The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-13
How He Disobeyed an Order
to Help Burn Chambersb'g,
\ REPLY TO sM'CAUSLANID
Details Of an Important Event-BradleY
Johnson's Position - Remln's'
cences and Incidents Of The
War, Of l86l-'65.
University Of Virginia.

TO the Editor OF The Times-Dispatoh;
sir,-NIy attention has been called to
paragraph Of the communication from
General John NcCausland, published In
The Ti1nes-Dispatch of August 10th,
touching the burning Of Cnamoerspurs,
Pa, in the summer Of 1864.
The paragraph to which I1refer reads as
folows
S...Colonel w. E. Peters. who COMMANDED
enc OF the regiments In Johnstons prl1l
gade. when the burning commenced, camo
and asked me II 1t was done by my
orders. l showed him the order Of Gem
eral Early, ana he was satisfied, and pro
ceeded to carry i out the order. as was
being done by tho other regiments OF his
brigade"
In this statement the memory of General
I McCausland falls him In several important
particulars.
The facts are recitcd below; When
The Confederate force commanded by
General McCausland, us senior brigadler,
reached Chambersburg on the morning
OF July 3lss, 1864, 1t SO happened that
my regiment was in the advance. Tho
city surrendered after very slight resist
ance was ordered by General Bradley
Il. johnson to take possession Of the
city with my regiment, and to station
5 pockets on the roads leading to It. After
this had been done established my re2i-
mental headquarters on the courthouse
green of the city, About 10 a. NJ. met
General McCausland. Ie Informed me
that ! was ordered to take my regiment
and to burn the city: that would find
combustible material for this purpose
In tho courthouse. He produced writ
ten order of General Early as his author
ity for his order to me.
l51S REFUSED TO OBEY. nd
. Il vas greatly surprised by what was
expected 10 do, as 1t presented n new
phase Of war and policy WHICH had not
been adopted by the Confederate armies.
II made no reply to General McCausland.
who Immediately upon the delivery OF
6S the order to me passed on. Very soon
v thereafter met General Bradley t. john
son. who commanded tho brigade OF
d which my. regiment was a member.
z asked hin's1f had correctly understood
the ordef Of General McCausnnd that
should burn the city Ife replied thai
my understanding of the order was cor
rect and that ! was expected to obey It,
q at once stated to General Johnson, In
most emphatic terms, that had maturel5
considered the matter, and had deter
mined that, regardless Of consequences,
would not obey the order; that there were
in the city only women, children and ole
men, and that could not and would not
assume the responsibility OF subjectlnt
them TO violence and possible outrage.
General Johnson replied that by my 40
cision l subjected him to the painful
necessity OF placing me under arrest
that should Withdraw my regiment Il
IL point about one-hnlf mile west OF tn
city and consider myself under arrest
g All this was done.
&l8 There is not an officer or private nov
Aliving OF my regiment but knows that
took no part whatever In tho burning Of
Johannesburg, but that, on the con
trary. 7 refused to obey the order I
r burn 1t.
tbs we'll to state, In this connection
that the same day on which was place.
under arrest by General Johnson wa
by him relieved of arrest and ordered
to resume command of my regiment
After this heard nothing more of til,
affair during the war.
In confirmation Of tho statement that
took no part in burning ChamhersburE
II but that positively refused to obey tn
order to do so. I quote part OF lette
written TO me In 1881 by General John
son, which should finally settle tho mat
ter.
1 JOHNSON'S LETTER,
In explanation Of this letter. dee,
II proper to state that shortly after Il
close OF tho war communication al
pcared In the Philadelphia Times thin
III which It was publshed'to the wor
* that had burned Chambersburg q
not at that time correct the statcmei
because In view OF the bitter and al
3 ,incty hostile feeling which seemed
possess the northern masses toward NJ
people. was not disposed to explain q
4 act improperly charged to my accoun
however much ] condemned It., Had
done SO. my friends even would hal
81 questioned the propriety OF my action, 81
In order to preserve tho accuracy of hi
tory, requested General johnson 7
* give me in writing his recollection Of Il
y chambersburg affair, In his reply, Whit
liz before me. he wrltes
"Baltimore, juno a. 1881.
Colonel w. L. Peters,-Yon refused
obey the order 10 burn Chamberlain
ID saying, General have considered full
my duty In regard to this order ha
weighed 1t well5and have determined III
It Is my duty to refuse TO obey Il. "
lose my right arm rather than do It.
e then said: Very well, Colonel withdra
your commands from the town and rcpe
yourself under arrest.
"ERADI.EY r. JOHNSON
In this letter General Johnson. me
81 nf "A