The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-01
Burning OF Cha I'm be rsburg.

hhEEhN6 VI
THE CONFEDERATE COMMANDER TELLS HOW
AND WHY 1T WAS DONE.
General john McCaushnd In the Philadelphia
Weekly Ttmes.l
The wanton destruction OF the private
property OF citizens Of Virginia by the or
ders of General Hunter, Federal coRl>
mander, may be considered as one OF the
strongest reasons for the retaliation by
Earfy's order upon the city OF Chambers
burg. Andrew Hunter lived in the county
OF Jefferson near Harper's Ferry, and was a
relative OF General Hunters; A. r. Boteier
and r. j. Lee also lived in the same rfcin-
ity. No reasons that / have ever heard
have been given for the burning
OF their horses. Governor Letcher's
property was in Lexington, Va. The
Military Institute was near Lexington also.
LIDO not thin& that any better reasons can
bc given for the destruction OF tlIcse pro-
pertes than could have been given II Gene
raj Hunter had DESTROYED epery house,
barn, or other building, tnat was standing
and in good order upon his fine of march
from Staunton to Lynchbucy. The property
OF j. T. Anderson was in talc county OF Bot
tetourt, and located near the banks of James
river. at Buchanan. Mrs. Anderson and a
lady relative were the only occupants at
the time l destroyed the bridge across
James river to retard Hunter fin his march
upon Lynchburg, aud it detRined him with
his army for two days, during which time
he occupied this house as his headquar-
ters. Re promised the ladies protection,
and after his departure an officer and some
soldiers returned witk a written order from
him to destroy everything about the prem
ises. a few days afJe7ward, as General
Hunte, was passing another Virginia man.
sion a lady asked him &by he destroyed the
magnificent home Of Colonel Anderson. He
replied "that Virginia women were worse
traitors than their husbands, and ho would
burn the houses over their heads to make
thempersonally and Immediately experience
some punishment for their treason " :;
and ,on another occasion said to a lady
that be would "humble the Virginia
women before he left the State.Y
could enun1erate many other acts
OF actual destruction, and threats, and acts
of wanton violence ION the part Of Hunter,
all of which went to make UP public senti-
ment that prevaiiedatthe- time in Virginia,
and which requiredrthe military authorities
to take some steps TO prevent their recur-
renoc in future, besides stopping the useless
desSsuction that YVES then going on. But
what I have given R'considered sufficient to
explain the reasons why the city Of Cham
bersburg, in Pennsylvania, was destroyed.
Or the 2Sth OF Teily 7 received an order
from General EARLY to cross the Potomac
with nv brigade and one under General
Bradley It. johnson and proceed to the city
of Chambersburg, and, after capturing 1t,
to deliver to the proper authorities pro-
clanstion which he had issued, calling upon
them to furnish rne with 100000 in gold
or $500, in greenbaeks and in case the
moneT was not furnished was ordered to
burn the city and Tebrfrn to Virginia. The
proclamation also stated that this course
had been adopted in retaliation for the de-
struction of property in Virginia by the
orders OF General Hunter, and specified
that the houses OF Andrew Hunter, A. r.
Boteler, E. J. Lee, Governor Letcher,
IT. Anderson, the Virginia Military In
stitute, and others in Virginia, had been
burned by the orders OF General D. Hun
ter, a Federal commander, and that the
money demanded from Chambersburg was
to be paid TO these parties as a compensation
for their property. 1t appears that the
policy OF General Early had been adopted
upon proper reflection; that mis- orders
were distinct aud final, and that what was
done on this occasion by my command was
not the result OF inconsiderate action or
want OF proper authority, as was alleged by
many parties at the North, both at the time
and since the close Of the war.
The approach to the town was defended
only by one piece Of artillery and some
irregular troops, that were soon driven of,
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
tha ok
went into the place with my staff, and re-
quested some Of the citizens to inform the
city authorities that wanted to see them.
also sent my staff through the town to find
out where the proper officials were, and in
form them that had proclamation for
their consideration. Not one could be found.
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 con-
sultation among themselves determine what
they would do. Finally, Uniformed 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 orders from General Early. After
aTew hours OF delay many citizens came to
me-some were willing to pay the money,
others were not. urged them to comply
WITH such reasons as occurred to me at the
time, and told them plainly w hat they might
expect. showed to my own officers the
written instructions OF General Early, and
beforea single house was destroyed both the
citizene and the Confederate officers that
were present fully understood why it was
done aad by whose orders. After
waiting e,ntil the expiration Of the six
hours, and finding that the proclamation
would not be complied with, the destruc-
ion OF the Gown was begun by firing the
most central blocks first, and after the in
had been removed from them.
Thus the town was destroyed, and the in!
labitants driven to the hills and fields ada
ent thereto. No lives were lost by the citl-
ems, and only one soldier " as killed, and
le was killed after the troops left the Vi
Unity Of the place. About noon the troops
sere reformed on the high l'ound over
oohng the town, where the most OF them
lad been posted in the early morning, and
ne return to the Potomac was begun shortly
lterward. We encamped at MeConnells-
urg that night, and reached the river the
ext day at or near Hancock, Md.
Colonel w. e. Peters, who commanded
ne OF the regiments in Johnson's brigade,
wen the burning commenced came and
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