USA > Maryland > Washington County > Hagerstown > A history of Washington County, Maryland from the earliest settlements to the present time, including a history of Hagerstown > Part 59
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
To pay the MeCausland debt required an is- sue of $39,000 in bonds-$30,000 for the money indeninity of $20,000 and $9,000 for the merchan- dise and the $500 for the redemption of the ware- house .*
After gathering an enormous quantity of sup- plies and individual soldiers a great supply of loot, the Confederates passed from Washington County across the mountain to Frederick, fought the bat- tle of the Monocacy, penetrated to within a few miles of Washington and then crossed back into Virginia having carried consternation into South- ern Pennsylvania as well as into Maryland.
On July 26 another raid started and this time Southern Pennsylvania had just cause for general alarm and anxiety. That day Gen. Early encamped near Martinsburg and his cavalry con- tinued on until they reached the Potomac opposite Williamsport. On July 27 McCausland crossed into Maryland at McCoy's Ferry encamped for the night at Clearspring and continued on the next day through Mercersburg to Chambersburg, which town he reached July 30. After burning Cham- bersburg he went back through McConnellsville to Hancock where he struck the National pike which he followed toward Cumberland pursued by Averill's Cavalry. McCausland crossed back into Virginia at Oldtown .* A few days later he was overtaken at Moorefield by Averill who surprised and routed him. On July 29 Gen. Ramseur en- tered Williamsport and remained after some skir- mishes until McCausland had crossed back to Virginia and then he retired to Martinsburg. On August 5th Gen. Breckenridge crossed at Wil- liamsport and encamped at the College of St. James. On the 6th Ramseur and Rodes recrossed at Williamsport while Breckenridge went down the Boonsboro road to Lappons and then down the Sharpsburg pike. Later in August Early was again in Shepherdstown and Fitzhugh Lee's Cav- alry opposite Williamsport where he exchanged artillery fire across the river with the Federals posted at that place.
James Dixon Roman who conducted the nego- tiations with McCausland was for many years one of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of Hagerstown and a member of the Washington County Bar. He was born in Chester County, Pa.,
*This account of the McCausland raid was given to the author by Mr. M. S. Barber, the town Treas- urer at the time of the raid.
*The following is an account of the burning of Chambersburg written by Gen. John McCausland for the Philadelphia Times about 1873.
The wanton destruction of the private property of citizens of Virginia by the orders of General Hun- ter, a Federal commander, may be considered as one of the strongest reasons for the retaliation, by Early's order, upon the city of Chambersburg. Andrew Hun- ter lived in the county of Jefferson, near Harper's Ferry and was a relative of Gen. Hunter's; A. R. Boteler and E. I. Lee also lived in the same vicinity. No reasons that I have ever heard have been given for the burning of their houses. Governor Letcher's property was in Lexington, Va .; the Military Insti- tute was near Lexington, also. I do not think that any better reasons can be given for the destruction
of these properties than could have been given if Gen. Hunter had destroyed every house, barn or other building, that was standing and in good order, upon his line of march from Staunton to Lynchburg. The property of J. T. Anderson was in the county of Botetourt, and located near the banks of James river, at Buchanan. Mrs. Anderson and a lady rela- tive were the only occupants at the time. I de- stroyed the bridge across James river to retard Hunter in his march upon Lynchburg, and it de- tained him with his army for two days, during which time he occupied this house as his headquarters. He promised the ladies protection, and after his departure an officer and some soldiers returned with a written order from him to destroy everything about the premises. A few days afterward, as Gen. Hunter was passing another Virginia mansion, a lady asked him why he destroyed the magnificent home of Colonel Anderson. He replied "Virginia women were worse traitors than their husbands, and
358
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
August 11, 1809. While he was an infant his parents went to live in Cecil County, Md. He studied law in Frederick in the office of his uncle, James Dixon. After qualifying for the bar he set- tled in Hagerstown where he spent the remainder of his life. In 1847 he was elected to Congress by the Whig party. He was Presidential elector on the Taylor and Fillmore ticket and also on the Buchanan ticket. He was best known in Hagers- town as President of the old Hagerstown Bank. To this place he was clected in 1851 to succeed Alexander Neill, Sr., and he held the place until his death fifteen years later. He was an accom- plished financier and the subsequent prosperity of the Hagerstown Bank was to a considerable extent due to his policy. At the beginning of the war he invested the resources of the bank largely in ex- change on London and sold it when gold was very high, making a great sum of money in the trans- action. In the war he was a warm Southern sym- pathizer, opposed to the war and he was a member of the Richmond Peace Convention in 1861. In 183; Mr. Roman married Louisa Margaret Ken- nedy, daughter of John Kennedy. He had three children ; Louisa, who died young; James Dixon who died while a student at Harvard, and Sailie,
who married C. Columbus Baldwin, of New York. In her memory the beautiful stone tower and spire of St. John's Episcopal church on Prospect street, Hagerstown, was built by her husband. She died in 1873. Mr. Roman died of a spinal disease in 1866 at the age of fifty-seven years.
