Confederate Conference
Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
On June 26, 1863, Gen. Robert E. Lee and staff entered this square. After conferring with Gen. A.P. Hill near the middle of the "Diamond," Lee turned eastward and made headquarters at the edge of town.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In the tense days before Gettysburg, the Confederate army swept north into Pennsylvania, and Chambersburg found itself briefly in the path of the invasion. On June 26, 1863, Robert E. Lee rode into the town square—the old "Diamond"—and conferred with corps commander A.P. Hill before setting up headquarters on the edge of town. Within days those same roads would carry his troops east toward the war's decisive battle.
Why it matters
This quiet square marks a fleeting moment when the Civil War's high tide reached deep into the North, on the eve of the campaign that would turn the war.
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Related people
- · Robert E. Lee
- · A.P. Hill
Related events
- · Gettysburg Campaign
- · Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Burning of Chambersburg
Chambersburg, PA · est. 1947
On the morning of July 30, 1864, Confederate cavalry under Gen. John McCausland rode into Chambersburg and demanded a ransom in gold and cash. When the town could not or would not pay, McCausland put it to the torch in retaliation for Union Gen. David Hunter's destruction in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The fire gutted the heart of the town, making Chambersburg the only major Northern community burned by Confederate forces during the Civil War.
Masonic Temple
Chambersburg, PA · est. 1964
Raised in 1823-1824 as the Cumberland Valley was settling into the young republic, this hall was built expressly for Masonic fellowship and has served that purpose ever since — a rare continuity for an early American fraternal lodge. Its most dramatic hour came in July 1864, when Confederate cavalry put much of Chambersburg to the torch after the town refused to pay a ransom, yet this building was left standing amid the ruins.
Old Franklin County Jail
Chambersburg, PA · est. 1975
Built in 1818 in restrained Georgian style, the Franklin County Jail served Chambersburg for 152 years—among the borough's oldest surviving buildings. Its stone walls stood through one of the Civil War's boldest raids: in July 1864 Confederate cavalry, demanding a ransom the town could not pay, put much of Chambersburg to the torch. The jail endured while blocks around it burned.
Suesserott House
Chambersburg, PA · est. 1969
This Federal-era house, built around 1807, later served as the home of Dr. Jacob Suesserott, a well-regarded physician and surgeon. Its place in history was sealed on July 30, 1864, when Confederate cavalry under orders to extract a ransom set fire to Chambersburg; the flames that consumed much of the town were halted at this point. The burning of Chambersburg remains the only major Northern town destroyed by Confederate forces during the Civil War.