Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-06
HAnR1spuRe, Monday, Aug. !, 1864.

burnt and desolate streets of that once
beautiful little town. While waiting for
the train, | stood in the depot here watch
ing some of the refugees embarking on the
seven o'clock train for Philadelphia. Many
of the ladies were without shawlsor cloaks,
and one young lady remarked to friend,
that almost everything she then wore, were
| borrowed articles. Several of the gentle
men had to borrow sufficiency of green
| backs to carry themselves and feminine
| friends to Philadelphia or other destina-
| tions. Here were number of people sud-
denly thrust out of their quiet and peace
full homes, and reduced in many cases to
| absolute and total beggary, and yet they
seemed to bear their misfortunes bravely
and cheerfully, almost treating the affair
as a good joke. 1t seemed astonishing, yet
90 it was.
AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT.
One young man informed me that he was
chief clerk in Gen. Couch's headquarters,
and gave me vivid description of the
scenes enacted during the forenoon of Satur-
day. He said that after throwing three
shells over the town, the rebels began enter
ing the place by twos and threes until the
main body came up. This was about z
o'clock. At first they wandered about, be-
ing very civil, but the latent knavery of
their nature at length broke loose, and they
commenced an indiscriminate plumber of
the principal residents, taking everything
portable that was either valuable or that
their vagrant fancy craved. They ransack-
ed ladies' private bureaus and trunks, turn
ing all their little stores upside down, and
having, seemingly, great deal of impudent
fun over the, to them, strange and useless
fnery. Dresses, underclothing, bootees,
hose, shawls, and the inevitable crinOline,
underwent diligent search and overhaul
ing, and those articles their avarice did not
crave, or which were found useless, were
ripped and torn in the utter wanton-
ness of the hour; the while the fearful
and grief-stricken owners looked on in
speechless bewilderment, scarcely know
ing what to say or do. If any one, armed
by desperate courage at seeing some IA
vorite article or highly-prized dress being
destroyed, attempted to interfere or rescue
1t. they were thrust back with an insolent
leer or frightful oath.
The male apparel they met with during
their foray elected from them grim words
of satisfaction. In my informants case,
they made him take of the boots he had on
his feet, holding loaded revolver at his
ear, and then coolly gave him pair of old
plantation shoes in exchange. All hi, cloth
ing they appropriated, he only saving his
watch by concealing it on his person. Af-
terward, on making the best of his way to
Shippenburg, he was so fortunate as to
meet the very same precious couple, both
rather the worse for liquor. Drawing his
revolver, he shot at and slightly wounded
one. and made both surrender. Getting
back his much coveted boots again, he
marched his prisoners to Shippenburg in
triumph.
THE RUINED TOWN.
When we passed the farm of Col. Nc
Clure, the first evidence of the awful scene
exhibited itself in the blackened walls and
desolate ruins of the Colonels mansion.
was informed by gentleman on the train
that Col. Mcclure paid $4,000 as ransom
for his threatened property, and after all |
the scoundrels set the torch to his house,
and it now stands a smoking ruin. Mrs. |
Mcclure, her little daughter and aged moth |
er were not allowed to take even the neces-
sary covering for their own heads, and in
this pitiable plight acalked nine miles in the
sand to get away FROM the brutal wretches.
SCENES IN THE TOWN.
Words can not portray the truly awful |
sight the ruined town presents to the visit
ors. 1t is a scene of utter destruction and |
ruin that shall not soon forget. From the
depot buildings, which, curiously enough,
were permitted to escape the fiery element,
up the main street. you pass nothing but
smoking and smouldering ruins, the black
ened and tottering walls being the only YES
tige left Of the dwellings and places of bu-
sness. ..
The town itself like all Pennsylvania
towns, is principally composed of brick
When we passed up the street the heated
walls and the scorching sun made it difficult
for one to make any progress. For a dis
lance of some five blocks past the 'Dia-
mOnd" or square OF the town, you will not
find a single edifice standing. The City
Hall, the hotels and principal stores, in the
immediate vicinity, are now a mass of hiss
ing and smoking bricks; across the town,
for at least three blocks, the same utter de-
;truction attests the severity of the fire and
The diabolical skill of the incendiaries.
THE RUINS
If the buildings fired are absolute; not a
tick, not plank nor rafter remain; even
he window sills and door jams are gone
The shade trees are withered, the garden
ailings have disappeared, and the gardens
themselves are covered by the debris of the
alling walls and out-houses. The bricks
the sidewalks are blistered, and
he stone steps to the piazzas are cracked
~ the intense heat of the contiagration.-I
|
If the destruction unless actual eyesight at
tests the scene.
$3.50 INCIDENTS.
Naturally enough, l conversed with sew
eral of the sufferers. One gentleman, stand
ng before what once was his dwelling,
,ried to describe the scene; but the memory
If that trying hour was too much for him.
Another gentleman gave me little sketch
If the scene. He said that seeing smoke
Using in the direction of the military ware
louses, he started off 10 see what was going
IN. On his way to the 'DiamOnd," as they
,all the public square, the town bell rang,
md he Joined the anxious throng of citi-
,ens who assembled at its call. There he
leard the demand of the rebel General, and
he leading men, after consultation, inform
d Gen. McCausland that three hours was
rot enough, and that even if it were, the
people could not would not, accede to the
lemand. My informant then left, deter
mined to save what little he could of his
goods. Happening to have
ort of subterranean cave, he, with the as
istance of his wife, dragged all the bedding
md other clothing down stairs and placed
t there for safe keeping. His house was
)urnt and the heat was so intense that his
ave was no protection, and he stood there
before me beggar, nothing but what his
amily have on their backs being saved.
ady passed us with chair in her hands,
md she told us that she had just found it in
,he street. and that it was the only thing
,he had left. Another lady told me that
ler mother lay on her bed suffering from a
fractured limb, and that in spite Of all her
appeals for mercy, the unfortunate invalid
mad to be carried into the street while the