USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Waynesboro > Waynesboro : the history of a settlement in the county formerly called Cumberland, but later Franklin, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in its beginnings, to its centennial period, and to the close of the present century > Part 15
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General Lee, from his intimate acquaintance with the details of the Harper's Ferry insurrection, for it will be remembered that he, with the then lieutenant, J. E. B. Stuart, participated in the capture of John Brown, was certainly cognizant of the fact that Brown had made Chambersburg the base of his movements and a depot for his supplies before he actually transferred his operations to the soil of Virginia. This knowledge, there is no doubt, lived in the memory of many a Southern man. True as is the story of John Brown's connection with Chambersburg, equally true is it that the citizens of that town were totally ignorant of his movements, and wholly innocent of any complicity therein.
Whether or not such a consideration had weight in the mind of General Lee, he knew that a successful raid into
CHAPTER IX.
Lee's confidence in Stuart.
Ostensible and real object of expedi- tion.
John Brown re- membered.
The raid a good thing. anyhow.
(13)
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CHAPTER IX.
any part of the enemy's country could scarcely fail to be productive of good results for him, at least, in the de- moralizing effect that such a coup-de-grace at this critical period would have upon the North.
Preparation for the raid.
Cf. Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence Van Borcke.
With his usual alacrity, General Stuart prepared for this mission, which accorded so fully with the spirit of hardihood and daring which animated most of his actions. When the order reached him his command was encamped at one of his favorite haunts, a spot called "The Bower:" a plantation some eight miles from Martinsburg, and ten from Charlestown. This plantation was owned by and was the home of the Dandridges, a family of ancient re- pute, well known in the vicinage. This family numbered among its members in the past the charming widow. Martha Dandridge Custis, who was afterwards wooed and won as the wife of General Washington.
Character of Stuart.
Camp life at the Bower.
Stuart's chief of staff.
The well-known light-hearted character of General Stuart, and his sociability, made his presence welcome everywhere, and although it might be said that the fate of a nation frequently depended upon the military work which engaged the attention of this chieftain in day time. he was able to forget the gravity of his mission when night came, and to be the merriest of the merry in the so- cial gatherings which were nightly occurrences during this period at the Bower. Many are the tales told of the mer- rymakings in which Stuart and his men participated while encamped at this delightful place. Here it was that Bob Sweeny, the famous banjoist and trusted musical director of the cavalry band. and "Mulatto Bob," the faithful ser- vant in ordinary of Stuart himself, and the extraordinary manipulator of the bones, won fame for themselves, and furnished boundless amusement for both soldiers and guests.
The night before the start was made upon the expedi- tion into Pennsylvania was no exception in the way of merrymaking at the Bower. Stuart's chief of staff at that
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IN WAR TIMES.
time was the stalwart, heavily-bearded Prussian, Heros CHAPTER 1X. Von Borcke, who had run the blockade and entered the confines of the Confederacy, where his letters of intro- duction and soldierly bearing won him a commission. His brave and daring conduct, coupled with unwonted kind- ness of heart and good nature, won him fame and ad- vanced position. Like Stuart, he enjoyed the hours of recreation in camp, and it is related of him that he took part in an amateur theatrical performance on one occa- sion of merrymaking that won for him, at least from his commander, no little of histrionic fame. The title of the performance was significant, "A Pennsylvania Farmer and his Wife." Another Confederate officer was cast as the farmer, and Van Borcke as his wife. While Stuart was absent in Pennsylvania, Van Borcke was left in charge of the camp at the Bower.
The day set for the inception of the undertaking dawned bright and clear, and with the first blush of the morning the troops which had been selected for the haz- ardous enterprise were busy with the bustle of prepara- tion. When all was in readiness for their departure, Gen- erel Stuart addresses his men :
"Soldiers: You are about to engage in an enterprise which, to insure success, imperatively demands at your hands coolness, decision and bravery ; implicit obedience to orders, without question or cavil, and with strictest order and sobriety on the march and in bivouac.
"The destination and extent of this expedition had bet- ter be kept to myself than known to you. Suffice it to say that with the hearty co-operation of officers and men I have no doubt of its success-a success which will re- flect credit in the highest degree upon your arms. The orders which are herewith published for your govern- ment are absolutely necessary, and must be rigidly en- forced."
