Summary:
Union General William Averell writes General Benjamin F. Kelley on July 31, 1864, to discuss Confederate operations during General Jubal Early's raid north of the Potomac. He mentions the burning of Chambersburg.

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Brig.-Gen. KELLEY:

McCONNELLSBURG, PA.,

July 31, 1864

I have overtaken McCausland and Johnson at this place, and am pressing them toward Hancock. While my force was checking Vaughn near Hagerstown, McCausland passed through Mercersburg to my right and rear and burned the town of Chambersburg. He intended to burn Carlisle and strike the Pennsylvania Railroad. He would have burned this place also, but for my arrival. From this point they proposed to go via Bedford to Wheeling, but changed their route upon my arrival. Their force is about 2,600, with four guns. They will try to cross at Hancock. Can you do anything to prevent it? Several of their officers and men have been killed and captured.

WM. W. AVERELL,
Brig.-Gen.

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Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 37, Serial No. 71, Pages 534, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.