Unknown to William W. Averell, July 29, 1864

General AVERELL, Hagerstown : ;

Should the enemy turn your right flank and move into this State, will you pursue them, provided they threaten your front; or, if they move on your right flank in overpowering numbers, will you fall back into this Valley or move to the left? It will be of great service for me to know this. If you can’t safely send this by telegraph, but wish to let me know, can’t you send it up by confidential

messenger ? D. N. COUCH, Major-General. [Inclosure No. 2.] HAGERSTOWN, July 29, 1864. Major-General CoucH: I will not uncover Cumberland Valley, unless compelled to do so. W. M. W. AVERELL,

Brigadier-General. {Inclosure No. 3.]

Hpgrs. DEPARTMENT OF THE SUSQUEHANNA, Harrisburg, Pa., August 9, 1864.

Magor: I have the honor to report relating to the late invasion by the rebels in Chambersburg, Pa., on the morning of the 30th of July, 1864. Being on detached duty at headquarters of the department at that place, and unavoidably detained there, I was present both on the entrée and departure of their force in and out of town, and was both an eye-witness and observator of the following, which came under my immediate observation:

The rebels entered the town with a force of (I do not think over That in retaliation of the depredations committed by Major-General Hunter, of the U.S. forces, during his recent «aid, it is ordered that the citizens of Chambersburg pay to the Confederate States by General McCausland the sum of $100,000 in gold; or in lieu thereof $500,000 in greenbacks or national currency was required to ransom the town, otherwise the town would be laid in ashes within three hours.

The order was signed by General Early. After reading the order I started to find the town council. Meeting one of them I informed him of the facts, when he told me that the citizens would not pay them 5 cents. Ireturned and met General Bradley T. Johnson on the portico of the Franklin Hotel. The rebels were by this time dismounted and breaking in the doors of stores and houses, and had already commenced plundering. When they entered it was 5.30 a. m., from which time I was in company with both Generals McCaus- land and Johnson (being in citizen’s dress they did not know me). General McCausland was appealed to by Johnson to relent or at least give the citizens more time, but he was determined. At 9 o’clock McCausland ordered the town burnt. In afew moments the commissary store-house was in flames, during which time McCausland and Gilmor were riding through town notifying the citizens, pointing to the flames, that he intended to carry his threat into execution. He returned to the Franklin Hotel and had a consultation with General Bradley T. Johnson, during which I overheard McCausland say that General Averell was only four miles out of town with a force of 2,000 cavalry, and that he would now burn the town and return the way they came. In a few moments the courthouse and town-hall were in flames, when simultaneously on the right and left sides of the main street was in one mass of flames; but little time elapsed when the houses on both sides of the by-streets were in the same condition.. I repaired to the hotel and found a party of rebels ransacking the trunks of the boarders, and donning the clothes contained therein. In my trunk was my uniform, other clothes, and letters, &c., by which they learned that I was connected. with the headquarters of the department. They immediately took me prisoner, when they confined me in a tin store adjoining the hotel, where they dressed themselves in my clothes, destroying the emblems of the U.S. service. I was thus confined until the houses on both sides the one in which I was imprisoned were in flames, when I escaped through a window to the rear of the building. At this time (about 12 m.) the rebels were mounted and on their return, leaving only a small number as stragglers and pickets. When they left nearly two-thirds of their party were in a state of intoxication, hardly capable of sitting on their horses. I remained in Chambersburg ambit midnight of Saturday, when I walked to Shippensburg, arriving in Harrisburg on Monday.

I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient