Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-03-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
The burning Of Cf,nImbersDtir.,ss
Ei1rly's Statement Of'tiie AHiiir.

General Jubal A. Early. the rebel, has
written history of the Last Year of the
War;" in which he attempts to justify his
! atrocious conduct in ordering the burning
of Chambersburg. Aside from the false
hoods which he utters in order to clear him
to the act, the account is interesting. He
says:
| While at Martins5urg, it was ascertained
! beyond doubt, that Hunter had been again
indulging in his tavorite mode of warfare,
and after his return to the Valley, while we
were near Washington, among other out
RACES, the private residences OF Mr.. Andrew
r. Hunter, member of the Virginia Sepute,
Mr.. Alex. n. Boteler, an ex-member of the
Confederate, as well us of the United States
Congress, and Edmund L. Lee, distant re-
lative of General Lee, all in jefferson county,
with their contents, had been burned by his
orders, only time enough being given for the
ladies to get out of the houses.
4 number of towns in the South, as well
as private country houses. had been burned
! by the Federal troops, and the accounts had
been heraded forth in some of the Northern
papers in terms Of exultation, and gloated
ceived by others with apathy. / now came
to the conclusion that we had stood this
mode of warfare long enough, and that it
was time to open the eyes of the people OF
the North to its enGrmity 5y an example in
the way of retaliation. | did not select the
cases mentioned as having more merit or
greater claims for retaliation than others,
but because they had occurred within the
limits OF the country covered 10y my com
mand, and were brought more Immediately
to my attention. had often seen delicate
ladies who had beea plundercd, insulted, and
rendered desolate by the acts of our most
atrocious enemies, and while they did not
call for it, yet in the anguiShed expression of
their features, while narrating their misior-
tunes, there was mute appeal to every
manly sentiment of my bosom for retrbuton,
which | could no longer withstand. The
town Of Chambersburg, in Pennsylvania was
selected as the one ON which retaliation
should be made, and McCausland was or
dered to proceed with his brigade and that
of johnson, and a battery OF artillery to that
place. and demand of the municipal author-
ties the sum of 500, 900 in gold, or 5000, 900
IN United States currency, as compensation
for the destruction of the houses named and
their contents and, in default of payment,
the burning of those houses and Others in
Virginia, as well MS for the towns which had
been burned in the other Southern States.
A written demand to that effect was sent to
the municipal authorities, and they were
informed what would be the result OF fail
ure or refusal to comply with it. / desired to
give the people of Chambersburg an oppor-
tunity OF saving their town by making COM
peAsation for part of the injury done, and
hoped that the payment ofsuch sum would
have the desired elect, and open the eyes of
the people OF other towns of the North to
the necessity of urging upon their Govern
ment the adoption of different policy
McCauslund was also directed to proceed
from Chambershurg toward 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 machine
shops, depots, and bridges, on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, as far and as practicable.
On the goth OF July, McCausland crossed the
Potomac near Clear Spring, above William
sport, and moved with Rhodes and Ram
sears divisions, and Vaughn's cavalry to the
latter place, while lmboden demonstrated
with his and Jackson's cavalry toward
lIarper's Ferry, in order to draw attention
at Martinsburg, and continued the destruc-
rion of the railroad. Vaughn drove a force
OF cavalry from Williamsport, and went into
Hagerstown, where he captured anG destroy
ed a train of cars loaded with supplies.
One OF Rhodes brigades was crossed over at
Williamsp0rt, and subsequently, Withdrawn
On the Both, MeCausland being well under
way, moved back to Martnsburg, and on
the 3lst the whole infantry force was moved
to Bunker Hill, where We remained on The
lst, I'd and Sd of August.
On the 3D. of August, McCausland reached
Chambersburg and made the demand as di.
rected, reading to such of the authorizes as
presented themselves, the paper sent by me.
The demand was not complied with, the
people stating that they were not afraid of
having their town burned, and that Fetle-
raj force WAS approaching. The policy pur,
sued by our army on former occasions, had
beer. SO, lenient, that they did not suppose
the threat was in earnest this time. aud they
hoped Tor speedy relief. McCausIaad, how.
ever, proceeded to carry out his orders, and
the greater paTtof the town wss- laid. in