The suffering, privation, anxiety and loss by the people of Washington County during the four years of war, and especially in the latter part of it the men and women of this generation find it hard to realize. The County gave liberally of her men to both sides. Early in the conflict over a thousand soldiers had enlisted in the Union army from this County. Of the number who joined the Confederate army there is no complete record. The loss to the County in being deprived of all these active producers was great. The County was swept more than once of nearly all horses and other farm animals at a time when they were cx- pensive and hard to replace at any price. Some of the citizens afterwards received partial com- pensation for their property. But the sum thus paid by the government was insignificant compar- ed with the actual loss. Thus fencing which is one of the most costly farm necessaries, when paid for was valued as cord wood, wheat in the straw, when
he would burn the houses over their heads to make them personally and immediately experience some punishment for their treason;" and on another oc- casion said to a lady that he would "humble the Virginia women before he left the State." I could enumerate many other acts of actual destruction, and threats and acts of wanton violence on the part of Hunter, all of which went to make up public senti- ment that prevailed at the time in Virginia and which required the military authorities to take some steps to prevent their recurrence in future, besides stopping the useless destruction that was then go- ing on. But what I have given is considered sut- ficient to explain the reasons why the city of Cham- bersburg, in Pennsylvania was destroyed.
It may be considered as indispensable to give the location of the forces composing the Union and Confederate armies during the latter part of the month of July, 1864, in order to properly understand the raid that was made into the State of Pennsyl- vania, and which resulted in the destruction of Chambersburg. Hunter's army (Union) was scat- tered along the northern bank of the Potomac river, in Maryland, from near Hancock to Harper's Ferry, the main body being near the latter place. Early's armny (Confederate) was located on the opposite side of the same river with its main body near Martins- burg. Each army had its cavalry on the flanks. My command was on the left of Early's army, and I think that Averill's cavalry was located opposite to me-at least a portion of it was there. When I
speak of cavalry in the course of this sketch I am aware that the term is not properly applied; and as far as the Confederate troops which I commanded were concerned, they were badly armed, badly mount- cd and worse equipped-in fact they were mostly mounted militia. The men . would have made good soldiers if there had been time to discipline them and arms and equipments to have furnished them. The horses were nearly all worn out, and there was no supply to draw others from. We attempted to get horses from Pennsylvania, but found them removed from the line of march, and we had no time to look for them elsewhere.
In July, 1864, a cavalry brigade which I com- manded was encamped near the Potomac river, in the county of Berkeley West Virginia. It made the advanced post of the army under Gen. Early that was guarding the approaches into Virginia through the Shenandoah Valley. On the 28th of July I received an order from Gen. Early to cross the Potomac with my brigade and one under Gen. Brad- ley T. Johnson and proceed to the city of Chambers- burg, and after capturing it to deliver to the proper authorities a proclamation which he had issued, call- ing upon them to furnish me with $100,000 in gold or $500,000 in greenbacks, and in case the money was not furnished I was ordered to burn the city and return to Virginia. The proclamation also stated that this course had been adopted in retaliation for the destruction of property in Virginia by the orders of Gen. Hunter, and specified that the house of An-
359
OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND.