In the orders issued for the government of Stuart's troops while upon the raid, the general seems to have
The expedition starts. October 9th.
Stuart addresses his men. Off. Rec .. p. 56.
Official orders to the men. off. Rec .. p. 55.
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CHAPTER 1X.
had a tender regard for the rights of the enemy, for he expressly commands that no property shall be taken, ex- cept such as is subject to legal capture, and that none was to be taken except by authority given in person, or in writing, of the proper officers in their command. In all cases a receipt was ordered to be given to the effect that the article was seized for the use of the Confederate States, giving the place, date and name of owner, in order, as is explicitly explained. "to enable the individual to have recourse upon his government for damage." Major J. T. W. Hairston was appointed division provost marshal.
The place of rendezvous. October 9th.
The little army of picked men which was to accompany General Stuart on this expedition rendezvoused at Darks- ville. Virginia, at twelve o'clock M., on the day of start- ing, and from that point marched to the vicinity of Hed- gesville, where it encamped for the night. At daylight the next morning the whole force crossed the Potomac river at McCoy's ferry, between Williamsport and Han- cock, after a slight skirmish with the enemy.
Commencement of the march.
Capture of signal station.
A short distance from the point where the Confederate forces crossed the river was the Federal signal station. on Fairview Heights, which was in charge of Lieutenant W. W. Howley, acting signal officer. The valley along the river was filled with a dense fog. The place where the Confederates crossed was entirely hidden from view from any point on this part of the mountain, as well as the road along which they came. This situation was Stuart's op- portunity, and, with about twenty of Hampton's cavalry. a dash was made, which resulted in the capture of nearly the whole force at the signal station. and all their flags and instruments.
On to Mercersburg.
The expedition then proceeded on its way, unmolested. in the direction of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, which point was reached about noon. Stuart was quite anxious to go to Hagerstown to capture a large amount of stores
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IN WAR TIMES.
at that place, but, wisely estimating the strength of the enemy there, he desisted from the attempt, and the march was continued in the direction of Chambersburg by way of Bridgeport, Clay Lick and St. Thomas.
With the fall of night, the entire force halted on the outskirts to wait, in the midst of a cold, drizzling rain, the answer of the town to a summons to surrender.
What of the beleaguered town? The summer had been a season of constant excitement for the people of Cham- bersburg. For nearly four months they had been under a constant menace of invasion. The ordinary pursuits of life had been almost abandoned, and it had been only with the approach of autumn that the semi-military rule in the town had been somewhat relaxed, and the people, with some degree of confidence, were again turning to their usual occupations. Men paid less attention to flying ru- mors about the approach of the enemy. The stores and shops were freshly restocked in anticipation of the win- ter's trade, and all had settled down with a sense of se- curity to which they had been strangers for many a day.
The summer had made the town acquaint with many a feature of war. A military headquarters, the people had grown accustomed to the sights and sounds incident thereto. Here and there through the borough were army hospitals, in which, at this very time, there were nearly three hundred sick and wounded Union soldiers. Minis- tering to these, the women of Chambersburg had early learned lessons of fortitude and familiarity with this, the saddest and most serious aspect of the war.
As a depot of supplies. Chambersburg, at this time, was not an unimportant point. Under the charge of Cap- tain Ashmead, A. Q. M., arms, uniforms and other equip- ments had been shipped here by the Government early in the summer for the purpose of equipping troops that were being raised in the valley. In addition to this, just
CHAPTER IX.
Chambersburg in- vested.
Condition of the beleaguered town.
Peace after tur- moil.
A military head- quarters.
A depot of mili- tary supplies.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER IX.
A captured wagon train.
on the eve of the Antietam battle, an ordinance train had been captured from the Confederate general, Longstreet. near Williamsport, Maryland, by Colonel Davis's com- mand of United States cavalry, consisting of the Eighth New York, the Twelfth Illinois, and two companies each of Rhode Island and Maryland cavalry-thirteen hundred men in all, who had cut their way out of Harper's Ferry, and on their way north had made this capture. The train consisted of forty wagons, with their full complement of "contraband" teamsters. These wagons, heavily laden
THE BOYS IN CHARGE OF THE WAGONS.
