Franklin: Lafayette McLaws to Emily (probably
McLaws), June 28 1863
Summary:
The handwriting in this letter is not clear, but the images are vivid. McClaws
describes marching through enemy territory in Virginia, remarking upon the
hiding inhabitants as well as the physical destruction. He recounts his
encounters with people, conveying the tension between occupying soldiers and
residents. McLaws mentions that many townspeople in Chambersburg fiercely oppose
abolition and President Lincoln, even as they hope for peace. McLaws also
mentions that the mail is being read by outsiders, because the mail carriers are
repeatedly captured.
June 28th/63
Headquarters Division
Camp near Chambersburg, Pa
My dear Emily
My Command arrived at this place, this morning at 10 oclock, and joined the rest of the [unclear: Corps] camped near this place.
We left Martinsburg in Virginia on the 25th at five oclock
in the morning, and finding the river, camped [unclear: three] Brigades
Near [unclear: Mcport] and one Brigade with my Artillery [deleted: ] Hagerstown. I camped in an open lot in the town. The ford at Williamsport is an
[unclear: entry], [unclear: good]
[unclear: Our]
[unclear: the] men crossing without difficulty. The Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal which runs along the river bank on the North side was dry the aquaduct
having been blown up. [illeg.]
[unclear: Much] of the Baltimore and Ohio Canal running along the Canal
was also destroyed. From Martinsburg to the river, eleven miles,
[unclear: many] houses were all dark, the curtains drawn and the people
either absent or invisible - Showing an evident dislike to our cause. It was
remarked as we went into Martinsburg, that the magnificent farm of the Home
[unclear: Chamber] of Faulkner who was the Adjutant General of
General Jackson
[page 2]
[unclear: was] in a beautiful state of [illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.] of his forces injured and the [unclear: Carriers] at
work with their teams, collecting the [unclear: Clover][illeg.]
[illeg.]
[unclear: been]
[unclear: cut] and [unclear: cused], while on the other side of
the road, the [unclear: fences] were [unclear: down] the crops
destroyed the ground trampled and everything [illeg.] The appearance of
places which had long ago been deserted and devastated. The Secret was out, when
we visited the town and [unclear: was] told that [unclear: Mr]
Faulkner had not long since returned from Washington, and on the evening Our
troops first entered the town H[illeg.]
[unclear: have] issued tickets for a large party to be given to the
Yankee Officers. The daughters were also constantly visiting the Yankee families
and were being visited by them and the Yankee officers generally, and that the
greater cordiality existed between them. The farms we saw lying in waste were
those of Southern families who were not so devoted to Yankeedom. There was no
[unclear: real] cause given as in Martinsburg, except by very few
and those of the ladies who exhibited any cordiality I noticed were clothed in
silks and de[illeg.] & muslins, and all the finery of a thriving
Yankee town. Many women & children made faces at us as we marched along,
and although we could not hear them, we could see their mouths moving, and from
their expressions
[page 3]
knew they were giving us their
[unclear: Valediction]. As we [unclear: crowd] into
Williamsport, the people were more friendly, but yet all the Shops were closed
and the houses generally deserted or exhibiting no signs of being inhabited. One
lady said she was delighted to see us. shook hands very cordially, said she
expected to be sent across the river if the enemy should ever return, but did
not care. Shortly after I went to the window to get some water and seeing a boy
of nine or ten in the room with the blue blouse of a Yankee, I said "you are a
Yankee [unclear: and] the boy said nothing but held down his head's. the
Yankee lady before mentioned said to him "speak up
loudly and tell him you are no Yankee. "Yes but I am one" answered the boy. and
I remarked "Children take their opinions from their older sisters &
brothers & they always tell the truth" and [unclear: strode]
away, the family within looking as if they had been caught in a falsehood
[illeg.] camped [illeg.] Brigade near Williamsport, and one near Hagerstown with four batteries and camped in the [deleted: ] myself (Hagerstown) where a good many persons called to see me,
and I was invited to [added: supper &]
breakfast. I went to supper and had [illeg.], better than I usually have
at home. in camp, did not [unclear: mention]
[unclear: the] breakfast. [illeg.] introduced to
[unclear: Mr] Roman formerly Member of Congress from Maryland and went
to his [unclear: house] for a few minutes, found him a
[unclear: most] polished gentleman, and his wife and niece good
specimens of Southern ladies. I [illeg.]
[page 4]
very glad to meet
them as I then had in my mind the contrast between the Southern gentleman and
ladies and the very different species I have encountered. as I crossed the line
into Pennsylvania. At Green Castle on the road to Chambersburg, Several young
ladies were assembled engaged in scoffing at our men as they passed but they
were treated with contempt or derision. I heard of nothing witty said by any of
them. It was made evident however that they were not ladies in the Southern
acceptations of the word. The men I spoke to, acknowledged that the brutalities
practiced by their troops, upon the Southern
people, fully justified our retaliating and were surprised at our moderation.
The poorer classes told me that our troops behaved better to them than their own
did. Arrived, [deleted: but] & marched through Chambersburg on
28th a town of five thousand inhabitants perhaps more.
and camped two miles East of it on the Harrisburg [unclear: land], [deleted: ]em arrived in camp on the 29th & [unclear: deployed] about four miles
up the [added: Rail] road leading there to
Harrisburg. The people of Chambersburg are decidedly and decidedly hostile. The
men dare not show it but by their looks, the women tried to be [illeg.]
on varying occasions but succeeded in being vulgar only they are a
[unclear: very] different [unclear: law] from the Southern.
There is a coarseness in their manners and looks and a [unclear: tenany]
in their voices. which [unclear: grates]
[unclear: harshly] on the senses of our men, the distinction of [deleted: ] the poor & sick is very marked. Everyone speaks for peace at any price, and since has been brought
to their own [illeg.], they look desponding to the last degree, and
begin to believe that they have been vastly deceived by engaging in it. I have
found no one to speak of Lincoln as a man of either capactiy or patriotism,
everyone even the women think, [unclear: we]
[unclear: modern] abolition influence entirely, and they assert boldly
that freedom should not be the lot of the negro. Today
I moved camp Seven miles [unclear: on] the Gettysburg road. [deleted: ]eenward a small village, sending [conclusion jotted at top of
first page] our brigade two miles on to [unclear: Culldown], where
Thadeus Stevens the abolition member of Congress from Pennsylvania who introduced the bill for the
employment for negro troops, had large [illeg.] works. They were burned
by our troops, however, and are now in ashes & total ruin.
My Division's Mail rider was caught, by the enemy,
in Hagerstown on his way here with letters.
When you write, therefore you
must be cautious and particular. This may be captured also & I My dear
Emily am particularly cautious as you may observe. Give much love to the
children, and ask them to write me, also to [illeg.] & But,
Good night and much love from your devoted
x L.
