Restraint and Reprisal

From Mark G.:

This Friday the Civil Warriors will meet to discuss:

Everard H. Smith, "Chambersburg: Anatomy of a Confederate Reprisal," American Historical Review Vol. 96, No. 2. (Apr., 1991), pp. 432-455.
(You'll need access to J-STOR to read the article. )

The article gets at the issue of when and why restraint breaks down in war. In 1995 I gave a lecture at the U.S. Military Academy that also addressed this question--and also discussed what is needed for restraint to hold up:

Union Soldiers and the Persistence of Restraint in War

War Comes Home: Chambersburg, Summer of 1864 provides a good, brief introduction to the burning of the town, and links to an excellent archive of illustrations.