The National tribune., 1906-11-15
PAYING BACK FOR CHAMBERS
BURG.
Gen. AvereII Gives McCauxIand n Severe
Beating.

Beating.
Editor National Tribune: In reading
some. of the histories of the great re-
bellion 1 find many incidents referring
to my regiment, brigade or division,
recorded as facts when they should not
be. While l do not suppose these mis-
leading statements can ever be entirely
remedied, but will continue to stand as
records, / have made up my mind to
state one case in particular. have
been reading recently of Sheridan's s.
campaign in the Shenandoah in DIR.
James Moorcs History of the Great
Rebellion" / understand DR.. Moore
was an officer in the L. s. Army. He
says: "On July 80, 1864. McCauslandI
recrossed the Potomac with a body o:
cavalry, and moving on Chambersburg,
Pa, levied 100000 on the inhabitants.
but this being refused, he laid the
greater part of the beautiful town IN
ashes. Gen. Kelley met this force, de-
feated and dispersed it." Now, this
part of Moore's history is far from
correct, and the affair is of much more
Importance than one would imagine
from reading this account. Gen. Kel-
ley and his command had nothing Il"
do with the glorious achievement. To
Gen. Averell and the Second Division Of
Sheridan's Cavalry Corps belong all the
CTeQil. ANeTellS : DIVISION was cOHl-
posed of the Sth Ohio Cav, 14th Pa.
Cav, Lincoln Cav. n. Y, First Bri-
gade; 1st I'd and Sd w. Va. Cav. Sec
ond Brigade, and battery of six guns.
Our division was small, and the enemy
outnumbered us considerably. We We're
hot on the trail, and reached Cham
bersburg late in the afternoon shortly
after the Johnnies had left, tho wei
caught a few of those who had imbibed
little too freely. and We're consequent
ly somewhat dilatory about getting out
of the burning city. We pushed along
after them for almost two days. fire.
quently catching up and skirmishine
with their rear guard. McCaUsland
tried several times to draw us into an
engagement, but Gen. Averell had 9TH
er objects in view, and finally seemed
to give up the chase. McCausland made
up his mind that this was the case, sol
he went into camp at Moorestown toj
give his troops some rest. of course,
we knew nothing of Gen. Averell'si
plans, and when he moved his COM
mand in different route from that
McCausland had taken it was all Greek
to us. We marched quite rapidly, and
kept it up till after midnight, when we
were ordered to file off into a large
field on our left, dismount and stand
"to horse" We obeyed this order, |
standing quietly. hungry and tired, for
about an hour, when staff officer
came down the lines and told us tol
fasten our canteens, cooking utensils, |
etc, so securely to our saddles that
they would make no noise. We We're
then ordered TO mount and move asl
quietly as possible. We moved out into
the road. and my regiment, the Sth |
Ohio, had the advance. We marched
at a quick walk for about mile, and
were then ordered to gallop, and in n |
few moments we were in the rebel
pletely, who rose on all sides, only to
be shot down or captured. The rebel
camp was divided by a small river-I |
do not remember the name-part of |
the force being on the north side and |
the rest on the south side. We killed, |
wounded or captured all of those on |
the north side, but many of those on |
their escape After we had attended |
to the Johnnies We proceeded to take |
account of stock. We had over COOL
prisoners. artillery, horses and wagons
In abundance. The dead and wounded |
about equaled in number those cap
tured, and we had horses enough tC
give almost everyone a new mount. |
Gen. McCausland's army was entirely |
dispersed by Gen. Averell and his COM
mand, and yet DR.. Moore says that Gen.
Kelley met and defeated them on their
retreat from Chambersburg. There isl
this affair but / will only explain how
Gen. Averell got into the rebel campl
without firing shot He sent bodyl
of scouts thru the hills and byways
who succeeded in getting inside thel
rebel lines. They then moved out and
captured the pickets by saying theyI
had been sent TO relieve them, andl
when they fell into line to turn over
the post a few revolvers were placed at
their heads and they quietly surren |
dered, which cleared the road for our
men. This achievement of Gen. Aver
ellis was the afterclap of the burning
Of Chambersburg, and was so brilliant
and glorious that he received an extra
star a very short time after it occurred.
AS the account of this affair has been
so misstated in DIR. Moore's history II
would like to have some of my COM
rades who We're with us corroborate me
in my version if ! am right.-Volney |
3. st. John, Co. A, Sth Ohio Cav, Erie, /
Pa.