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Daily Express Lancaster Pa. June 20, 1863 The Rebel Raid-Interesting Details from Citizens-How the Rebels Came and What They Did-The Manner and Cause of their Sudden-Departure,etc,etc. Correspondence of the Express. Chambersburg, June 17, 1863 We have had a visit from Gen. Jenkins Guerrilla Band, which hails from Western Virginia. They made a much better appear- ance then the party which visited us last year. The men are healthy and robust, and look as they could endure any amount of fatigue. They were dressed in all sorts of clothing, their uniforms being in no wise uniform, so that it would have been very difficult to distinguish them as soldiers of any country under the Sun. They arrived on Monday night, a little before midnight. The advance guard came into town at full speed, with drawn sabres. Three of the Cavalry were about a square ahead of the advance guard, and some of our young men were out "on a bender," arrested, disarmed, and took them prisoners, some of them riding their horses away; but their companions came up just in time to rescue their friends; but they could not recover their horses. This caused a great deal of trouble between the rebels and the citizens. The former were continually threatening to burn the town if we did not return the horses and arms taken from them. When the advance came in there was a lot of stones lying on the main street, which obstructed about half the street; and as they coming into town at full speed, one of the rebels run into the stone pile, his horse stumbling and throwing him violently to the ground. In an effort to save himself his pistol went off. They came back, knocked at the doors and ordered out the citizens in front of whose doors the stones lay, and threatened to burn down their property for not keeping the streets clean. They would not stop to argue the question, but took some of them prisoners and kept them confined until the next day, when they were all let off after a vain attempt to compel them to take the oath of allegiance to the "Southern Confederacy." They were not to be intimidated by their threats. On Tuesday the Rebels took full possession of the town, and gave us notice that we must open our stores, and permit their soldiers to buy (or steal) what they might fancy, and that any one who refused to take their money or open his store, would have his goods "confiscated." So we opened our stores and in they flocked, and in a short time we were doing a rush business. Those who paid of course gave us their worthless confederate scrip, but in this we played a little sharp on them, as you will see hereafter. They were busy in buying, or stealing -whichever you choose to call it, when their operations were suddenly interrupted by an order to fall into line, as an alarm had been raised that there was a Federal force coming up the road from Carlisle. I assure you I never saw men leave and mount their horses quicker then they did. They immediately went down the Shippensburg pike, where they had their camp, and there formed their line of battle. There were about 1500 mounted infantry and three hundred cavalry, all well mounted on fine horses, as hardy looking as the men. At this time we were in a state of great excitement, and the old guns and other weapons were brought out, thinking that our time for redress had now come, and that we were to be free from our new rulers; but our exultation was of short duration, as the advancing force was only a party of seven Calvary scouts from Carlisle. They fired at each other, and two of our men were wounded and two brought in prisoners. We were therefore sadly disappointed, when about four o'clock in the afternoon they again came into town, and issued an order that if any citizen fired on a guard or molested them in any manner whatever, they would fire the town and burn town every man's property. This is the rod which they continually held over us to keep us in submission. Night came on and we retired to rest under rebel protection, and in the morning the Court House bell was rung and an order read requiring the citizens to give up all guns, swords, pistols and other warlike weapons within two hours, and that if they were not delivered up they would search our houses and burn down every property in which arms should be found. The guns were promptly turned in according to the order, and a courious looking armory was soon established. There were guns of all descriptions some without barrels, some without triggers, and others without locks, but in the number there was about 200 good muskets, which had been collected after the raid last year by the U.S. Quartermaster. About one o'clock there was a great commotion among them and presently their baggage train came along, then their cavalry, and their infantry on foot, and only small rear guard being left back. One of those on the route set fire to a large warehouse but a number of citizens who were standing around succeeded in extinguishing the flames and it is well they did, for if they had not we would have had a large fire, as there were a number of frame buildings and a strawboard manufactory nearby, and the wind blowing very high at the time. We were very thankful that we got off with so little loss as we had expected them to burn us out. The rebel who fired the warehouse was fired at and stoned by some of the citizens and had his guns taken from him. As he retreated at a full gallop he fired his pistol at two of the citizens, but did not hit them. As I before stated, we played a little sharp with the worthless trash they compelled us to take for money. They demanded $900 for the horses taken from then by the citizens. they set up the curious plea in support of this demand, that no citizen has a right to take property from military invaders, but that they had a right to take from the farmers and others any property that would be of us to them, a right that they illustrated by seizing about 150 horses, and a quantity of saddles harness ect. in the neighborhood. So, as the next best thing to be done, we collected the $900 in rebel money, from the different stores, and with that paid them for their horses. Of course they could not well refuse to take their own currency! The Rebels, all the time they were here, appeared to be very uneasy, keeping a sharp lookout as if they expected to be attacked, which they ought to have been, and would have been if our government had shown a little more energy in protecting the border from such raids. This is a fine valley, and the rebels seem to know it, as both officers and men told us they would often pay us a visit, as they lived so well when they came to see us, and that we take such good care of them and their horses. They went away much better dressed then when they came, as they got shoes, and clothing generally, much cheaper then they could procure them at home! They also were considerate enough to supply themselves with dresses and other little comforts, for their wives and daughters and sweethearts. Before leaving, our visitors went to the part of the town occupied by the colored population, and kidnapped all they could find, from the child in the cradle up to men and women of fifty years of age. They tied them with ropes by the wrist, and, pistol in hand, drove them through the streets firing at them to make them hurry along! It would have made your heart ache to have witnessed this highhanded and brutal outrage committed on these poor defenseless creatures. The indignation of our citizens was intense, but what could they do! The first lot sent through was in charge of a small guard, which was captured, and the Negroes set free again at Greencastle, about ten miles from here, but I am afaird they were recaptured again by the rebels. The rebel mail carrier was also captured, with a dispatch to the effect that they could not keep their lines open any longer, as their infantry was expecting an attack every moment. there was exidently something going on in their rear, which made them very uneasy all the time they were here-hence in charging through the town they kept up the constant threat that if they were fired upon from any house they would burn the town. I have just had a conversation with one of the wounded Union cavalry soldiers, who fought with the rebels from Bunker Hill, and reached our place Monday night about four hours before Jenkins forces came in. There was about 150 of them, and they skirmished with the rebel advance until near Greencastle. We had this young soldier secreted while the rebels were here. They told us that this little band fought them gallantly at Bunker Hill from four o'clock until night. They used a Brick Church as a fort, making loop holes through the walls for their guns. Although they admitted having a vastly superior force, our fellows fought them gallantly, and thus kept them from capturing the large train of army wagons which passed through this place on Monday. This was evidently the prize the rebels were after, as the first question they asked on their arrival was. "How far is the wagon train ahead." Of course, none of our citizens gave the satisfactory information. The bitterness of their curses showed how much they were disappointed, and how nobley our little force did their duty in covering the retreat of the train. There is a rumor in town that the rebels have stopped in Greencastle and taken a number of prisoners, which they hold as hostages for the return of their negros and rebel prisoners that were taken there and that they threaten to burn the town as they did outs. As the mail communication has not been restored yet, I send this by a messenger to Shippensburg. J.J. _________________________________________ [The following letter from Mr. Wallace a
Chambersburg June 17.1863
The rebels made their appearance on Monday
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