Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 26.djvu/330

 320 Southern Historical Society Papers.

The courthouse was estimated to be worth $80,000; Colonel A. K. McClure's residence, $20,000; the German Reform printing estab- lishment, $15,000; a banking-house, $20,000. In all, eleven squares were totally destroyed. In these houses there were all the house- hold effects of these unfortunate citizens, which included fifty-nine pianos. The total loss in everything was estimated to be over a mil- lion of dollars. I have seen gentlemen from Chambersburg recently, who tell me that the burned squares have been replaced with hand- some new buildings, much superior to those we destroyed. In the centre of the public square has been erected a monument commem- orating the burning of the city by the " Rebels " in 1864.

COLONEL MCCLURE CAPTURED THEM.

I may incidentally mention that we had orders to arrest and bring Colonel A. K. McClure of the Philadelphia Times, who at that time lived in Chambersburg, within our lines, but his hospitality com- pletely captured those commissioned to do so, and he was never in- formed of the order.

From the time we left the Potomac until we began to retreat from the burning city, not a gun was fired by our men, except the few shells thrown over the town during its occupancy by us. Several of our men straggled and were killed by citizens or soldiers of the Federal army, who probably were at home.

About noon we abandoned Chambersburg and turned our faces toward the Potomac. Just on the outskirts of the city I saw a large bank barn, filled with hay or some very combustible material, on fire, probably the work of some of our soldiers. It was an unwarranted piece of deviltry, as our officers did everything they could to pre- vent ruch things. The orders of our chief had been obeyed to bring $100,000 in gold back with us, or burn the town. The latter having been effectually done, fire should have stopped there.

We crossed a small mountain that evening west of Chambersburg, and were not on the road we came. By noon next day we were at Hancock, Md. A terrific thunder storm was prevailing, and we did not go into the town. We recrossed the Potomac that night at Old Town, following the North Branch, and went into camp about two miles below Moorefield, in Hardy county. The Yankees under Av- erill had been close after us, and occasionally small brushes would take place between our rear guard and their advance, our object being only to check them until the brigade could get further on.

The many days of weary and exhaustive marching had nearly worn out the men and horses no sleep or stop for three nights