Civil War burning of Chambersburg

E714108

The Civil War burning of Chambersburg was an 1864 Confederate raid in which much of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was deliberately destroyed by fire after the town failed to pay a ransom.

All labels observed (3)

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf American Civil War event
military raid
war crime allegation
aftermath long-term rebuilding of the town
significant economic loss for Chambersburg
alsoKnownAs Burning of Chambersburg
Sacking of Chambersburg
belligerent Confederate States Army
Union
carriedOutBy Brigadier General John McCausland
cause failure of Chambersburg to pay a Confederate ransom demand
civilianCasualties yes
civilianPopulationAffected residents of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
commander John McCausland
Jubal A. Early
conflict American Civil War
country United States
date 1864-07-30
followedBy increased Union resolve in the Shenandoah Valley campaign
geographicContext Cumberland Valley
historicalRegion Franklin County, Pennsylvania
involvedUnit Confederate cavalry
Union militia and local defenders
legacy commemorated in local history of Chambersburg
remembered as a major Confederate raid into the North
legalStatusAtTime controversial under the laws of war of the period
location Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
method deliberate arson of buildings
motive attempt to obtain funds for the Confederate war effort
retaliation for Union destruction in the Shenandoah Valley
notableFor being one of the few Northern towns deliberately burned by Confederate forces
civilian property destruction
orderedBy Jubal A. Early
partOf Jubal Early's 1864 Valley Campaigns
precededBy Confederate raid into Pennsylvania in July 1864
primaryTarget town of Chambersburg
ransomDemanded $100,000 in gold
$500,000 in U.S. currency
relatedEvent Burning of the Shenandoah Valley
Gettysburg Campaign
result hundreds of buildings destroyed
large-scale destruction of Chambersburg by fire
thousands of residents left homeless
state Pennsylvania
targets business district of Chambersburg
residential areas of Chambersburg
theater Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
typeOfAttack cavalry raid
year 1864

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania hasHistoricEvent Civil War burning of Chambersburg
Second Battle of Kernstown followedBy Burning of Chambersburg
linked to: Civil War burning of Chambersburg
Civil War burning of Chambersburg alsoKnownAs Burning of Chambersburg
linked to: Civil War burning of Chambersburg
Civil War burning of Chambersburg alsoKnownAs Sacking of Chambersburg
linked to: Civil War burning of Chambersburg