The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-08-04
Another Raid---Esurnin of
CRambersburg.

For the fourth time, at least, the rebels
have entered the State, carrying desola-
tion and destruction wherever they set
foot This time, however, they have
capped the climax of their brutality and
utter disregard Of the usages of honorable
warfare, by burning to the ground the
beautiful city of Chanbersburg.
It appears that the pursuit of the rebel
force retiring from Maryland after their
late Intellectual attempt to capture Balti-
more and Washington, never reached the
dignity of an offensive movement. Crook
and Ayerill hung on the rear of the
rebel rear-guard. picking up wagon or
two now and then, but they inflicted no
serious loss upon the enemy. The rebels
grew tired of this annoyance, and turned
on their pursuars, compelling the latter
to skeedaddle after the most approved
fashion. They followed up their advan-
tage, and by rapid march, fifteen hun
dred of them were soon transported to
this side of the Potomac, three hundred
and fifty of whom, under command of
Gen. M'Causland, on Saturday last, en-
gagged in raid on Chambersburg. As
usual, no provision had been made by
Gen. Couch, commanding the Department
of the Susquehanna, to tender these or
similar visitors a suitable reception SO
the rebels had it all their own way. They
demanded of the citizens Of Chambers
burg $500, 900 ransom for the city, This
the citizens promptly responded could not
and would not be paid. Wnereupon, the
refined General of the Southern chiy-
airy ordered the burning of every house
in the principal part OF the town. Two
hundred and sixty-fve dwellings, be-
longing to private citizens, Copperheads
as we'll as Union, were indiscriminately
burned to the ground. The Court House,
three printing Offices, one belonging to
the German Reformed Church, where the
German Reformed Messenger and a Ger
man paper were printed, the Office of the
Franklin Repository owned by Mcclure &
Stoner, and the Office of the Valley Spirit,
rank Copperhead paper, and all the
Hotels: together with the principal portion
of the town, were soon reduced to shape
less mass of ruins
The work of destruction was most COM
plete. The city was literally burned to
the ground, and it is even reported that
several women and children perishcd in
the flames! The history of modern war
fare will be sought in vain for parallel
to this atroc;ous and unprovoked piece of
barbarism. The city had been surren-
dered without the firing of sbot-the raid
ers had entered unopposed- people had
submitted uncomplainingly to their depre-
dations in the line of stealing, still M'-
Causiand, this ssweet-scented pink ofchival-
ry, remained unsatisied; and, ordering the
torch to be applied, soon had a monument
of ashes to commemorate his transcendent
abilities as a thief, an incendiary, and
cold -blooded, merciless murderer.
The rebels reached Chambersburg by
four o'clock in the morning. At eleven
o'clock they lelt--with Gen. Avcrill aud
a force of cavalry in pursuit So close
was the chase thatit isreported the former
rode out of one enc of N 'Connolsburg as the
latter were entering at the other! The
latest news is tEat Avelill overlook the
iugacious foe eight miles below Moon
nclsburg, Fulton county, and whipped
him handsomely.