wheat was worth over $2 a bushel was paid for as bedding for the horses. Thus it was that Wash- ington County emerged from the war almost bank- rupt while the farmers removed from the track of the armies found great profit. The domestic problem, the problem of providing food for the family was one of the most difficult, with crops destroyed and nothing to sell, the prices of ordi- nary groceries was exorbitant and some, such as tea and coffee, could scarcely be obtained at any price. I have no apology to offer in giving the following experience of one Washington County family living not far from the northern limit of Antietam battlefield and told by a lady now living in Baltimore but then a child in the family re- ferred to. The experience of that family as told is the history of many others. It is as follows :
"One day an army encamped on our farm and the commanding officer's tent was pitched at the back door of the house. The locusts whichi settled down in clouds upon the land of Egypt could not have made things disappear before them as these soldiers did. Before the camp was organ- ized the meat house was broken open and every pound of bacon was taken except a few hams which had been concealed in the garret. Every ear of
corn from the crib, and every pound of hay from the barn was taken by the soldiers. The horses had already been taken and now the hogs and poultry went. The fencing was swept from the farm as if by a conflagration. It all went into the camp fires. The cows were not taken, but un- til guards could be procured there was a soldier all the time tugging at each one. Finally after it was nearly too late order was restored and guards placed over the pump and the potato patch and the orchard. Nearly all the potatoes had al- ready been dug. I remember that one old hen had escaped the general massacre of the poultry and took refuge at nightfall in an apple tree. A soldier shot at her and was reported by the guard. His punishment was a most cruel one. He was hung up by his thumbs. During this encampment and at other times during the war, the cruel pun- ishment inflicted upon the soldiers, sometimes for offences which seemed trivial, was distressing to us. Sometimes a man would be marching back and forth in the burning sun for hours with a knapsack full of stones on his back.
"It is hard to describe the change which is made by the encampment of an army. In an incredibly short time a splendid field of luxuriant
drew Hunter, A. R. Boteler, E. I. Lee, Gov. Letcher, J. T. Anderson, the Virginia Military Institute, and others in Virginia, had been burned by the orders of Gen. D. Hunter, a Federal commander, and that the money demanded from Chambersburg was to be paid to these parties as a compensation for their property. It appears that the policy of Gen. Early had been adopted upon proper reflection; that his orders were distinct and final, and that what was done on this occasion by my command was not the result of inconsiderate action or want of proper au- thority, as was alleged by many parties at the North both at the time and since the close of the war.
On the 29th of July the two cavalry brigades that were to make the dash into Pennsylvania, by turning the right of Hunter's army, were assembled at or near Hammond's Mill, in Berkeley county, W. Va. During the night the Federal pickets on the northern side of the Potomac were captured, and the troops crossed just at daylight on the morning of the 30th, and moved out and formed the line of march on the National road. Major Gilmer drove the Federal cavalry from the small village of Clear Spring, and pushed on toward Hagerstown to create the impression that the rest of the troops were fol- lowing. At Clear Spring we left the National road and turned north on the Mercersburg road. We reached Mercersburg about dark, and stopped to feed our horses and to give time for the stragglers to come up. After this stop the march was contin- ued all night, notwithstanding the opposition made
at every available point by a regiment of Federal cavalry. Major Sweeney, with his cavalry battalion, kept the roads clear, and we reached Chambersburg at daylight on the 31st. The approach to the town was defended only by one piece of artillery and- some irregular troops that were soon driven off, and the advance of our force took possession of the town. The main part of the two brigades was formed in line on the high ground overlooking the town. 1 at once went into the place with my staff, and re- quested some of the citizens to inform the city au- thorities that I wanted to see them. I also sent my staff through the town to find out where the proper officials were, and inform them that I had a procla- mation for their consideration. Not one could be found. I then directed the proclamation to be read to many of the citizens that were near me, and requested them to hunt up their officers informing them I would wait until they could either find them, or by consultation among themselves determine what they would do. Finally I informed them that I would wait six hours, and if they would comply with the requisition their town would be safe; and in case they did not it would be destroyed in ac- cordance with my orders from Gen. Early. After a few hours of delay many citizens came to me- some were willing to pay the money, others were nol. I urged them to comply with such reasons as occurred to me at the time, and told them plainly what they might expect. I showed to my own offi- cers the written instructions of Gen. Early, and be-
360
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
verdue had been beaten down as hard as a turn- pike road and every blade of grass had disappeared. It was years before the most careful eultivation could restore the land to anything like its former produetive condition. When it was finally plowed the land broke up in great elods and lumps which had to be pulverized with axes and mallets. And it was not only the fields in which the eneampment was that were injured. All the fenees were gone and roads were made aeross all the fields in every direction. This was especially the ease upon an- other oeeasion when a large division of wagons , settled upon us.