An unsafe ware- house.
with arms, and light and heavy ammunition, including a large amount of spherical and conical shells, signal lights, rockets, etc, were taken to Chambersburg. The contents of the wagons were stored, with Government supplies, in the large brick warehouse of Wunderlich & Nead, near the railroad depot. The warehouse was liter- ally filled from cellar to attic with this strange merchan- dise. and so remained until it was found as a rich prize by the Southern visitors under Stuart.
No military pro- tection.
As to a military force for protection, there was scarcely a handful of Federal soldiers in the town. These were chiefly members of the "Anderson troop," who had been
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IN WAR TIMES.
detailed to guard the warehouse containing the supplies, CHAPTER 1X. and to do provost duty in the town.
This particular October day had been a most gloomy one. When the shadows of the early evening fell it was upon habitations and people drenched with an all day's rain, which gave promise of steadily continuing through the night. Men were seeking their homes for the night. The tardy town lamplighter had not yet gone on his rounds. Those who were housed were already begin- ning to woo the comforts of the evening, with never a thought of danger. Suddenly, through the gloomy night. there rang out with startling distinctness, peal after peal from the courthouse bell, which every man, and every boy that was big enough to carry a musket, knew was a call to arms to him as a member of the home guard. How quickly were the streets, a moment since so silent and so deserted, now filled with men, some with arms and some without, all rushing through the darkness to the place of rendezvous, and the common place of inquiry, the "court- house pavement." The story was soon told. Farmers driven in, riding in hot haste, from the west told the tale that, as they came over the hills, they had seen, halting at the coming of night, a large force of Southern cavalry within cannon shot of the town. No time to question, no time to doubt. The little band of home guard was already marching westward, but clear and merrily through the darkness and rain, from the direction of "New England Hall," floated the sound of a bugle, and, shortly, there dashed into the "Diamond" a Confederate lieutenant of cavalry and twenty-five men, with a flag of truce, and, slowly and with crestfallen mien, behind them came marching the Chambersburg home guard.
The truce bearer was Lieutenant T. C. Lee, of the Second South Carolina Regiment, and, upon his inquiry for representatives, military or civil, he was given an au-
Startling news for a wet night. Friday, October 10th.
The alarm bell rings.
The news con- firmed.
The home guard to the rescue.
The flag of truce and a summons to surrender.
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CHAPTER IX.
A
dience in this capacity by Judge Francis M. Kimmel, who was provost marshal: Colonel Alexander K. McClure, who was Assistant Adjutant General of the United States Army, and Colonel Thomas B. Kennedy, a representative citizen. A formal surrender of the town was demanded in the name of General J. E. B. Stuart. and there being nothing in the situation that warranted resistance, the gentlemen above named wisely agreed to go with the advance guard to the headquarters of Generals Stuart and Hampton and formally arrange the terms of surrender in due military order. This was accordingly done, the terms of surrender substantially being that. if no resist- ance was offered, private persons and private property would be respected. Government property and repre- sentatives of military authority were to be at the mercy of the invaders.
Treating with the enemy.
Occupation of the town. Eight o'clock P. M.
At the mercy of the enemy.
.An interview was held with General Hampton, and the town formally surrendered. Within a few minutes after the return of Provost Marshal Kimmel and his compan- ions, the public square of the town was filled with Con- federate cavalry. Formidable looking cannon were rapidly placed in position. frowning down the streets. which center in the square. and. instantly, the tramp of horses, the rattling of sabres and spurs, the dull thud of axes busy with the demolishment of store doors, the sing- ing of broken telegraph wires, and the felling of poles. made sorry music for the pent-up inhabitants who had betaken themselves within doors in surprise and dismay when the presence of their Southern visitors became an established fact.
Character and mimher of invad- ing forces.
The forces of General Stuart upon this expedition con- sisted of eighteen hundred cavalrymen. under the com- mand of Brigadier General Wade Hampton and Colonels W. H. F. Lee and Jones, with four companies of horse artillery, of which the well-known Captain Pelham had command. The actual occupation of Chambersburg was
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IN WAR TIMES.
delegated to General Wade Hampton's brigade, which consisted of six hundred and fifty picked men ; one hun- dred and seventy-five from the Second regiment of South Carolina cavalry, Colonel M. C. Butler ; one hundred and seventy-five from the First North Carolina regiment. Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Gordon ; one hundred and fifty from the Tenth Virginia regiment, Major J. T. Rosser, and one hundred and fifty from the Phillip's Legion, un- der Captain Dunlap.
