The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-09
rHIRD EDITION.
FROM HARRISBURG.
extra SESSION OF
LEGISLATURE.
GOVERNOR CURTIN'S
MESSAGE.

= ljourned session, for the purpose Of taking some
ction for the defense OF the State.
From the commencement OF the present Re-
illion, Pennsylvania has done her whole duty
q the Government. Lying, as her southern
Ouuties, DO in the immediate vicinity Of the
order, and thus exposed to sudden invasion, a
,l6sh policy would have led her to retain a
Efficient par; of her military force for our
eiense.
In so doing she woud have failed in her duty
D the whole country. Not only would her men
{. ave been withheld from the field Of general
4 oerations, but the loans and taxation which
= #,sould have become necessary, would have, to a
ATge extent, diminished the ability OF her people
& comply with the psclnilry dsnIads of the
lnted States. She would also have necessarily
nteIfered with and hampcred all the military
a ctiOn of the Government, and made herself 30
y Uine extent, responsible for any failures and
shortcomings that might have occurred In puf-
"a uance of the policy ehus deliberately adopted
s biz State hos steadily devoted her men 10 the
q General service.
From the beginning she has always been among
y 'e first TO respond TO the calls Of the United
'atts, as is shown by her history from the three
.on hs' men and the Reserve Corps 20 the pre-
eDt moment. Thus faithfully fulfilling all her
own obligations, she has a right n be defended
3by the national force as part of a common coun-
Alfy. Any other view would bs absurd and un-
ust. She Of course cannot complain when she
uiiers by the necessary contingencies OF war
The reflections that have in too many quarters
#9ecn mace upon the people of our southern
ZfounIes are most unfOunded they we're invaded
N 1862 when Union army, much superior TO
8any force of the Rebels, and on which they had,
WI course, a right 20 rely was lying in their i'm
nj diate vicinity and north Of the Potomac they
we're again invaded in 1863, after the defeat OF
ihe Union forces under MirOy, at Winches,er
Iend they have again suffered in 1864, after the
Il Defeat OF the Union forces under Crook and
Ayerill.
4 How could an agricultural people, in an open
touutry be expected rise suddenly, and beat back
|eoshle forces which had dtfeated organized vete-
Van armies Ofthe Government? 1t is OfcOurse, ex-
Epecteo that the inhabitants OF All invaded country
will do what is in their power to resist the in-
raders; and the facts hereafter stated will show,
think, that the people OF these counties have not
.aled in this duty. Ii Pennsy lvauia, by reason
ofher Reo graphical position, has required 10 be
defendCd by the national forces, it has only been
against the common enemy; It has never been
| necessary 10 weaken the army In the field, by
ending heavy detachments of veterans to save
her cities from being devastated by small bands
1pf rui' aus, composed of their own inhabitants,
nor have Der people been disposed TO sneer az tho
great masses of iaw.abiding citizens in any other
! State who have required such pro earion.
4 Yet When brutal enemy, pursuing a defeated
$body Of Union forces, crosses our border and
*burns a dtfeDseless town, the horrid barb lrity,
knstead of tiiing the hearts Of all the people Of
a our common country, is actually in some quar-
teTs made the Occi sion OF mOCks ami iOcs at tue
Unfortunate sufferers, thousands of whom have
1 tbeCn rendered homeless; and these hoartless
BscOhs proceed from the very men VINO, when the
Safe authorities, fOreseeing the danger were
lakll precautionary measures rdiculed the idea
4 OF there being any danger, sneered at the eXer-
/ tiOns made for the purpose OF meeting it, aad
sncceedCd 10 some extent, in thwartlng their
CiIol Is TO raise forces.
