Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-08-11
From the Philadelphia Times.l
THE BURNING OF CHAMBERS.
BURG.
BY GEN. JOHN McAUsLAND, OF WEST VA


property of citizens of Virginia by the
orders of General Hunter, Federal
commander, may be considered as one
of the strongest reasons for the retalia-
ton, by Early's order, upon the city of
Chambersburg. Andrew Hunter lived
in the county of Jefferson, near Har-
pers Ferry, and was relative of Gen.
Hunters; A Il Boteler and E. l. Lee
also lived in the same vicinity. No
reasons that have ever heard have been
given for the burning of their house.
Governor Letcher's property was in
Lexington, Va; the Military Institute
was near Lexington, also. l do not
think that any better reasons can be
given for the destruction of these pro-
perties than could have been given if
Gen. Hunter had destroyed every house,
barn or other building, that was stand
ing and in good order, upon his line of
march from Stanton to Lynchburg.
The property of J. II. Anderson was in
the county of Botetourt, and located
near the banks of James river, at Buc-
hanan. Mrs. Anderson and a lady rela-
tive were the only occupants at the
time. l destroyed the bridge across
James river to retard Hunter in his
march upon Lynchburg, and it detained
him with his army for two days, during
which time he occupied this house as
his headquarters. He promised the
ladies protection, and after his depar-
ture an officer and some soldiers return
| ed with written order from him to
destroy everything about the premises.
A few days afterward, as Gen. Hunter
was passing another Virginia mansion,
lady asked him why he destroyed the
magnificent home of Colonel Anderson.
He replied ''that Virginia women were
worse traitors than their husbands, and
he would burn the houses over their
heads to make them personally and i'm
mediately experience some punishment
for their treason;" and on another occa
sion said to a lady that he would "hum-
bic the Virginia women before he left
the State" / could enumerate many
other acts of actual destruction, and
threats and acts Of wanton violence on
the part of Hunter, all of which went
to make up public sentiment that pre-
vailed at the time in Virginia, and
which required the military authorities
to take some steps to prevent their re-
currence in future, besides stopping the
useless destruction that was then going
on. But what l have given is consider
ed sufficient to explain the reasons why
the city of Chambersburg, in Pennsyl-
vania, was destroyed.
RELATIVE LOCATION OF TIE FORCES
IL may be considered as indispensable
to give the location of the forces COM
posing the Union and Confederate
armies during the latter part of the
month of July, 1864, in order to proper
ly understand the raid that was made
into the State of Pennsylvania, and
which resulted in the destruction of
Chambersburg. Hunters army (Union)
was scattered along the northern bank
of the Potomac river, in Maryland, from
near Hancock to Harper's Ferry, the
main body being near the latter place.
Earlys army Confederate was located
on the opposite side of the same river
with its main body near Martinsburg.
Each army had its cavalry on the TANKS.
My command was on the lett of Earlys
army, and think that Averills cavalry
was located opposite to meat least a
portion of it was there. When | speak
of cavalry in the course of this sketch |
am aware that the term is not properly
applied; and as far as the Confederate
troops which I commanded were con-
cerned, they were badly armed, badly
mounted and worse equipped-in fact
they were mostly mounted militia. The
men would have made good soldiers if
there had been time to discipline them
and arms and equipments to have fur
nished them. The horses were nearly
all worn out, and there was no supply
to draw others from. We attempted to
get horses Pennsylvania, but found them
removed from the line of march, and
we had no time to look for them else
where.
In July, 1864, a cavalry brigade
which l commanded was encamped
near the Potomac river, in the county of
Berkeley, West Virginia. II made the
advanced post of the army under Gen.
Early that was guarding the approaches
into Virginia through the Shenandoah
Valley. On the 2Sth of July l receiv-
ed an order from Gen. Early to cross
the Potomac with my brigade and one
under Gen. Bradley 7. johnson and
proceed to the city of Chambersburg,
and after capturing it to deliver to the
proper authorities proclamation which
he had issued, calling upon them to
furnish me with 100000 in gold OF
100000 in greenbacks, and in case the
money was not furnished l was ordered
to burn the city and return to Virginia.
The proclamation also stated that this
course had beer adopted in retaliation
for the destruction of property in, Vir-
ginia by the orders of Gen Hunter, and
specified that the house of Andrew
Hunter, A. r. Boteler, E. l. Lee, Gov
Letcher, j. T. Anderson, the Virginia
Military Institute, and others in Nirgi-
mia, had been burned by the orders of
Gen. d. Hunter, Federal commander,
and that the money demanded from
Chambersburg was to be paid to these
parties as compensation for their pro-
perty. 1t appears that the policy of
Gen. Early had been adopted upon
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