General Stuart appointed General Hampton military governor of Chambersburg, and operations there were carried on under Hampton's direc- tions. His first step was to estab- lish a rigid provost guard, which was placed under command of Captain J. F. Macfie, of the Second South Caro- lina cavalry regiment. Captain Macfie's first act was to parole all the sick and wounded soldiers in the Brigadier General WADE HAMPTON. hospitals.
General Ilampton appointed military governor.
The work of the raiders during the night was confined to the ransacking of stores, demolishing shops and offices of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, and the office of the Western Union Telegraph Company. During the night, Colonel Jones was ordered to go to Scotland and destroy the railroad bridge. Upon his return, however, he re- ported that it was constructed of iron, and he could not destroy it.
Dayliglit discovered to the invaders the whereabouts of the government stores, and Captain W. H. H. Cowles. of the First North Carolina, was detailed to burn the railroad buildings and remove or destroy the govern- ment stores, as the brigade left town bringing up Stuart's rear. An entrance into the warehouse where the govern- ment supplies were stored was quickly effected. Such
CHAPTER IX.
Captain Macfie, provost marshal.
The night work of the raiders.
Destruction of army stores.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER IX.
moveable things as pistols, sabers, etc., were speedily transferred to the pommels of the raiders' saddles, ready for transportation, when the work of destroying the re- mainder immediately began. Lumber was taken from a yard nearby, saturated with kerosene oil and fired. The flame soon reached the powder, when explosion after ex- plosion took place, like a quick cannonading. alarming the country side and causing the impression that a battle was in progress. The warehouse was blown to atoms. the adjoining buildings were fired and wholly destroyed. and the raiders departed. taking among their large spoils about two hundred and fifty new Federal cavalry uni- forms, which, the sequel shows, they afterwards used to good purpose.
Note 49.
A terrorized peo- ple.
It was only by seeking safety in their cellars and inner rooms that the inhabitants of the town escaped serious harm from the flying shells and missiles from the burning buildings. It was an experience which those of them who still live have never forgotten.
Hostages taken along.
Note 50.
A number of Franklin county citizens were arrested by Stuart, and some of them were held as prisoners and taken south with him. What was his purpose in this does not fully appear.
Escape of the in- vaders.
They capture I'nion scouts. Col. Rush's Lancers.
As appears from a map of the expedition drawn by Captain Wm. W. Blackford, of the corps of engineers. Stuart. in this expedition, made the entire circuit of the Army of the Potomac. Upon leaving Chambersburg he determined to strike for the vicinity of Leesburg. Vir- ginia, taking steps, however, to conceal his purpose. To this end he started directly for Gettysburg, but, having crossed the mountain, turned back some six or eight miles towards Hagerstown, and then entered Maryland by Emmittsburg, taking the road towards Frederick, and. capturing on the way some Federal scouts with dis- patches, he obtained some inside information of the enemy's movements. Before reaching Frederick, he
MAP
MARYLAND INTO PENNSYLVANIA
P
E
7
A
A
Y
HALERS TOWN
>
WINCHES
4
STUART'S ROUTE THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA.
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WAYNESBORO.
CHAPTER IX.
They meet the enemy.
Playing Union soldiers.
They outwit the Yankees.
Escape into Vir- ginia.
crossed Monocacy creek and continued his march through the night by the way of Liberty, New Market and Monrovia, on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, where he cut the telegraph wires and obstructed the road. Hyattstown, on McClelland's line of wagon communication with Washington, was reached before daylight, and a few wagons captured. As Barnesville was approached, a company of Federal cavalry vacated the place without knowledge of Stuart's approach. From Barnesville Stuart made feint of going to Poolesville. which, he had reason to believe, was strongly guarded. but, instead of marching upon that point. he avoided it by a detour through the woods, leaving it two or three miles to his left, striking the road about the mouth of the Mon- ocacy. Here came the meeting with the enemy. General Pleasanton's command of Federal cavalry. consisting of the Eighth Illinois and Third Indiana. and two guns of Pennington's battery, had crossed the Monocacy and were reconnoitering along the Barnesville road. while the main column had moved off in the direction of Pooles- ville. Pleasanton's advance squadron had not proceeded more than a mile and a half from the Monocacy when they discovered a body of cavalry moving towards them dressed in the uniforms of Union soldiers. The officer in command of the squadron made a signal in a friendly way. which was returned, and the parties approached within a short distance of each other, when the officer command- ing the opposite party ordered his men to charge. It was the advance of Stuart's men, clothed in the new uniforms which they had captured in the warehouse at Chambers- burg. The surprise caused by this little ruse sufficed to give Stuart a temporary advantage in the brisk little en- gagement which followed, and enabled him, under cover of Pelham's guns, and despite the efforts of General Pleasanton's and General Stoneman's commands, to make good his escape across the river into Virginia, at
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IN WAR TIMES.