"One summer evening as we were waiting for supper to come on the table a Federal officer, mounted on a splendid black horse rode up to the house followed by a Confederate prisoner ragged and forlorn and riding a horse so thin that it seemed marvelous that he could walk. The two dismounted, the offieer eomning upon the poreh and the prisoner sitting outside the yard a short dis- tance away. The officer asked for supper and while waiting for it my father got into conversa- tion with him and the officer beeamie so interested that he forgot his prisoner, who was not slow to take advantage of the situation. He quietly glided
away without being pereeived, mounted the offi- eer's horse and dashed away. The officer fired at him and then turned upon my father with the utmost fury and charged him with a plot to with- draw his attention to aid the rebel in eseape. He left in high dudgeon and early the next morning he reappeared with a squad of soldiers and an- nounced his intention to burn the house, not only because of the incident of the previous evening but because some of the neighbors had told him that my father had aided wounded rebels and had taken eare of them in his barn. My father went out and defied the party. He dared them to burn the house. We were all in mortal terror, more from fear that my father would be killed than from the threatened burning. I do not know what made the officer ehange his mind but after lighting the torches he left without putting his threat into execution.
"My father was for the Union but being a very humane man never hesitated to render as- istanec to any sick or wounded Confederate who demanded it. This eaused his loyalty to be sus- pected and got him into frequent altereations with the soldiers and onee or twice he was ar- rested.
fore a single house was destroyed both the citizens and the Confederate officers that were present fully understood why it was done and by whose orders. After waiting until the expiration of the six hours, and finding that the proclamation would not be com- plied with, the destruction of the town was begun by firing the most central blocks first, and after the inhabitants had been removed from them. Thus the town was destroyed, and the inhabitants driven to the hills and fields adjacent thereto. No lives were lost by the citizens and only one soldier was killed, and he was killed after the troops left the vicinity of the place. About noon the troops were reformed on the high ground overlooking the town, where the most of them had been posted in the early morning, and the return to the Potomac was begun shortly afterward. We encamped at McConnellsburg that night, and reached the river the next, day at or near Hancock, Md.
In confirmation of what I have written Major Gilmer says in his book, 'Four Years in the Saddle," page 210: "He showed me Gen. Early's order." Gen. Early in his "Memoir," page 57, says: "A written demand was sent to the municipal authorities, and they were informed what would be the result of a failure or refusal to comply with it." On page 59 he says: "On the 30th of July McCausland reached Chambersburg and made the demand as directed, reading to such of the authorities as presented them- selves the paper sent by me." Colonel W. E. Pe- ters, who commanded one of the regiments in John-
ston's brigade, when the burning commenced came and asked me if the burning was being done by my orders. I showed him the order of Gen. Early and he was satisfied, and proceeded to carry out the orders as was being done by other regiments of his brigade. In this expedition the troops passed through more than one hundred miles of hostile territory, executed all orders that were issued with promptness and regularity, and never have I heard of any com- plaints of acts unauthorized by their superior officers. I think that these facts will show that this entire expedition was planned and executed in accordance with the orders of superior officers of competent authority to order it, and moreover, that it was an act of retaliation perfectly justified by the circum- stances, and was at all times kept clearly within the rule governing civilized warfare.