/ These men are themselves morally responsible
fer the calamiiy over which they now ChuclIle
! aud rub their bands. lt might have been hope
i nay, we Lad right 10 eXpect-that the people
4 OF the loyal States, engaged IN a common effort
TO preserve their Government and all that is dear
TO tTeem ~ would have forgotten, at least for the
time. their w'etchgd Iccal jealousies, and sym
/ pathiZcd with all their loyal fellOw-ctizen5
wherever resident within the border OF our con-
4 mon country. IL should he remembered that
4 the original source of the present Rebellion was
| i such jealOusies, encouraged for wicked pur-
by unsCrupulOus poiiticiins.
u. ne men who, for any purpose, now continue
l'S encourage them, ought to Oe held rs pub iC
epemies- encFliCs OF our Union, our peace-and
should be treated as such. Common feelings,
common symuathies, are the necessary founda-
tious OF a common free Government.
l am proud TO say that the people OF Pennsyl-
yana feel every blow az any of her sister States
as sn assault upon themselves, and give to them
all that hearty goodwill, the expression of which
is sometimes more important, under the inilic-
4 tion of calamity, than mere material aid.
IL is unnecC ssary 10 IT fer to the approach Of
the Rebel a,my up the Shen lndoah valley, on
the 3D. day OF July last, 10 the defeat of General
Wallace on the Monocacy, their approach to aud
threatening Of the Capital, or their destruction of
(prCperty and pilage OF the counties of Maryl and
into history, and The responsibilities will be set
tied by the Judgment Of the people.
At hat time a call was made upon Pennsylya-
ni0 for volunteers. 20 he mustered into the SER
MI igp 1l
bpndIed days, in the States of Pennsylvania and
Mary land, and at Washington and its vicinity.
Notwithstanding the embarrlssments which
complicated the orders for their orgauiZ ttiOn and
muster, elk regiments were enlisted and organ
lied, and q latta ion Of six companies. The
regiments were withdrawn from the State, the
last leaving the 10Th day of July
desired that at least part of this force should
be confined in this service to the States Of Penn
sylvaDia and Maryland, and made such an appli-
cation 10 the War Department. As this PROPOSE
ton did not meet its Appropriation, IL was rejected.
and the general order changed to include tho
No part OF the Rebel army at that time had
come within the State. The people of the border
counties we're warned, and removed their stock,
ard at ChambersbuTg and York were organized
and armed for their own protection.
was not officially informed of the movements
Of the Federal armies, and Of course, not of the
strategy Of their commanders; but IL was stated
in the newspapers that the Rebel army was
4
and was retiring up the valley ofthe Shenandoah.
Repeated successes of our troops we're also
announced, and the people Of the State had just
cause TO believe quite sufficient Federal force
had been thrown forward for its protection upon
the line of the Potomac.
On Friday the 29th Of July, the Rebel brgades
7 of Johnson and McCausland, consisting of from
! twenty-five hundred TO three thousand mounted
men, with six guns, crossed the Potomac at Clear
Spring. They commenced crossing at 10 o'clock
A NJ, and marched directly into Mercersburg
There we're but forty-tive men pickeed in that
direction, under the command OF Lieutenant
Mclean, United States Army, and as the enemy
succeeded in cutting the telegraph cOmmunica
tion, which from that point had to pass west by
way of Bedford, no information could be sent tC
General Couch, who was then at Chambersburg.
The head ofths column reached Chambersburl
at O'Clock A. NJ, on Saturday, the 30th ult.
The Rebel brigades of Vaughn and Jackson
numbering about three thousand men, crossed
the Potomac at about the same time, at or nea
Williamsport.
Part Of the command advanced on Hagers
town the main body moved on the road leadinJ
from Williamsport 10 Greencastle another Rebe
column of infantry and artillery crossed th
Pote Simultaneously at SheppardStown, ant
moved towards Leitersburg.
General AYeTill who commanded force re
dueed to about twenty-siX hundred men, was a
HageIstown, and being threatened in front b!
Vaughn and Jackson, on his right by McCaus
land and johnson, who also threatened his rear
and on his left by the column which crossed "a
bheppardstown, he therefore fell back upoI
Greencastle.
EaparaI A ,.o.flI IA A. 80. L.