White's Ford, without the loss of a single man and all CHAPTER IX. their spoils with them, crowning with conspicuous suc- cess this most remarkable expedition.
Stuart arrived again safely at the Bower early in the morning, and his approach was heralded by the single bugler he had with him, who, three nights before, had awakened the echoes on New England Hall as he an- nounced the approach of the flag of truce to Chambers- burg.
Had General Lee been thoroughly conversant with the affairs of the Army of the Potomac for the past month. he could not have chosen a more opportune moment for an invasion of Pennsylvania than the time fixed for Stuart's expedition. The battles of South Mountain and Antietam, and the reconnoissances immediately follow- ing, had left the army of Mcclellan in a condition which caused its commander to hesitate in carrying out the pro- gressive orders which he was now almost daily in receipt of from the President and the general-in-chief of the army at Washington. Ten general officers, many regimental and company officers, and a large number of enlisted men, aggregating upward of fifteen thousand, were the sum total of the Federal loss in the late battles. Whole army corps had been badly cut up, scattered and demor- alized. The ranks were decimated through various causes ; there were instances where captains were com- manding regiments; there were companies which were without a single commissioned officer. Besides this, the entire army was lacking in supplies, which, although or- dered from headquarters, and reported as supplied, for some reason had as yet failed to reach the army in the field. Such was the condition of affairs in the Army of the Potomac when there came to General Mcclellan the peremptory orders of the President and the general-in- chief of the army to cross into Virginia, give battle to the
He arrives at the Bower. October 13th.
The unfortunate condition of the army of the Potomac.
Mcclellan's neces- sities, Stuart's opportunity.
Orders from the capital. October 6th.
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CHLAPTER IX.
And news of the enemy.
enemy and drive them south. Just at this juncture, be- fore McClellan had taken the preliminary steps to carry out these marching orders, and to render his situation and that of the Army of the Potomac more embarrassing than ever. Stuart's projected raid into Pennsylvania and around the Army of the Potomac, and his successful es- cape back into Virginia, were accomplished facts. This event could have but one result in the then critical situa- tion of affairs, and that was to bring to a crisis the mis- understanding which had arisen between the Federal commander in the field and the Federal commander at the capital ; a misunderstanding which culminated within a month in an order from the headquarters at the capital relieving General Mcclellan from the command of the Army of the Potomac.
November 7th.
Preparation for the capture of Stuart.
As soon as reliable information was received by Gen- eral McClellan of the movements of Stuart, and after he had been significantly advised by General Halleck that he would be expected to useall troops in Maryland and Penn- sylvania to prevent Stuart's return into Virginia, he re- ports that "every disposition has been made to cut off the retreat of the enemy." The first difficulty with which he met was the almost total inefficiency of the cavalry arm of the service for the work which they were then called upon to perform. With regard to this, McClellan says. "to such an extent had this arm of the service been re- duced that when General Stuart made his raid into Penn- sylvania with two thousand men I could only mount eight hundred men to follow him." Fol- lowing is the disposition of troops made by General Mc- Clellan to prevent the return and encompass the defeat of Stuart :
Disposition of troops.
Mcclellan's reports on organization and campaigns of the Army of the Potomac.
General Averill. then at Green Spring, on the Upper Potomac, was ordered to move rapidly down upon the north side of the river, with all his disposable cavalry, us-
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IN WAR TIMES.
ing every exertion to get upon the trail of the enemy and CHAPTER IX. follow it up vigorously.
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