Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-08-11

feed our horses and to give time for the
stragglers to come up. After this stop
the march was continued all night, not
withstapding the opposition made at
every available point by regiment OF
Federal cavalry. Major Sweeney, with
his cavalry battalion, kept the roads
clear, and we reached Chambersburg at
daylight on the 3lst- The approach to
the town was defended only by one
piece of artillery and some irregular
troops that were soon driven off, and
the advance of our force took posses
sion of the town. The main part OF the
two brigades was formed in line on the
high ground overlooking the town. l
at once went into the place with my
staff, and requested same of the citizens
to inform the city authorities that l
wanted to see them. | also sent my
staff through the town to find out where
the proper officials were. and inform
them that had proclamation for their
consideration. Not one could be found.
l then directed the proclamation TO be
read TO many of the citizens that were
near me, and requested them to hunt
up their officers, informing them would
wait until they could either find them,
or by consultation among themselves
determine what they would do. Final
ly | informed them that | would wait
six hours, and if they would comply
with the requisition their town would
be safe; and in case they did not it would
be destroyed in accordance with my Or
ders from Gen. Early. After few
hours Of delay many citizens came to
me-some were willing to pay the
money, others were not. l urged them
to comply with such reasons as occurr-
ed to me at the time, and told them
plainly what they might expect. |
showed to my own officers the written
instructions of Gen. Early, and before
a single house was destroyed both the
citizens and the Confederate officers that
were present fully understood why it
was done and by whose orders. After
waiting until the expiration of the six
hours, and finding that the proclamation
would not be complied with, the destruc-
ton of the town was begun by firing the
most central blocks first, and after the
inhabitants had been removed from
them. Thus the town was destroyed,
and the inhabitants driven to the hills
and fields adjacent thereto. No lives
were lost by the citizens and only one
soldier was killed, and he was killed at
ter the troops left the vicinity of the
place. About noon the troops were re-
formed on the high ground overlooking
the town, where the most of them bad
been posted in the early morning, and
the return to the Potomac was begun
shortly afterward. We encamped at
McConnellsburg that night, and reach
ed the river the next day at or near
Hancock, Md.
THE PECUNIARY DEMAND DEFENDED.
In confirmation of what have writ
ten Major Gilmer says in his book,
"Four Years in the Saddle" page 2lO:
''IIe showed me Gen. Earlys order. "
Gen. Early, III his "Memoir," page 81,
SAYS: "a written demand was sent to
the municipal authorities, and they were
informed what would be the result of a
failure or refusal to comply with it"
On page SO he says: "On the 3Oth OF
July McCausland reached Chambers
burg and made the demand as directed,
reading to such of the authorities as
presented themselves the paper sent by
me" Colonel w. Z. Peters, who COM
manded one Of the regiments in John
stons brigade, when the burning COM
menced came and asked me if the burn
ing was being done by my orders. l
showed him the order of Gen. Early
and he was satisfied, and proceeded to
carry out the orders as was being done
by other regiments of his brigade. In
thisexpediton the troops passed through
more than one hundred miles Of hostile
territory, executed all orders that were
issued with promptness and regularity,
and never have / heard of any COM
plants of acts unauthorized by their
superior officers. l think that these
facts will show that this entire expedition
was planned and executed in accordance
with the orders of superior officers of
competent authority to ord'r it, and
moreover, that it was an act Of retalia-
ton perfectly justified by the circum-
stances, and was at all times kept clearly
within the rule governing civilized war
fare.
Vattel, in his claw of Nations" lays
down the following rule, aud it may not
be inappropriate to quote it in order
that many persons, who may read what
is said about the destruction of Cham
bcrsburg. may have the opinion of a
standard authority upon such proceed
ings:
A civil war breaks the bonds of society
and governments, or at least suspends
their force and effect. 1t produces in the
nation two Independent parties who con-
slider each other as enemies and acknOwl-
edge no common Judge. Those two par
ties, therefore, must necessarily be con-
sidered as thenceforward constituting, at
least for time, two separate bodies, two
distinct societies. Though one of the
parties may have been to blame in break
ing the unity of the State and resisting
the lawful authority, they are not the less
divided in fact. Besides, who shall judge
them? Who shall pronounce on which
side the right or the wrong lies? On earth
they have no common superior. They
stand, therefore, in precisely the same
predicament as two nations who engage
in a contest and being unable TO come to
an agreement have recourse 10 arms. This
being the case it is evident that the COM