Unlike most armies today, troops who were in enemy territory (as the Confederates were) were left to fend for themselves when it came to food and supplies. Often though, both the Union and Confederate armies took more than they needed to survive. The soldiers destroyed what they could. The thinking was that the destruction would limit any contribution to the war effort from the affected area and maybe even more importantly – morale would plummet.
By 1864, Chambersburg, located just a few miles north of the Mason-Dixon line, had already seen its share of the enemy and knew what to expect. In October, 1862, flamboyant Confederate Cavalry Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart led a raid on Chambersburg and destroyed a quarter million dollars worth of railroad property. Nine months later, another Confederate unit burned warehouses and a bridge near town.
So when McCausland rode into Chambersburg, the townspeople either wouldn’t or couldn’t come up with the ransom to meet his demands. They knew the consequences of not complying. McCausland didn’t renege on his threat and ordered the town burned.
Three years into the war, both armies were skilled at torching enemy property. However, it must be pointed out that because Confederate troops didn’t venture onto northern soil often, most of the property damage was in the south.
It’s hard to tell today whether McCausland’s men enjoyed the task of destroying a peaceful northern town, but his troops followed their orders and set fires that leveled more than 500 structures.
The burning of Chambersburg is a fascinating bit of Pennsylvania Civil War history. But outside of Franklin County, it doesn’t get much attention in the history books. Mainly, that’s because the largest battle and what’s considered the turning point of the war was fought some 25 miles to the east in Gettysburg.
Chambersburg is like dozens of Pennsylvania communities that were touched by the Civil War. Many have stories to tell that often get lost when compared to Gettysburg. But unlike most of the others, Chambersburg celebrates its Civil War heritage with three Civil War Seminars each year. The first in 2010 is scheduled this weekend – May 7 and 8. The other two are July 21-24 and September 24-26.
The seminars don’t focus solely on Franklin County’s role in the war, but instead branch out to cover topics for the entire conflict. As a result, the events are headlined by nationally known Civil War historians and scholars and are attended by Civil War buffs from across the country and the world.
On Friday’s Radio Smart Talk, we’ll talk to several of the seminar participants as well as a Civil War author and expert from the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission about Chambersburg, Franklin County and other places in the mid-state that have their own war stories. Be sure to tune in.
Resources from ExplorePAhistory.com:
Chambersburg Historical Marker
Chambersburg and the Civil War @ ExplorePAhistory.com
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