Vattel, in his "Law of Nations," lays down the following rule and it may not be inappropriate to quote it in order that many persons, who may read what is said about the destruction of Cham- bersburg, may have the opinion of a standard au- thority upon such proceedings:
A civil war breaks the bonds of society and governinents, or at least suspends their force and effect. It produces in the nation two independent parties who consider each other as enemies and ac- knowledge no common judge. Those two parties, therefore, must necessarily be considered as thence- forward constituting, at least for a time, two separate bodies, two distinct societies. Though one of the
361
OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND.
"Soldiers of both armies were constantly com- ing to the house for meals and our larder was generally kept nearly empty. Our house seemed to be at a place which was constantly changing hands. One day it changed possession no less than five times and several times soldiers of one side retreated from the back door as their enemy ad- vanced to the front door. One evening a squad of hungry looking and ragged Confederates came into the kitchen with sacks of flour which they had ta- ken from a neighboring mill, and asked to have it made into bread. We all went hard to work to make the bread and had cooked a good pile of short eake which the men were devouring with their eyes when the alarm was given that the "Yankees" were eoming. They seized their bread and leaped out of the back windows and ran for their lives. A good portion of the bread which was on the stove or in the kneading trough, was eaten by the Union soldiers.
"I often wonder how we ever managed to keep enough food in the house for the family to live upon. There was a constant demand upon us. Frequently we did not have a horse to send to mill to get flour. Sometimes every domestic animal on the farm was taken and when a considerable body of men would settle down near us or pass by us, we had to ask for guards for everything. The cows had to be guarded to keep the soldiers from milking them. The orchard had to have a guard to protect the apples. The potato patch had to be guarded and the well was so constantly pumped that it was necessary to place a guard there so that enough water eould accumulate for the use of the family. All these guards had to be fed by us.
"Perhaps we were the better cnabled to ob- tain the serviees of guards from the faet that generally there were offieers oeeupying the house who were anxious upon their own account to keep
something in the larder. Onee fifteen Surgeons spent four days with us and taxed us sorely to feed them. These paid their board liberally and with greenbacks which seemed to be fresh from the press. My mother was sick and young as I was the care of the house fell upon me. The surgeons were very considerate and the one of highest rank, he was in the regular army, was an elderly man and a most courteous gentleman. The house was not nearly large enough to accommodate so many and some of them slept on the parlor floor and on top of the piano. Our silver was buried, with the exeeption of one teaspoon and this I always gave to the oldest surgeon. The rest had to use pewter spoons.
"For six weeks our barn was converted into a hospital by my father who was a physican as well as a farmer. There were sixty inmates suffering with fevers and various ailments. My father had hard work to feed these. They got their rations but would not eat them and we had to provide more palatable food. My father sent flour to a neighbor and paid to have it made into bread. He had a fine flock of sheep at that time and kill- ed them all to feed the sick. Soup was made in a large iron kettle on a fire near the barn. One day a huge box came from the North contain- ing great quantities of medieines and food. The most acceptable of these was quinine and whiskey. Both were required in the hospital and both were too expensive for us to procure. For several days my father was sick and could not get to the barn and he sent me to administer the medicines. He provided me with a chart of the barn which show- ed the position of each patient on the floor and he indicated in that way which medicine I was to administer to each. I successfully performed thuis duty but it was not an agreeable one for after each visit I would be covered with vermin. Three
parties may have been to blame in breaking the- unity of the State and resisting the lawful authority, they are not the less divided in fact. Besides, who shall judge them? Who shall pronounce on which side the right or the wrong lies? On earth they have no common superior. They stand, therefore, in precisely the same predicament as two nations who engage in a contest and being unable to come to an agreement have recourse to arms. This being the case it is evident that the common laws of war, those maxims of humanity, moderation and honor commonly observed, ought to be observed by both parties in every civil war. For the same reasons which render the observances of those maxims a matter of obligation between State and State, it be-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.