In the early morning of July 30, 1864, Confederates gathered west of town and lobbed 6 shells into the town.  Then, Confederate General John McCausland entered the town of Chambersburg with demands - $100,000 in gold or $500,000 in greenbacks.
The demands could not be met so they proceeded to burn the center of town, Chambersburg Academy, and Norland Hall, the home of Alexander McClure, confidant to the President Lincoln.  By eleven o’clock, their duty was complete and they left! 278 houses, factories, and businesses destroyed and 3000 people homeless.

 

Let’s look at their stories……..