Franklin: Simon Cameron to Abraham Lincoln, August 1, 1864
Summary:
In the aftermath of the Confederate sacking of Chambersburg, Cameron writes to President
Lincoln requesting that he remove the department commander. Cameron also reports on the extent
of the damage to the town.
Telegram.
Aug 1 st 1864
Harrisburg
To President
May I call your immediate attention to the telegram of yesterday from the Committee of safety
addressed to the Secretary of War arguing a change of Commanders for this military Department
The Burning of Chambersburg has created great excitement & indignation &
whether right or wrong so much has centered on General Couch as utterly to destroy his usefulness all the business part of the Town
with its mills manufactories
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and public buildings are in ashes & more than
two thousand (2000) people made homeless. The people charge him with abandoning them on the
first approach of the marauders. we need a commander here who has the confidence of all classes
and who has a stake in our welfare & our people complain that after Sending to the
field a couple of hundred thousand men we should have a commander belonging to our own State.
General Cadwalader has been
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put
here under the orders of General Couch though he ranks him and while
he is willing to serve in any capacity he is entirely useless under an inefficient Commander in
his present position he is useless because powerless but give him the Command of the Department & Such is the Confedence the people of the state have
in him that troops will at once rally to his command. I believe he will be able to get troops
enough not only for the defense of this
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Valley but to greatly assist in defending
Washington. Give him the command and you will not only satisfy your friends but do your Country
an essential Service
Simon Cameron
Chairman Committee of Safety
262 Col 1517pd731
