. Abraham Lincoln and men of war-times. Some personal recollections of war and politics during the Lincoln administration . ed to me several dispatches he had justreceived from Mercersburg, stating that a strong Confed-erate force of cavalry was just entering that town, andother dispatches stating that they were moving fromMercersburg toward St. Thomas, which was on thedirect line toward Chambersburg. I could not believeit possible that Stuart would venture to Chambersburg,when he must have known that part of McClellans forcewas at Hagerstown, within one hour of us by railway,and that troops c
. Abraham Lincoln and men of war-times. Some personal recollections of war and politics during the Lincoln administration . ed to me several dispatches he had justreceived from Mercersburg, stating that a strong Confed-erate force of cavalry was just entering that town, andother dispatches stating that they were moving fromMercersburg toward St. Thomas, which was on thedirect line toward Chambersburg. I could not believeit possible that Stuart would venture to Chambersburg,when he must have known that part of McClellans forcewas at Hagerstown, within one hour of us by railway,and that troops could be brought there to overwhelm himby the exercise of any reasonable military skill. I atonce telegraphed to the commander at Hagerstown, whoturned out to be General Wood, telling him that Stuartwas approaching Chambersburg, to which I received animpertinent reply, saying in substance that Stuart wasno such fool, and not to bother myself about it. I re-mained at the telegraph-office for two hours without com-municating the information to any one, as I hoped thatStuart would not get so far from his base as Chambers-. (Photo by Brady, Washiugton.) GENERAL J. E. B. STUART, 1S62. BORDER-LIFE IN WAR-TIMES. 371 burg, and that our people could be spared the panic thatmust follow the announcement of his coming. I soonlearned that Stuarts force had reached the turnpike sixor eight miles west of Chambersburg, and was movingtoward us, and I urgently appealed to General Wood tothrow a force into Chambersburg to protect the town,K\en then he had ample time to do so, as the railwayfacilities were at his command, but the only answer Ireceived was a repetition of the assumption that Stuartwould not dare to venture into Chambersburg, andIn-oadh- intimating to me not to annoy him any that nothing could be done to protect Cham-bersburg, I quietly went to my home, took tea, and re-turned to my office to await events. A cold, drizzlingrain had been falling during the day, and bet
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