The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-08-09

after L bad passed that place.
he arrived al Harrisburg on Sat.
urday abou, noon, aud the Committed
Of Safety made m enrres, appeal "a
him Ii declare martial law in tlis ci.
IL, Tor the purpose o. compelling exc.
~ ab'c-bodicd nen 10 shoulder mus.
ke, bet the committee was inpcl
away Viih IN pyasiye answer, sad 3.
nally fHly refused but uo,with.
standing the difficulties ihrown in lae
WY Of forming companies Cor home
defence. the citizens Of Harrisburg
have done all that could be expected
The Governor gave the Committed
of Safety an order Tor large number
orarms, which have been drawn and
distributed 10 the diiicren, companies,
who are now ready TO turn out at The
tap of the Court House beH.
Il An9iher paper sags
Gen-rat Conch was al this time in
Chamber,burg, and General Averili's
wagon train and a large number OF
skcdaldlers were passing through
the town during the afternoon and
evening.
General Couch, without taking any
measure 10 check the advance of the
enemy, or TO defend the place, left in
special train for Harrisburg at eleven
o'clock.
A ielegraphic despatch dated Altoo'
ma, yesterday, says
General Simon Cameron, on behalf
Of the Vigilance Committee Of Harris
burg, has addressed President Lin
coin Il letter. asking for the removal
Of General Couch, and the appoint
ment of General Cadwallader 10 the
position of commander Of this depart.
ment. The excitement along the
line of the railroad against Gen. Couch
is intense.
The correspondent Of the Philadel-
phia Inquirer gives the following ad-
ditonal particulars oil the burning OF
Chambersburg:
1t was really heartrending TO see
the women, almost frantic, running TO
and fro, begging the miserable wretch
es to cease the work of destruction.---
Children were running in every di-
recticn seeking for their parents, while
the women were crying and hunting
for their children, who could not be
found. Families were rushing from
their homes, without anything they
could call their own except the cloth
ing they had upon their backs, to seek
security in the desolated fields around
the town.
The appeals of the old and helpless
were heard above the noise of the
confagration, and this only served to
elicit the scorn and derision of the
freebooters,wh came for the infamous
purpose Of laying this once beautiful
town in ruins. The damage cannot
be repaired for at least a quarter Of a
century, which was perpetrated in
less than two hours.
Another correspondent says that
the outrageous conduct of the rebel
soldiers was condemned by many OF
their own number. He remarks:
There were many honorable excep.
tions to this brutality, and they spoke
of this savage deed in appropriate Ian
guaSe. They admitted that the
"Yanks' have never been guilty Of
such wholesale destruction of pri-
yate property. One of them decIar-
ed that it would damn the Confedera-
cy forever. Several Of them wept
at what they justly termed the van
\ dalism Of the act, and that class OF
men did all that was in their power TO
assist the ladies' and the children an d
to save some little Of their effects.
A large class Of citizens rose this
morning possessed Of weaah and eve
ry human comfort at ~ o'clock to-
night they were without the shelter Of
a roof, or bed TO lie upon, and many
Without needful apparel; houses, beds,
1 furniture, merchandise and effects, the
result Of labor, industry and economy
Of a lifetime, all gone in the morning
Of one day. There we're many aged
4 persons whose sole support was de-
rived from the rents Of houses now in
ashes. What these persons and the
poorer classes are to do ue know not.
God help them
The loss will not fall short Of one
million and a half of dollars, aud tsen-
ly years viii not more than rebuilt
the town,
4 We respectfully tc4heyt editors Of
Northern jnarnaIs 10 make known to
+ the public this terrible calamity which
has oyertaken our people, and the
great amount Of suffering that must
follow, unless timely relief is afforded
by their benevolent fellow citizens"
i 4 FRpR MA4oN RRsppcrpn