and dollars in greenbacks, or one hundred
thousand dollars in gold were paid in half an hour, the town would be
burned; but no one responded to his call. He was promptly answered that
Chambersburg could not and would not pay any ransom. He had the Court
House bell rung to convene the citizens, hoping to frighten them into the
payment of a large sum of money, but no one attended. Infuriated at the
determination of our people, Major Gilmore rode up to a group of citizens,
consisting of Thomas B. Kennedy, William McLellan, J. McDowell Sharpe, Dr.
J. C. Richards, William H. McDowell, W. S. Everett, Edward G. Etter, and
M. A. Foltz, and ordered them under arrest. He said that they would be
held for the payment of the money, and if not paid he would take them to
Richmond as hostages, and also burn every house in town. While he was
endeavoring to force them into an effort to raise him money, his men
commenced the work of firing, and they were discharged when it was found
that intimidation would effect nothing.

Burning of Chambersburg.

"The main part of the town was enveloped in flames in ten minutes. No time
was given to remove women or children, the sick, or even the dead. No
notice of the kind was communicated to any one; but the work of
destruction was at once commenced. They divided into squads and fired
every other house, and often every house, if there was any prospect of
plunder. They would beat in the door with iron bars or heavy plank, smash
up furniture with an axe, throw fluid or oil upon it, and ply the match.
They almost invariably entered every room of each house, rifled the
drawers of every bureau, appropriated money, jewelry, watches and any
other valuables, and often would present pistols to the heads of inmates,
men and women, and demand money or their lives. In nearly half the
instances they demanded owners to ransom their property, and in a few
cases it was done and the property burned. Although we have heard of a
number of persons, mostly widows, who paid them sums from twenty-five to
two hundred dollars, we know of but few cases where the property was saved
thereby. Few houses escaped rifling--nearly all were plundered of
everything that could be carried away. In most cases houses were entered
in the rudest manner, and no time whatever was allowed for the families to
escape, much less to save anything. Many families had the utmost
difficulty to get themselves and children out in time, and not one-half