defence. Soon, however, the enemy fell back across the Potomac, and the
invasion was declared to be ended. The small body of troops under General
Couch were withdrawn to protect the national Capital, and we were left
defenceless. We were assured, however, that the fords of the Potomac were
well guarded, and a large army lay between us and the rebels. The very
papers in New York which now condemn us for our apathy were daily assuring
us that it was "all quiet on the Potomac," and that the enemy had fallen
back. We were soon startled from our dream of security by the announcement
that General Crooks had been defeated, and the rebels were again advancing
to invade Pennsylvania.

"We did not then take arms, because it was plain to every one that if the
forces of Crooks and Averill could not resist their advance, it would be
folly in a few citizens to attempt it. We had seen an invasion once
before, and knew what it meant. Anticipating a repetition of the scenes
of last year, the people of the county began to remove their stock and
valuables. In the midst of conflicting rumors nothing could be learned of
the movements of the enemy until Friday, July 29th. In the afternoon of
that day it was known that they had crossed the Potomac, and were
advancing rapidly on Chambersburg. We also learned from Mercersburg that
the invading force was three thousand strong, or as it afterwards
appeared, by actual count, thirty-one hundred, with six pieces of
artillery. To meet this force there were in the town one hundred soldiers,
with two pieces of artillery, and the citizens capable of bearing arms.
The number of the latter would not reach three hundred, a large portion of
the population being already in the army, and quite a number absent,
attending to the removal of their horses and valuables. The citizens who
remained were willing to defend the place, had it been deemed practicable
by General Couch; but with this small and inadequate force at his
disposal, it seemed like courting destruction for the town to attempt its
defence. A show of resistance, which none could hope would be successful,
would only give them a pretext for burning. No word could be obtained from
General Averill, who was then near Greencastle, though the most earnest
efforts were made by General Couch to obtain his assistance.

"At four o'clock A. M. on Saturday the military authorities left, and soon
after the combined forces of McCausland and Bradley Johnson were p