Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-02-19
tEsrOm Gen. Eariy,s,..lsastA,eat of tho waF.,,l
Burning of Chambersburg.

~
~ Si
While at Martinsburg it was ascortaincd
beyond all doubt that Hunter had been again
indulging in his favorite mode OF war6iar...
and that after his return to the y alley, while
we were near Washington, ailOnaiutlIer outs
RACES, the private residences Of Mr. Andrew
Hunter, member of the Virginia Senate
Mr.. Alexander r. Botelcr, an OK nlenber of
the Confederate as welt as Of the United
States Congress, and Edmuudl. Lee a dis
tant relative of Gcnerpl Lee, all in- j eGcrsoa.
county, with tEeir contents, had been burned
by his orders, only time enough being given
for the ladies to get out of the house. 4,
number of towns in the South, as we'll as pri-
vate country houses, had been burned by the
Federal troops, and the accounts had been
heralded forth in- some of the Northern pa
pers in terms of exuitation, aud gloated over
by their readers, while they were received by
! others with apathy. now came to the con-
clusion that We had stood this mode of war
fare long enough, aud that it was time to /
open the eyes of the people of the North to
its enormfty by an example in the way of RE-
TALIATIoN. L did not select the cases men
toned as having more merit or greater claims 1
Tor retaliation than others, but because they
had occurred within the limits OF the country
covered by my command, and were brought
more Immediately to my attention. had
often seen delicate ladies, who had been plun-
dered, insulted, and rendered dcsoIate by the
acts OF our most atrocious cncmies and while
they did not call for it, yet, in the anguished
expression OF their features while narratinp
their mistortunes, there was a mute appcuI to
every manly sentiment of my bosom foIr! re-
tribution, which could no longer withstand
The town of Chambersburg, in Pennsyl-
wanna, was selected as the one on which re.l
toll fTTtFr 81, .,y,1l L. L ! - r. \ -
was ordered to proceed with his brigade and
that OF johnson and battery of artillery, to
that place, and demand of the municipal au-
thorities the sum Of 100000 in gold, or
$500, 200 in United States currency as com.
pensation for the destruction of the houses
famed and their contents and, in default of
payment, to lay the town in ashes, in retalia-
tion for the burning Of those houses and 9TH
ers in Virginia, as we'll as for the towns which
had been burned in other Southern States
A written demand to that effect, was sent to
the municipal authorities, and they informed
what would be the result of failure or re-
tusal to comply with it. 1 desired to give
the people of Chambersburg an opportunity
OF saving their town, by making compensa~
tlon for part of the injury done, and hoped
that the payment ofs6ch a, sum would have
the desircdtcffect, and open the eyes of the
people OF other towns at the North, to the
necessity OF urging upon their government
the adoption of a different policy. NIcCaus-
land was also directed to proceed from Cham
bersburg towards Cumberland in MARYLAND
and levy contributions in money upon that
and other towns able to bear them, and if
possible to destroy the machinery at the coal
pits near Cumberland, and the machine shops,
depots and bridges on the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad as far as practicable.
In fhA 80 T,.1- NJ
the Potomac, near Clear Spring, above Will
Transport, and moved with Rhodes and
Kamseurs Divisions and Vaughn's cavalry TO
the latter place, while Imbodeu demonstrated
with his and Jackson's cavalry towards Har-
pcrs Ferry in order to withdraw attention
from McCausland. Breckinridge remained
at Martinsburg and continued the destruction
OF the railroad. Vaughn drove a force of
cavalry from Williamsport, ard went into
HaScrstown, where he captured and DESTROYED
train OF cars loaded with supplies. One of
Nhodes' Brigades was crossed over at Viii
Transport and subsequently withdrawn On
the 5Oth, McCausland being we'll under way,
l moved back to Martinsburg and on the
3lst the whole infantry force was moved to
bunker Hill, where we remained on the Ist.
"a and Sd of August. On the Sd of A august
McCausland reached Chambcrsburg and made
the demand as directed, reading to such Of
the authorities as presented themselves, the
paper sent by me. The demand was not
complied with; the people stating that they
were not afraid ofhaving their town burned,
an and that Federal force was approaching.-
The policy pursued by our army ON former
| occasions had been so lenient, that they did
not suppose the threat was in earnest this
time, and they hoped for speedy relief Me-
Causland, however, proceeded to carry out
his orders, and the greater part of the town
was laid in ashes: For this act, I, alone, am
responsible, asthe officers engaged in it were
simply executing my orders, and had no dis
erection left them. Notwithstanding the lapse
of time which has occurred and the result of
the war, am perfectly satisfied with my con-
duct on this occasion, and see no reason to
regret it. -Page71
THE DANGERS OF KERosENE.-Tbere
have been an increasing number of accidents
from Kerosene lately, and some of them NJ