The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-07
FOURTH OF JULY IN oHAMBERsBURG


Quiet Along the Lines.
Sunday, July 8, opened in Chambersburg serene
and beautiful, and wOrshippcrs weuded the. way
to their respective sanCtuaries with their wJnted
calmncss and devotion. The afternoon witnessed
the first anniversary Of the Mission SchODl-l
Sunday School under the direction of the several
denominations, and for year past held regu-
lNrly in the Presbyterian Lecture Room, and
devoted TO the Christian task of teaching colurcd
men, women, and children TO read and giving
them religious instruction.
They had gathered In the church at 3 T. NJ. 10
commemorate the first anniversary of an insti-
tuition that promised them Advancement, rei-
gious training, and fitness for usef1u and
honor; and they sang their songs Of praise with
an earuestness that betOkened the spirit and
also the understanding. In the midst Of the
services, when kind ministers who had watched
over and lahOred with these poor victims of
brutalizing slavery, were cOngHtllHtng them on
the great good wrought in their behalf mes.
senger handed the speaker message stating
that the Rebels were approaching the Potomac
in force, and seemed bent on INVASION and de-
structOn.
SPREADING THE NEWS.
The news flew like wild-ire, and CONSERVATION
seemed to have seized almost every citizen.
General Sigcl had advised General Couch that a
considerable force was moving against him at
Martinshurg. Hentimated his inability To arrest
their advance, and advised General Couch to be
prepared for the worst. This was but the part Of
a prudent General, knowing as he did that Gene
raj Couch would need some time t1 concentrate
his forces and protect the valuable stock in the
southern section of the county.
General Couch at once despatched messengers
to different parts of the county, advising the
people to get their stock north of Cham hersburg
so that II could not he seized by sudden dash OF
Rebel cavalry. Il is needless to say that such an
ntlmat on from General Couch 70 a people thrice
despoied by Rebels needed no argument TO insure
prompt obedience; and the work of exodus com
nnWIN
commcndabe perseverance until there was
scarcely horse on the southern line.
EXCITEMENT IN CHAMRERsRuRG.
Chambersburg took on the excitement as
naturally as sunset takes 10 night. Although
but single reliable despatch WIS received from
3 p. NJ. until late at night, thousand rumnrs
tOated and magnitied as they passed from mouth
TO mouth, until it seemed as if all the armies Of
Rebeldom swelled ton-fold were about TO swoop
upon devoted Chambersburg, and make morn
ing lunch of its officers citizens, negroes, horses
goods and wares, and kindle breakfast fire BY
burning half or the whole of the village.
In the midst of the intense excitement we re-
cfuited our repOrtoTial corps to the largest pos
sible dimensions. and resolved TO give the thrill
ing position of the bloody struggle about TO bs
inaugurated, on some future day, when we should
be able to reit our office after the coming vandIs
had vanished. We employed fifteen intelligent
knights of the quill to cali upon General Couch
every htteen minutes, and inquire how many
Rebels there were on the Potomac; how soon
they would cross where they would cross what
they would do when they were across; how
long they would stay when h9rses and cattle
should be sent off, where they should be sent
to; when they should be brought back; how
many troops he had here how many were com
ing; when and where he was going TO fight;
whether any INDECENT citizens could be accommo-
dated with himself and staff in case of retreat;
and various other purely military interrogAtories
which thereportorial corps deemed m liter proper
Wuunl ltf INIT FtTN 80 81.
General Couch did not answer more than half
of the questions satisfactorily, and although the
Major General commanding even intim lted his
Ignorance on several of the most important points
corps may take on this arbitrary exercise of mill
tary power.
STARTLING REPORTS PROM PUGITIvBs.
We also despatched forty frst.class specimens
Of the corps 10 gather all the trustworthy infor-
nation aflOat relative to the movement of the
Rebels. Intelligent contrahands were seized as
soon as they arrived, and their modest and uu-
vanished stories taken down with the utmost
care. EnteTpTising skedaddlers were questioned
and crOss-questiOned, and their valuabe Contri-
buttons TO the current history of the day scru-
pulOusy preserved. Retiring quir.ermasters
and iragmentaTy commands, Just escaped from
the wholesale slaughter of their comrades, were
persuaded TO modify their grief until their
piteOus and truthful tales could be preserved 10
postcTty; and the calm, imperturbabe citizens,
who loved truth solely for the truths sake, were
tanked OH the corners, surrounded on stOre-bOXes,
and "smicd" in quarters where lovers of beer
most co c9ngregate. Thus was a complete, re-
liable, and intensely interesting history Of the
campaign kept up with its startling progress.
IMMENSELY OF THE REBEL FORCE.
On comparing the perfectly reliable reports of
the corps In the course of the night-leaving out
the doubtful and exaggerated stories offrghtened
and reckless people, we found we had positive
information that the Rebels had crossed the Po-
tOmac ut not less than twenty four places that
afternoon and evening, in columns from four 10
ten thousand strong; and that the main body had
not yet reached the river. IL was evident, there
fore, that not less than a mill n Rebels we're
about TO enter Ptnnsy lyanis, and rs General
Couch's command was certainly not more than
half that number, the prospect of successful re-
sistance seemed most gloomy,
The Rebels had, according TO positive rumOrs,
maintained line of battle all of Sunday, some
twenty miles long on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, and the extent of their artillery may
be imagined when they fired not less than fifteen
guns every second. Some OF them distinctly
heard in this section could not have been less
than fifteen hundred Founders. lt is barely pos
sible that little nervousness and a tendency to
exaPgerate were created with our corps by Gene
raj COUGHS bland assurance to our people that he
was able, and would hold the town atall haz ards,
and that be had sent for an abundant supply of
arms for the citizens
This was most agreeable intelligence to all but
several hundred who had urgent busine abroad,
and Others who had valuable stock that could
not be safely entrusted tO servants. OF course
citizens SO situated could not be expected 10 fight
AN OPERATOR CHANGES HIS BASE.
The telegraph operator at HagerstOwn being
assured every seven minutes that the Rebels were
about to enter HagerstOwn, he very naturally
changed his base from the telegraph office 10 some
less attractive point for Rebel Investigations; and
several hours would sometimes elapse before he
would turn up again 10 inform General Couch
that the last report was mistake.
The only apparently reliable information re-
Ceived during the night, was a despatch from
General Weber, dated at Harpers Ferry, stating
that Sigcl had been overwhelmed at Martins
burg, and was endeayoring 10 retreat upon the
Ferry. The Rebel force opposed TO him was
reported TO General Weber at from "ten to
twenty thousand infantry, cavalry, and artil-
lery." This startling information naturally gave
much concern TO the military authorities, but as
most of the eXctable population had retired, it
did not Tutfe the surface Of the village per-
ceptibly.
Troops were hurried on by General Couch with
all possible speed by rail from eastern points, and
before daylight, he had an ample cavalry force
of trained troops on the entire southern line, and
had also force of infantry and artillery on which
he relied with entire confidence, with the aid of
citizens who would voluntarily join the troops,
90 hold the town against any probable assault
With uninterrupted telegraph lines 10 Green
castle, Mercersburg, and M'Conuelsburg, and
an efficient cavalry force scouting from all these
points, surprise was impossible; and with the
force and facilities for the defense of Chambers
Surg, a raiding party would have met with an