JWB and Company and Atrocities Against Southern Citizens

[L Verge]

I think the closest idea we can get from what might have happened to Northern towns by revenge-minded Rebels is what happened to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1864. Confederate troops had held the town briefly in October of 1862 and June of 1863, but July of 1864 was a different matter.

1864 was an election year, and Lincoln was afraid that he would not get reelected if the Federal forces were not showing better progress. One of the plans of action (I don't know whether devised by Lincoln or someone else) was to destroy Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. I believe I'm correct that Gen David Hunter (later of military trial fame) was in charge of the project and did a darn good job! As we know, Sherman was having his way with Georgia.

When the opportunity came to get into Chambersburg and its rail lines again, the Confederates took it and took revenge. The town was ransomed and then set afire. Here's one brief description that I found: Rampaging through the town, Confederate soldiers broke into houses and evicted residents, smashed furniture, heaped the pieces into piles, and then set them on fire. By eight a. m. the city was in flames. As the city burned, renegade soldiers robbed citizens, looted stores, and drank whatever liquor they could find. Some demanded ransom money to spare a home, then torched it anyway after the ransom was paid.

Not all Confederates participated in the sacking of Chambersburg. The Masonic Temple was spared when an officer who was also a Mason posted guards to prevent its burning. When the colonel of the 21st Virginia Cavalry refused to obey the burning order, he was arrested and his entire unit sent out of town.

Other Confederates tried to help frantic citizens retrieve household goods before their homes were burned. In the end, perhaps 550 buildings went up in flames. In spite of the widespread arson and looting, the Rebels killed only one civilian, an elderly African American. Angry citizens killed at least five Confederates by the time the raiders had withdrawn.

In war, there is always enough blame to pass around on both sides. By 1864, I'm sure that Southern chivalry had been kicked in the teeth enough times that it wanted revenge. Likewise, Federal troops had been made to look inept for the first few years of the war, so maybe their chance to destroy the two bread baskets of the South -- the Valley and Georgia -- made them feel better?