Caledonia Furnace

[trice]

On Rt. 30, between Gettysburg and Chambersburg, in Caledonia State Park, you can find the following on an historical marker:
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Caledonis Furnace was erected in 1837 by Thaddeus Stevens and James D. Paxton. Stevens antislavery stand led to its distruction by Gen. Jubal Early, June 26, 1863, on his way to York during the early Gettysburg campaign.
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I have seen it said over the years that Early's men took particular joy in destroying the property of Thaddeus Stephens, a Radical Republican leader.

Does anyone know the details of this incident?

Tim

[PvtClewell]

Tim,

I don't know what kind of detail you are looking for, but this comes from Coddington's 'Gettysburg Campaign':

"On his way over the mountain on the morning of June 26 Early stopped long enough to put to the torch all the buildings of the Caledonia Iron Works, an enterprise which belonged to Congressman Thaddeus H. Stevens, the famous Radical Republican. In this action Early revealed himself as a headstrong and independent leader who had the temerity to defy orders whenever he thought fit. He justified his act on two grounds: retaliation for the 'various deeds of barbarity perpetrated by Federal troops in some of the southern states,' and repayment to Stevens to 'a most vindictive spirit toward the people of the South.' Though the works had recently been profitable for the first time since their founding in 1837 and represented an investment of $65,000, Stevens took their destruction philosophically, saying that everyone must expect to suffer from this war. Perhaps the heaviest burden of loss fell on the more than 200 workers whose means of livlihood were destroyed. Early's men and other Confederates at different times during the campaign ran off with 40 horses and mules belonging to Stevens at Caledonia, seized about $10,000 worth of provisions and goods from the company stores, as well as large quantities of corn and grain in the mills, hauled away his bar iron valued at $4,000, destroyed all the fence rails, used up 80 tons of grass, and finally broke the windows of the houses of the workingmen. In an ironical vein Stevens commended them for doing such a thorough job in cleaning him out. In view of Lee's occupation policies so clearly spelled out in General Orders No. 2, Early's conduct in burning the furnace, saw mill, two forges, and a rolling mill at Caledonia was rank insubordination." (p. 166)

Stephen Sears, in his book 'Gerttysburg,' writes:
"Jubal Early, 'Old Jube,' fierce-minded and cantankerous, quickly set the tone for his march. At South Mountain he came upon the Caledonia Iron Works, the property of abolitionist Congressman Thaddeus Stevens. The works superintendent tried to convince General Early that Stevens only kept the unprofitable furnace and rolling mill and forge open as employment for the local working poor. 'That is not the way Yankees do business,' Early scoffed, and ordered the place burned to the ground. He did so, he later wrote, because Congressman Stevens 'had been advocating the most vindictive measures of confiscation and devastation' against the South." (pp. 112-113)

[trice]

Originally Posted by PvtClewell

Tim,

I don't know what kind of detail you are looking for, but this comes from Coddington's 'Gettysburg Campaign':

"On his way over the mountain on the morning of June 26 Early stopped long enough to put to the torch all the buildings of the Caledonia Iron Works, an enterprise which belonged to Congressman Thaddeus H. Stevens, the famous Radical Republican. In this action Early revealed himself as a headstrong and independent leader who had the temerity to defy orders whenever he thought fit. He justified his act on two grounds: retaliation for the 'various deeds of barbarity perpetrated by Federal troops in some of the southern states,' and repayment to Stevens to 'a most vindictive spirit toward the people of the South.' Though the works had recently been profitable for the first time since their founding in 1837 and represented an investment of $65,000, Stevens took their destruction philosophically, saying that everyone must expect to suffer from this war. Perhaps the heaviest burden of loss fell on the more than 200 workers whose means of livlihood were destroyed. Early's men and other Confederates at different times during the campaign ran off with 40 horses and mules belonging to Stevens at Caledonia, seized about $10,000 worth of provisions and goods from the company stores, as well as large quantities of corn and grain in the mills, hauled away his bar iron valued at $4,000, destroyed all the fence rails, used up 80 tons of grass, and finally broke the windows of the houses of the workingmen. In an ironical vein Stevens commended them for doing such a thorough job in cleaning him out. In view of Lee's occupation policies so clearly spelled out in General Orders No. 2, Early's conduct in burning the furnace, saw mill, two forges, and a rolling mill at Caledonia was rank insubordination." (p. 166)

Stephen Sears, in his book 'Gerttysburg,' writes:
"Jubal Early, 'Old Jube,' fierce-minded and cantankerous, quickly set the tone for his march. At South Mountain he came upon the Caledonia Iron Works, the property of abolitionist Congressman Thaddeus Stevens. The works superintendent tried to convince General Early that Stevens only kept the unprofitable furnace and rolling mill and forge open as employment for the local working poor. 'That is not the way Yankees do business,' Early scoffed, and ordered the place burned to the ground. He did so, he later wrote, because Congressman Stevens 'had been advocating the most vindictive measures of confiscation and devastation' against the South." (pp. 112-113)

Thanks.

