The Virginia in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Towns and villages 1863
In Response To: Re: Towns and villages 1863 ()

Tom
Here's one from Fleming Saunders, QM of the 42nd Va., written on 25 June 1863 from Chambersburg. It talks broadly about the people of Pennsylvania and their reactions to the Confederates.

From what I have seen and from what I can learn the people of this state, when they have encountered our army, are very much restrained. When you talk with any of them they are very cautious of expressing their opinions, and will not speak out boldly. I care to have no discussions with them and as far as I am concerned I treat them with perfect politeness and in no way interfere with their private rights, and so far as my authority goes I require those under my control to act in the same manner. They will not take our money for any thing, and our men are very much disposed to take whatever they want. Gen. Lees order most positively forbids the interference with private property and whilst he declares that the army must subsist upon the country, he requires every thing to be taken by the chiefs of departments and to be paid for in our currency or duplicate receipts, which can be _____ at some later day.

Some acts of pillage has been committed by our men but I believe upon the whole they will behave themselves very well. As we pass along the roads, nearly all the people shut themselves up in their houses & pull the blinds down or close the shutters, and the houses all look deserted. Most of the people in this country seem to be very comfortably fixed and have an abundance to live upon. They are very plain people and I think are dull & but little educated.
All the negroes in this part of the state have run farther North. These people say they are tired of the war and wish it would stop, but they say that the Union ought to remain as it was. They also say that this move of our army will stir up the North and they will now soon end the war. I have no patience with an army of pilage but I ____ these people now feel some of the effects of invasion. Our Quartermasters and Commissaries have procured very many supplies for the army in Chambersburg and they now _____ molasses, coffee & sugar are issued to the men. The coffee adds very much to our bill of fare. Our men have kept up remarkably well & are in good health & spirits.

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Towns and villages 1863
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Re: Towns and villages 1863