Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-05-26
The War A Contrass.


The editor Of the Resl1sgieoasa Guardian,
published at Chambersbufe. Pa. gives sn
account under the captinn "Fourteen honrsl
in the Southern COnfederacy,1 of tho raid
upon that town, in October, 1862. BY the
Confederate fnrees, aud its occupancy for.
fourteen hours by about 1900 cavalry under
Gen. Jeb. Stuart. The editor of the GHar-
dian was resident OF Chambersburg ut the
time, aud was there throughout the fourteen
hours. in full sympathy with the citizens aud
inhostility TO the Confederacy and Cen Stuart:
In the account. which covers two aud half
newspaper columns, not single act OF vio-
lence on the part of Confedefates is shown,
no destruction or seizure of ''prisate" prop
erty, NO insults 70 men, women or childreni
The editors account closes With the following
paragraph:
"Stuart's cavalry were under excellent dis
cipline. Their clothing was well worn but
not ragged. I saw but 0ne soldier without
shoes. The terrible threats ofswanton retal>
iations which had been made against Penns
sylyania, had led us to expect worse treatment
They issued an order that no soldier should
enter prirate house without the presence OF
an officer. One was promptly arrested and
punished for violation Of This ordcr. Verv
rarely was an insulting expression used
heard but one shout for JEFF Davis. They
had us absolutely in their power, and might
have avenged their alleged wrongs in a ter
rible style. Save few inhuman taunts by
the soldiers around the depot, l was very
agreeably disappointed. Fortunately our cit-
izens kept quiet The women and children
SO far as possible kept within doors. The
men peacefully walked the streats, aud witt
messed this most remarkable spectacle Of Cons
federate officers aud their men going about
their work co"lly and safely an ifthey were
in Richmond. Not a single life was lost,
not home desola'ed, not limb broken"
Those of our citizens who happened to be
here in the defenceless town of Raymond, in
May 1863. when it was entered and occupied
by Gen. Grant and his fifty thousand men OF
all arms, cannot fail to notice the great dit
ference between the treatment of the Cham
bersburg people hy the Coniedcrntes, md thut
received by the Raymond people at the hands
of the United States troops Before Cen.
Grant aud his men had been in Raymond ten
hours, every store in the town had been
broken into and pillaged overy safe that
was not already open. had been hurGlRriOusly
entered every stable and carrHige house had
been robbed ; every smoke house had been
swept; every cOrD-crib had been visited
every kitchen had been cleaned out every
private house hOd been visited by scores
and hundreds of rufFiaus; every garden
had been appropriated every scrv1Ot that
could be bought or intimiduted had been
pressed into the service of revealing "hiddcm
treasures, and the printing office OF the Ga
zene had been destroyed! We do not refer
to these matters now tn re,orra wounds, or
arouse bad feelings. but merely to show ia
connection, at this late day, how Gen. Jeb.
Staurt and the men under his command acted
at Chambersburg. Pa. and how Gen. Grant
and his men acted in Raymond. Miss Tho
reader may make his own comment, aud draw
his own conclusions.
[Roymond bliss Go=ete.