To me, this sounds like the normal sort of thing in wars, soldiers taking a little of their own out on the other side. Early apparently felt strongly enough about it to disobey orders (and since I never heard he was censured for it, I assume he suffered no ill effects).

It is all part of a pattern, Union or Confederate. The longer wars go on, the rougher and edgier they become in most cases. These Confederates probably felt they were just doing to PA what Yankees were doing to VA.

Tim

[ole]

The equivalent of Sherman's burning of Howell Cobb's plantation; or his boy's taking a little independent freewheeling at the Hampton House just outside of Columbia. The unique part of Early's action is that he disobeyed orders to do it.

Lee knew, as well as Sherman, that such orders are not easily enforced. Souds like Ol' Jube bought into the adage that "It's easier to get forgiveness than permission."

ole

[M E Wolf]

Dear Trice;

Here you go--this is from Early's writings--

Lieutenant General Jubal Anderson Early C.S.A

Chapter XXIII.--At York And Wrightsville.

I REMAINED in Winchester until the afternoon of the 18th, General Ewell having moved in the meantime to Shepherdstown on the Potomac, to which place Johnson's division, and Gordon's brigade, Hays' brigade and three regiments of Smith's brigade of my own division had also moved. The 54th North Carolina Regiment of Hoke's brigade, and the 58th Virginia of Smith's brigade had been sent to Staunton in charge of the prisoners, and leaving the 13th Virginia Regiment in Winchester, I proceeded on the afternoon of the 18th with the residue of Hoke's brigade, and Jones' battalion of artillery, to Shepherdstown, which place I reached on the 19th.
By this time Longstreet's corps had begun to arrive in the valley, and Hill's was following. The crossing of the river at Fredericksburg by a portion of Hooker's army had been for the purpose of ascertaining whether our army had left the vicinity of that place, and when ascertained that we were concentrating near Culpeper Court-House, he withdrew his force from across the river and moved his army north to defend Washington.
remained at Shepherdstown until the 22nd. The field return of my division at this place on the 20th showed 487 officers and 5,124 men present for duty, making a total of 5,611, and the brigade inspection reports for the same day showed the number of efficient present to be about the same number, the reduction since the last reports being caused by the absence of the three regiments before mentioned and which did not rejoin until the campaign was over, the permanent detaching of Wharton's battalion of Hoke's brigade as a provost guard for the corps, the loss sustained at Winchester, and the sick and exhausted men left behind.
It is as well to state here that we had no hired men for teamsters, or in any other capacity, but all the duties usually assigned to such men with an army had to be performed by men detailed from the ranks, as were all our pioneer and engineer parties.
On the 22nd of June I crossed the Potomac with my division and Jones' battalion of artillery at Boteler's Ford below Shepherdstown and marched through Sharpsburg and Boonsboro, camping three miles beyond Boonsboro on the pike to Hagerstown. The 17th Virginia Regiment of cavalry, under Colonel French, from Jenkins' brigade, joined me on the march this day to accompany my division by orders of General Ewell. Rodes had moved through Hagerstown towards Chambersburg, and Johnson's division, which had crossed the Potomac ahead of me, moved in the same direction. I was ordered to proceed along the western base of the South Mountain. Maryland Heights and Harper's Ferry were both strongly fortified, and were occupied by a heavy force of the enemy, which we left behind us, without making any effort to dislodge it, as it would have been attended with a loss disproportionate to any good to be obtained. Our movements through and from Sharpsburg were in full view of the enemy from the heights.
On the 23rd, I moved through Cavetown, Smithtown, and Ringgold (or Ridgeville as it is now usually called) to Waynesboro in Pennsylvania. On the 24th I moved through Quincy and Altodale to Greenwood, at the western base of the South Mountain, on the pike from Chambersburg to Gettysburg. There were no indications of any enemy near us and the march was entirely without molestation. We were now in the enemy's country, and were getting our supplies entirely from the country people. These supplies were taken from mills, storehouses, and the farmers, under a regular system ordered by General Lee, and with a due regard to the wants of the inhabitants themselves, certificates being given in all cases. There was no marauding, or indiscriminate plundering, but all such acts were expressly forbidden and prohibited effectually. On the 25th my command remained stationary at Greenwood, and I visited General Ewell, by his request, at Chambersburg, where Rodes' and Johnson's divisions had concentrated.
In accordance with instructions received from General Lee, General Ewell ordered me to move with my command across the South Mountain, and through Gettysburg to York, for the purpose of cutting the Northern Central Railroad (running from Baltimore to Harrisburg), and destroying the bridge across the Susquehanna at Wrightsville and Columbia on the branch railroad from York to Philadelphia. Lieutenant Colonel Elijah White's battalion of cavalry was ordered to report to me for the expedition in addition to French's regiment, and I was ordered to leave the greater portion of my trains behind to accompany the reserve ordnance and subsistence trains of the camps. I was also ordered to rejoin the other divisions at Carlisle by the way of Dillstown from York, after I had accomplished the task assigned me.
returned to Greenwood on the afternoon of the 25th, and directed all my trains--except the ambulances, one medical wagon, one ordnance wagon, and one wagon with cooking utensils, for each regiment, and fifteen empty wagons for getting supplies,--to be sent to Chambersburg. No baggage whatever was allowed for officers, except what they could carry on their backs or horses, not excepting division headquarters, and with my command and the trains thus reduced, I moved across South Mountain on the morning of the 26th, and we saw no more of our trains until we crossed the Potomac three weeks later.
As we were leaving, I caused the iron works of Mr. Thaddeus Stevens near Greenwood, consisting of a furnace, a forge, a rolling mill--with a saw mill and storehouse attached,--to be burnt by my pioneer party. The enemy had destroyed a number of similar works, as well as manufacturing establishments of different kinds, in those parts of the Southern States to which he had been able to penetrate, upon the plea that they furnished us the means of carrying on the war, besides burning many private houses and destroying a vast deal of private property which could be employed in no way in supporting the war on our part; and finding in my way these works of Mr. Stevens, who--as a member of the Federal Congress--had been advocating the most vindictive measures of confiscation and devastation, I determined to destroy them. This I did on my own responsibility, as neither General Lee nor General Ewell knew I would encounter these works. A quantity of provisions found in store at the furnace was appropriated to the use of my command, but the houses and private property of the employees were not molested.
On getting to the eastern slope of the South Mountain, where the road forks about one and a half miles from Cashtown, I heard that there was probably a force in Gettysburg, and the pike leading through Cashtown was found to be slightly obstructed by trees felled across the road. I determined, therefore, to move a portion of my force along the pike, which was the direct road to Gettysburg, in order to skirmish with and amuse the enemy in front, while I moved with the rest on the road to the left, by the way of Hilltown and Mum-masburg, so as to cut off the retreat of such force as might be at Gettysburg. Accordingly, Gordon was sent on the pike directly towards the town with his brigade and White's battalion of cavalry, and I moved with the rest of the command on the other road. There had been a heavy rain the night before, and it was now raining slightly but constantly, in consequence of which the dirt road, over which the left column moved, was very muddy.
Gordon moving along the pike, with about forty men of White's cavalry in front, as an advance guard, encountered a militia regiment a mile or two from Gettysburg, which fled across the fields at the first sight of White's advance party without waiting to see what was in the rear, and Gordon moved on without resistance into the town.



