News of the Rebel Army Approaching Chambersburg, 1864

From the Valley Spirit (Chambersburg, Pa.), July 4, 1864.

REBEL INVASION

On Sunday afternoon intelligence reached General Couch's headquarters, at this place, that a considerable force of Confederates were moving down the Shenandoah Valley. This was about the sum and substance of the dispatch but as soon as it was made known it assumed every shape that the active imaginations of our people could possibly give it, and erected a terrible state of excitement in the community. Our merchants at once commenced packing their goods. The Railroad shops were stripped of their machinery and everything valuable about the premices put aboard the cars. Our streets soon began to fill up with wagons, drays, carriages and wheelbarrows moving in all direction while the side-walks were blocked up with dry goods, groceries and merchandise of every description in readiness for transportation. The exodus of the farmers with their stock soon set in and through Sunday night until noon on Monday it was one continuous stream of horses, mules, cattle, and negroes moving in the direction of the Susquehanna. An army wagon trail with a large lot of horses from the camp about Hagerstown passed through early on Monday morning. The rebels would have found but little material for plunder between the Potomac and the Susquehanna had they concluded to come over. They, however, would have found one thing that they have not met with on their previous marauding excursions. Every step of their advance down this valley would have been resisted and met with a force they little expected to find here. Gen. Couch on being apprised of their advance made ample preparations to meet and check it effectually. A battery of artillery with a force of infantry and cavalry were brought here so quickly and so quietly that our citizens were so much astonished to find it here as the rebels would have been had they run against it. It was also, we are informed, the determination of Gen. Couch to put the town under martial law and compel every man to take up arms and defend his home. This course would have been approved by every loyal citizen, or man of spirit, in the place, Those skulking cowards who fly on the first sound of approaching danger, but whose "voice is still for war" and who preach up "extermination," would have thus been afforded a fine opportunity to put their doctrines into practice. It also afforded as much gratification to see the efforts of Gen. Couch promptly seconded by a number of citizens who had formerly been in the military service. They issued a call, with their names attached, for the formation of companies for "Home Defense," and were very active in their exertions to make all needed prepartions to meet the expected invasion. We hope to see this spirit kept up for although the excitement is over the danger may not be passed. We must do something to put an end to the disgrace of skedaddling for which our people are becoming so noted on every idle rumor of rebel raid.

All is quiet here at the present writing.-The excitement and alarm has passed from the minds of the people and business has been resumed and going on as formerly.-Many of the farmers have already returned with their stock and commenced harvesting again as if nothing had happened so to interrupt it. We have so conflicting rumors in circulation as to the whereabouts of the rebels but the general belief is that we are in no great danger of either a raid or an invasion in force at this time.