Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1864-08-16
Harrisburg Correspondence,
RUINS OF CHAMBERSBURG.
THURspAY-i.P.N


stand, 1OOo-from trip to ill-fa,et
Chambersburg. No hotels Opsn-no "re
cep,ion''-the smell Of FIRE still there
and smoke ye. neutrality-suspicious. sad, aut
thougb;iul-visiso,s curious, wondering
and ",he sigh, cs the eyes affecting IL:
heart"
Chambsssbutg vas a healthy, pleasant
ly-lOca,ed, well-buil', wealthy, fourishing
town of six Thousand people, surrounded
by independent farmers. l, is the cen.
,rsl poirt Of business of large scope o!
country, and the index OF the prosperity
of one century Of settlement. Placed a,
the center Of this elegant ,oSn-at the
central square, or dismoud-sad you are
in the focus of desol,ticn and shoulder
ing ruins. Stand at the corner Of Third
and Market Ste. Lewisburg, and imagine
over t.o spares above, two squares below
and two squares on each side, mass Of
of burned on, shells of buildings, with a
part of the walls Of some only standing,
and you have some idea Of the ex,en. of
the burnt district; but the comparison fails
when you remember that the buildings
we're generally higher, and closer built
than those Of Lewisburg. Some buildings
in other quarters also we're fred, but fail
ed Of spreading to others, and few
buildings fred, we're saved. The naked,
erumbliug walls, and the crisped shrubbery
and trees, with the dust and suo, make
the remains look sad enough. And TO
imagine them, only two weeks ago, all
filed with happy, conten'ed psople-wiih
elegant clothing, and jewels, and furui-
ture, and goOds-one could hardly recog-
Mise the place, were be placed there blind
folded, ignoIaut of the history of Ss,ur.
day week.
Happening to fall in with Rev Benz.
Bausman, and with James Worden, au
elderly native of the town, | had from
them some clear accounts Of the transac-
tion which has added Chambersburg to
the list Of historical towns. An impres.
sion prevails that the Rebels intended TO
reach. rob, and burn, about midnight;
bu, they we're SO bafii ID that they did not
commence firing until about day. De-
msDdipg 500. 900 in gold, or $500, 900
in Northern money, (which was not to be
hsd) the men we're forthsith sent, in
iugs simultaneously, allowing no one to
take away anything from house or store.
A few only exhibited DISCUS. for the work,
and winked at the evasions Of the order
by which some Of the people saved their
property, or extinguished the flames. But
others were ss brutal as that which John
Wesley calls "ths sum Of all villsnie."
can make man. Women and children we're
sent out only half dressed, and some
wealthy persons now appear positively in
rags, ss every shred of their household
stuff was consumed by the fierce, ali de-
vouring fame. A few paid money for the
release of their houses. Much was stolen
BY the raiders and BY neighbors of the
property taken in fear from houses unburn.
ed. One lady who could not walk had
powder placed under her chair, and a
match brought to "mske her travel"
when she was borne away. The sick and
dead were in several instances expelled
from their homes to give them to the
torch. Coal oil and turpentine we're freely
used to expediate the confagra,ioD, which,
before noon, became terrific, but was hap.
PLY not extended by any current of air,
that being calm. One man shot dead the
scoundrel who was burning his sacred
home before bis eyes. A Rebel officer
who attempted to outrage . woman, was
shot down, and beaten to death BY the
infuriated people. One or two others
struggling away, we're supposed to be kill
ed, and several we're captured An in6rm
man directed one of the loiterers towards
and that Rebel persuaded an
other to be bis company; and in an hour
the Unionist's daughter informed him Of
the capture Of the two Rebels. Some
raiders demanded money and took proper.
~ from of persons. The "Be,hel" meet
ing house Quilt mostly BY Rev. Vim. A.
Bsrnes,) they supposed cOlOred peoples 1
house, and burned it out Of spite to them. !
They skipped 20 or so houses to reach
Col. A. K. M'Clure's, and one Of the bur
,ers of it was . son Of Gen. VIM. Smith,
e home At Warrer,op, Va, has been
guarded for years BY U. S. soldiers. No
'ublic property was there to be taken the
oss is put at over . million of dollars, and
Is wholly that Of individual, private prop.
erty.
What adds enormi,y to act of b.rb.r.
y unprecedented in civilized warfare. is
he fact that Rebel and Union soldiers
,ave shared alike the tendeuce and all
be comforts that the ladies, the suroeon.