The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-05-14

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hours distance from Hagerstow
where there was large Union fore
with ample time and equipment
bring 1t TO any point in the Cumbe
land Valley. WAITED for an hour an
was advised Of the progress of the Coz
fetlerate force as it moved steadily t,
ward Chambersburg. telegraphed ,
the Union commander at Hagerstowr
not knowing who he was, stating til
facts and suggesting as a matter of pre-
caution that small force of infantr
and artillery should be hurried to tn
defence OF the town. In charity wi
not give the name of the Union com
mander, who answered that the aug
gestion of Confederate folce enterin
Chambersburg was too absurd to b
considered. Halt an hour later tn
advancing Confederates had reached
Chambersburg turnpike, and were NOV
ing directly upon us and only ten mile
distant. then repeated an appeal I,
the Union commander at Hagerstown
stating the facts and urging him L
send force to intercept the enemy, a.
there was yet ample time to do so, bu
the only reply was an intimation tha
military commanders had no time tt
waste on lunatics. Finding it impos
sible TO get any relief from the Union
army, as l could not hopefully com.
municate with any officer beyond Hag-
erstown, L went to my office and sal
down to await events and accept the
situation as philosophically as possible.
Soon after dark several Confederates
appeared at the western part OF the
town with white rag tied on stick,
and announced TO the first citizens
they met that they bore flag of truce
from the Confederate army and desired
to be conducted to the Union COM
mander of the town. AS there were
no troops in Chambersburg they were
so informed, and they asked to be con-
Quoted to some citizens of the town
with whom they could communicate
the wishes of their commander. They
were brought to my Office, where they
announced that they were
there by orders of their commander TO
ask for the surrender of the city. l
told them that there were no troops to
oppose them, and that there was moth
ing to hinder them from entering
Chambersburg whenever they chose to
do so, but as this fret invasion of the
enemy naturally produced the widest
In the community said
to the bearers of the truce that wish
ed to know what assurance of safety
could be given to the people. asked
who their commander was and was
told that his name could not be given.
then asked where he was and that.
information was also refused. / then
inquired whether they could take me
to their commander and assure my
safe return. They said they would,
and, accompanied by Col. Thomas B.
Kennedy, then prominent lawyer of
the town and now president of the
Valley Railroad, we
horses and rode to the front.
1t was pitch dark, and when we had
ridden out beyond the suburbs we were
now in the presence of the Confederate
1t was only barely possi-
BILE to see that body of men were in
front of us, but what they looked like
we could form no conception. When
we stopped an officer rode up to us and
that he was Gen. Hampton,
part of the Confederate
force, and that he desired TO know
they could enter Chambers
burg. We assured him that there was
no force to oppose him, and that we
desired simply to learn from him what
could be gwen to quiet the
people of the town when the
entered. He promptly
that they made no war
upon private citizens and non.com-
batants; that the people Should be
advised to remain in lher homes, as
they would not be disturbed, and that
no property would be taken from any
once except such as was needed by the
army. He then directed Mr.. Kennedy
and myself to lead his forces into
Chambersburg, and in very short
time the town was practically filled
with them. The people were at once
that they had nothing to APP
prehend and there was no tendency to
panic.
A PERSONAL INCIDENT.
In crossing the Centre square short
time after Hampton's force had en-.
tered ] was -familiarly slapped on the
anil, turning around, re-
cognized Hugh Logan, then a captain
In the Confederate army and the guide
of the raid, as he had been born and
grown up on the South Mountain, in
Franklin County, and had once suc-
cessfully defended him when charged
with kidnapping. He was one of The
ragged mountaineers whose fidelity is
equally rugged, and he informed me
that was one of number of citizens
of Franklin County whose names had
been selected and given TO Gen. Stuart
who commanded the raid, to be taken
as prisoners TO Richmond to be held as
hostages for pope's arrest of civilians
in Virginia. L told him that 1 had
met Hampton, although he did not
ask my name, aud had his as.
surance that officers would be pa.
rolled, and that 1 was an army of
flcer. He answered in characteristic,
terse manner: Well, Hampton's o
gentleman, and if you are taken and
get to him he'll discharge you, but Jeb
(StuarD wants you damn bad" Seven
citizens had been arrested and were
taken to Libby, one of whom died be-
fore his release. asked Logan wha
he thought it best that should do, Il
which he answered.: $50 oat to you
home. We're in hell of a hurry ant
you probably won't be disturbed, blu
If you are taken IN put you out, to