our several State, and the
call last made, to be armed, equipped and
supplied as other volunteers in the SER
: vice.
!, We are aware that, as general rule
wellfounded objections exist to the enlist
ment of force to be exclusively used for
! home or local defense, but we regard such
a service as we now suggest as an excep-
tional case, and the complete protection
of this part of our frontier as of admitted
5 national importance.
t For after the outbreak of the Rebellion,
! the Importance of special defense of the
5 region bordering on the Upper Potomac
was recognized by the government, and
the Hon. Francis Thomas, Of Maryland,
: was authorized by it to raise three regi-
! ments, with view to the protection of the
, counties on either side of that river.
Regiments were raised, but the subse-
r quent exigencies of the service required
, their employment elsewhere, and they
r therefore afford, at present, to particular
: security to that region beyond other troops
e in the service.
i The necessity, as We think, for some
: such peculiar provision has now become
t so obvious, that we would with great res
pect, but most earnestly, urge upon your
G Exceliency the expediency of acceding to
S the suggestions we have made, and we
! will Immediately set about raising the
< forces required, and we have no doubt
:, they will be promptly procured.
: We have the honor to be, with great
respect, your obedient servants,
). A. w. BRADFORD, and
i A. G.. CURTIN.
The following letter from the Assist
S ant Adjutant-G General, dated August l,
: 1864, is the only reply received by me-