Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

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[198] spent a full week in the county, and leisurely hunted out horses and cattle without molestation. The citizens were unable to protect themselves, and owing to the want of promptness of our citizens elsewhere to respond to the call for troops, aid could not be had. We have not sufficient data to estimate the loss sustained by this county, but it cannot fall short of a quarter of a million of dollars. It is a fearful blow to our people, coming as it does in the throngest season of the year, and many croppers, who had little else than their stock, have been rendered almost if not entirely bankrupt by the raid. If the people of Pennsylvania will not fight to protect the State from invasion, the sufferers have a right to claim. compensation from the common treasury of the State. The State professes to protect its citizens in the enjoyment of all their rights, and there is no justice in withholding the common tribute from individual sufferers. Among the many unfortunate, perhaps the greatest sufferer is ex-Sheriff Taylor, from whom the rebels captured a drove of fat cattle in Fulton County. His loss is some seven thousand dollars.

The route of Jenkins was through the most densely populated and wealthiest portion of the county. From this point he fell back to Greencastle and south of it, thence he proceeded to Mercersburgh, from where a detachment crossed the Cove Mountain to McConnellsburgh and struck down the valley from there. The main body, however, was divided into plundering parties, and scoured the whole southern portion of the county, spending several days in and about Greencastle and Waynesboro, and giving Welsh Run a pretty intimate visitation.

The rebels seemed omnipresent according to reports. They were on several occasions since their departure from this place just about to reenter it, and the panic-stricken made .a corresponding exit at the other side. On Thursday, the eighteenth, they were reported within two miles of here, in large force, and a general skedaddle took place. And again on Sunday, the twenty-first, they were reported coming with reenforcements. A few ran off, but most of our people, knowing that there was a military force to fall back upon between this and Scotland, shouldered their guns and fell into ranks to give battle. Prominent among these we noticed Rev. Mr. Niccoll, whose people missed a sermon in.his determination to pop a few rebels.

One of the first acts done by the rebels here was to march down to the railroad bridge at Scotland and burn it. The warehouse of Mr. Criswell and several cars were spared upon satisfactory assurance that they were private property. As soon as the rebels fell back the railroad company commenced to rebuild the bridge, and on Sunday evening, the twenty-first, trains passed over it again. The only other instance of firing property that has reached us was the warehouse of Oaks and Linn. It was fired just as they left the town, but the citizens extinguished it.

We had not the felicity of a personal interview with the distinguished guerrilla chief, but our special reporters took his dimensions and autobiography with general accuracy, He was born of his mother at a very early age, and is supposed to be the son of his father. He was flogged through school in his boyhood years much as other children; and may have startling traditions touching his early character, such as the hatchet and cherry-tree which proved that Washington could not lie; but it is for the present regarded as doubtful. He subsequently graduated at Jefferson College in this State, in the same class, we believe, with J. McDowell Sharpe, Esq., and gave promise of future usefulness and greatness. His downward career commenced some five years ago, when in an evil hour he became a member of Congress from Western Virginia, and from thence may be dated his decline and fall. From Congress he naturally enough turned fire-eater, secessionist, and guerrilla. He is of medium size, has a flat but good head, light brown hair, blue eyes, immense flowing beard of a sandy hue, and rather a pleasant face. He professes to cherish the utmost regard for the humanity of war, and seemed sensitive on the subject of his reputation as a humane military leader. He pointed to the raids of the Union troops, who left in many instances widespread and total desolation on their tracks, and expressed the hope that henceforth the Union raids would do no more damage to citizens than he does. He takes horses, cattle, and articles necessary for the army, as both sides treat them as contraband of war, and help themselves on every occasion offered. He pointed with bitter triumph at the raid of Montgomery in South-Carolina, and at the destruction of Jacksonville, Fla., and Jackson, Miss., by our troops, and reminded us that his actions were in accordance with civilized warfare, while those referred to of our troops were barbarous.

We do not learn of any one who was able to count Jenkins's forces accurately, but from the best information we can gather he had about two thousand men. They were clad, as rebel soldiers usually are, in the Southern butternut cloth, and without any regard to uniformity. They carried pistols, rifles, and sabres, and are classed as mounted infantry, or independent guerrillas, although they are recognized as part of the rebel army. We believe that the plunder became their own private property, instead of the property of the rebel authorities, as is the case with their regular troops. They have thus a double incentive to plunder.

We have heard much complaint of our people for not rushing to arms and driving the invaders away. It must be remembered that the entire southern half of our county, embracing two thirds of our population, was occupied by the rebels, who had heavy supporting columns at Williamsport. Every man of ours was threatened hourly at his own door, and concentration was impossible.

Our people generally did their duty, but they were required in their respective neighborhoods to picket and protect, in some degree, their stock. A concentration of our men at Chambersburgh,