Book excerpt: Southern Revenge is the Civil War history of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, the only Northern town burned by the Confederates. This unique story is told appropriately through not only modern scholarship, but also through rare photographs, diary accounts, and period newspaper articles which let the victims speak for themselves.Chambersburg, a quiet farming community near the Maryland border, was truly the crossroads of destiny. The home of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, that progressive community had much to offer the war effort.To give but one example, the railroad system provided a much needed supply route that could be used by either army.