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Re: Southern Towns Destroyed
In Response To: Southern Towns Destroyed ()

Around Virginia, a few smaller towns or villages were torched, including Hampton, Haymarket, Manassas Station, and New Bottom - usually but not always by the enemy. Chambersburg, PA was burned in retaliation, I understand, for widespread destruction inflicted upon the Shenandoah Valley and elsewhere. General Lee took great care to restrain his army from indiscriminate destruction of civilian property during his invasions of the North, partly to maintain discipline, but perhaps also because he knew the populace and future generations never seem to get over depredations committed against their homeland. The one exception made was Thaddeus Stevens' extensive ironworks in New Caledonia, PA, which was burned in summer 1863 by Rebel troops, but this could be viewed as retaliation for destruction visited upon the homes and property of prominent CSA military and civilian leaders, including Lee himself.

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Southern Towns Destroyed
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