Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-02-07
From Gen. Early's ''Last Year of the War"
BURNING OF CHAMBERSBURG.

While at Martinsburg it was ascertained
beyond all doubt that Hunter had been
again INDUCING in his favorite mode of
warfare, and that after his return to the
Valley, while we were near Washington,
among other outrages, the private resi-
dences of Mr. Andrew Hunter, member
of the Virginia Senate, Mr.. Alexander
r. BotclcG, al cx-memhcr Of the Confcd-
crate as we'll as of the United States Con-
gress, and Edmund l. Lee, distant rel
alive 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 A number of towns in the South,
as we'll as private country houses. had been
burned by the the Federal troops, and the
accounts had been heralded forth in some
of the Northern papers in t rms of exulta-
ton and g;oated over by tLeirr adcrs, while
they were received by others with apathy
[ now come 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 VI tilc 1NOI III W It's ny al
example in the way of retaliation l did
not select the cases mentioned as having
more merit Or greater claims for retaia-
ton than others. but because they had oc-
Cured within the limits of the country
covered by my Command, and were more
Immediately brought to my attention I
had often seen delicate ladies, who had
been plundered, insulted, and rendered
desolate by the acts Of our attrocius enc
mics, and while they did not call for it,
yet, in the anguishcd expression Of their
features while narrating their misery there
was mute appeal to every manly senti-
ment OF my bosom for retribution, which
could no longer withstand. .
The town of Chambersburg, in Penn
sylvania, was selected as the one on which
retaliation should be made, and McCaus-
land was ordered to proceed with his bri-
gade' and that of Johnson, and battery
of artillery, to that place, and demand of
the municipal authorities the sum of S 100,
600 in gold, or$ 5o0,o00in United States
currency as compensation for the destruc-
and in default or payment, to lay the
town in ashes, in retaliation for the burn
ing of those houses, and others in Virginia,
as we'll as for the towns that had been
burned in other Southern States \ writ
ten demand to that effect was sent to the
municipal authorities, and they Informed
what would be the result of refusal or
failure to comply with it. [ desired to
give the people of Chambersburg an OPP
portunity of saving their town, by making
compensation for part Of the injury done,
an1 hoped that the payment of such a sum
would have the desired effect, and open the
eyes Of the people Of other towns at the
North to the necessity of urging upon
their government the adoption # a differ
ent policy McCausland was also directed
to proceed from Chambersburg towards
Cumberland, in Maryland and levy con-
tributions 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.
On the Doth of July, McCausland
crossed the Potomac, near Clearspring,
above Williamsport, and | moved with
Rhodes and Ramseur's Divisions, and
Vaughn's Cavalry, to the latter place,
while Imhoden demonstrated with his and
Jaclsson's cavalry towards Harper's Ferry,
IN order to withdraw attention from Nc
Causand Breckenridge remained at Mar
tinsburg and continued the destruction O
the Railroad. Vaughn drove force O
cavalry from Wiliamsport and went int
Hagerstown, where he captured and de
stroyed a train of cars loaded with sup
plies. One of Rhodes brigades was cross
ed over at Wiliamsport and subsequent,
Withdrawn. On the Both McCauslan,
being well under way. | moved back t