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claims for retaliation than others, but because they had occurred within the limits of the
country covered by my command, and were brought more immediately to my attention.

The town of Chambersburg, in Pennsylvania, was selected as the one on which retal-
iation should be made, and McCausland was ordered to proceed with his brigade and that of
Johnson, and a battery of artillery, to that place and demand of the municipal authorities the
sum of $100,000 in gold, or $500,000 in United States currency, as a compensation for the
destruction of the houses named and their contents, and, in default of payment, to lay the
town in ashes, in retaliation for the burning of those houses and others in Virginia, as well as
for the towns which had been burned in other Southern States. A written demand to that
effect was sent to the municipal authorities, and they were informed what would be the result
of a failure or refusal to comply with it.

I desired to give the people of Chambersburg an opportunity of saving their town by
making compensation for part of the injury done, and hoped that the payment of such a sum
would have the desired effect, and open the eyes of the people of other towns at the North
to the necessity of urging upon their Government the adoption of a different policy.

McCausland was also directed to proceed from Chambersburg towards Cumberland,
Maryland, and levy contributions in money upon that and other towns able to bear them,
and if possible destroy the machinery at the coal pits near Cumberland, and the machine
shops, depots and bridges on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, as far as practicable.

On the 29th McCausland crossed the Potomac, near Clear Spring, above Williams-
port, and I moved with Rode's and Ramseur's divisions and Vaughn's cavalry to the latter
place, while Imboden demonstrated with his and Jackson's cavalry towards Harper's Ferry,
in order to withdraw attention from McCausland. Breckinridge remained at Martinsburg,
and continued the destruction of the railroad. Vaughn drove a force of cavalry from
Williamsport, and went into Hagerstown, where he captured and destroyed a train of cars
loaded with supplies. One of Rode's brigades was crossed over at Williamsport, and
subsequently withdrawn.

On the 30th McCausland being well under way, I moved back to Martinsburg; and
on the 31st the whole infantry force was moved to Bunker Hill, where we remained on the
1st, 2d and 3d of August.

On the 4th. in order to enable McCausland to retire from Pennsylvania and Maryland,
and to keep Hunter, who had been reinforced by the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, and had
been oscillating between Harper's Ferry and Monocacy Junction, in a state of uncertainty,
I again moved to the Potomac, with the infantry and Vaughn's and Jackson's cavalry, while
Imboden demonstrated towards Harper's Ferry.

On the 5th Rode's and Ramseur's division crossed at Williamsport, and took position
near St. James' College, and Vaughn's cavalry went into Hagerstown. Brcckinridge, with
his command, and Jackson's cavalry crossed at Shepherdstown, and took position at Sharps-
burg. This position is in full view from Maryland Heights, and a cavalry force was sent out
by the enemy to reconnoitre, which, after skirmishing with Jackson's cavalry, was driven off
by the sharpshooters of Gordon's division.