n of redundant matter has been left out, thus affording room
for various statements which were not at hand before. I may here direct
special attention to the masterly "Vindication of the Border" by Mr.
Apple, the spirited contribution from the facile pen of Mr. Bausman, and
the excellent article by Mr. Shryock. I have with forethought chosen to
introduce other witnesses, besides myself, to testify in regard to the
matter in hand, rather than to have the public rely upon my testimony
only.

The list of names, with the amount of losses by those who owned houses,
were to have been omitted in this edition; but so numerous were the
protests from valued friends against such a course, that it has been
allowed to remain. The space occupied by these details has, however, been
reduced nearly one half, partly by employing smaller type, and partly by
condensing the matter.

The engraving prefixed to the present edition, representing the burnt
portion of the town, will, it is hoped, be acceptable to the reader. A
steel plate engraving of the ruins of the town would have been given, if
any satisfactory representation in so small a compass could have been
furnished. But the judgment of the artist decided against its feasibility,
and in favor of that herewith presented.[1]

B. S. S.

CHAMBERSBURG, Oct. 31st, 1864.

THE BURNING OF CHAMBERSBURG.

LETTER I.

MY DEAR FRIEND:

Your request to give you a succinct and, as far as may be, detailed
account of the terrible calamity with which our town was visited on the
30th day of July, is received. You are pleased to say, that not only my
long residence in the place, but the fact that I had, as on former
occasions, so also during the present one, remained at home, gives me a
right to speak on the subject, without fear of cavil or sneer from those
who are ready, either from ignorance or something worse, to misrepresent
the facts in the case, or apply the ill-timed weapons of ridicule and
sarcasm against statements which have appeared in print.[2] Passing by
your other remarks, which I may be permitted to set down as emanating from
personal partiality, I shall proceed to give you, as perfectly as I can,
and as briefly as the subject will allow, a somewhat detailed account of
the terrible disaster, with an honest endeavor to avoid all special
pleading and overdrawn statements, dealing only in simple matters of fact,
as far as I have been able to gather them, either from personal