Summary:
D. McConaughy writes Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin on July 31, 1864, with a
detailed report on the burning of Chambersburg. He discusses the entrance of
Confederates into the town, the ransom demanded for Chambersburg's safety, and
gives detailed descriptions of the damage including specific houses, public
buildings, and businesses. He reports on the losses of the Eyster family, and
estimates the total cost of the damage to the town as a whole. He also mentions
that a meeting of citizens selected Reverend John Warner to serve as ambassador
to other northern cities in attempts to secure relief for the town.
Maj. Gen. D. N. COUCH and
Governor A. G. CURTIN:
GETTYSBURG,
July 31, 1864
Our scouts, Dr. Taylor and William H. Crawford, reached Chambersburg after 6 p. m. evening of 30th. Left there at 8. 30 p. m., and just returned. Report 600 mounted rebels, under Gen. McCausland, having entered Chambersburg 6 a. m. yesterday, Saturday, 30th, made a demand on the town for $600,000, $100,000 in gold and balance in Government notes, and accompanied it with threat to burn the town if not complied with within three hours. The rebels immediately began to plunder, and within an hour, before 8 a. m., applied the torch, commencing with town hall, Franklin House, and the private houses until they had fired the whole central portion of town, embracing twenty squares, extending from railroad depot on north to German Reformed Church on Washington street on south, fire squares, and from where Franklin railroad crosses Market street on east to King street on west, four squares, wholly destroying also dwellings and factories elsewhere. All the hotels and boarding-houses are destroyed, Wonderlich and Steed's warehouse, and all the public buildings, except public school, jail, and railroad depot. Rebels left Chambersburg at 1 p. m., going north, taking McCausland with them drunk. Averell's force was within eight miles, between Greencastle and Fayetteville, during Friday 29th night and Saturday, and did not enter Chambersburg until 3 p. m. Hunter's forces, reported at 3,000, passed trough Chambersburg northward on Friday night. Averell overtook rebels at Back Creek, near old cavalry camp, four miles north, fighting them at dusk, and sent some prisoners in. Another strong rebel column crossed on Friday at Edwards Ferry. Its direction not known. Learned from soldier who saw them cross. Capt. Eyster's family is safe, but saved nothing but the clothes they had on. Gross barbarities were practiced by the rebels. Lowest estimate of loss is $1,500,000. A public meeting of citizens was held in afternoon, and Rev. John R. Warner appointed to go to the Northern cities and make an appeal in behalf of the suffering people. Will send out other scouts.
D. McCONAUGHY.
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 542-543, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