[end of excerpt]
Name EARLY, Jubal Anderson Born November 3 1816, Franklin Cty VA
Died March 2 1894, Lynchburg VA
Pre-War Profession Graduated West Point 1837, Seminole war, lawyer, politician, Mexican War
War Service 1861 Col. of state forces, May 1861 Col. of 24th Virginia, Blackburn's Ford, First Manassas, July 1861 Brig. Gen., commanded Early’s Bde/D H Hill's Divn in the Peninsula campaign, Williamsburg (w), commanded Elzey's Bde/Ewell’s Divn at Malvern Hill, Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, commanded Ewell’s Divn/II Corps at Fredericksburg, January 1863 Maj. Gen., Chancellorsville, commanded Early’s Divn/II Corps at Gettysburg, Wilderness, May 1864 Lt. Gen., Cold Harbor, Monocacy, burnt Chambersburg PA, Fisher's Hill, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Waynesborough.
Post War Career Fled to Mexico, returned, lawyer, wrote memoirs, lottery supervisor
Notes A profane, cantankerous, fighter.
Further reading
Bushong, Millard Kessler Old Jube : a biography of General Jubal A. Early Shippensburg PA, Beidel Printing House, 1985
Cooling, B. Franklin Jubal Early's raid on Washington 1864 Baltimore, Nautical & Aviation Pub. Co. of America 1989
Early, Jubal Anderson Jubal Early's memoirs : autobiographical sketch and narrative of the War between the States Baltimore, Nautical & Aviation Pub. Co. of America 1989
Vandiver, Frank Everson Jubal's raid : General Early's famous attack on Washington in 1864 Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press 1992

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E-gads! -- Early, disobeying Lee and Ewell's orders--goes on his own responsibility and destroys the iron works. I can see how Sherman got his idea from. [hand slaps forehead]
Seeing one side do something--someone then copy-cats. That is how things grow out of control per se.

Just some thoughts.

Repectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[ole]

E-gads! -- Early, disobeying Lee and Ewell's orders--goes on his own responsibility and destroys the iron works. I can see how Sherman got his idea from. [hand slaps forehead] Seeing one side do something--someone then copy-cats. That is how things grow out of control per se.

I don't see copycats. This is the way things naturally go. There was no cause and effect. Sooner or later, the civilized army is going to stray off the accepted path -- it is inevitable. And it has always been thus.

There is no blame attached; it had to happen. When an army is frustrated in the arena, the hostility is going to leach out into the civilian population.

Ultimately, the civilian bears the burden. Its sons, its produce.

Just a thought.

ole

[M E Wolf]

Dear Ole;

I agree with your statements.

In history and in civilization, all wars start with the leaders, then armies, then escalates to where civilians are casualties.

No different in the Amercian Civil War. Both sides conducted war on each other's soil; the bulk in the South. However, the percentage of these civilians being victimized by war's tit-for-tat by both armies; doesn't mean the North didn't suffer their fair share.

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf