Some of your points are very well taken.
In the Gettysburg campaign Lee “paid” for most of the officially requisitioned supplies, but it was in money that had little or no value. Great propaganda for the CSA, but not much help to those who had their stuff taken. They would be reimbursed only if and when the CSA won their independence, and possibly not then.
However, your description of how southern soldiers behaved is very similar to the way northern soldiers had behaved in the South. And they were steadily getting less restrained in their behavior as the war went on.
Can’t find a reference at the moment, but but I remember an anecdote where Lee himself was approached by a PA farmer complaining about his property being taken without compensation.
Lee replied something like, “Yes, it’s very sad, but this is exactly what has been happening in Virginia for two years now.”
In which there is much truth.
Soldiers have always and everywhere behaved this way in enemy territory, and generally in friendly territory too.
The difference is that for most of our Civil War the theft and plundering was not supplemented by casual assault, rape and murder of civilians. Which historically most wars, especially civil wars, have been.
IOW, your general comments on this thread appear to be that Union soldiers misbehaved in the South in retaliation for CSA misbehavior for the comparatively limited periods when they were operating in Union areas. This is, I believe, exactly backwards.
Chambersburg was burned by Early in 1864 explicitly in retaliation for Hunter’s misbehavior in the Valley. It was the only goodsized northern town so treated. Quite a few southern towns burned.
Confederates attacked Chambersburg three different times: 1862 (Stuart), 1863 (Ewell) and 1864 (Early).
All involved pillaging and destruction of property, as well as kidnappings of African Americans.
Early's final attack in 1864 was just on a larger scale than before.
Sherman Logan: "...your general comments on this thread appear to be that Union soldiers misbehaved in the South in retaliation for CSA misbehavior for the comparatively limited periods when they were operating in Union areas.
This is, I believe, exactly backwards."
If you'll go back to review my listing in post #169 above -- you'll see atrocities began in 1862, with Lawrence, Kansas pillaged, burned & massacred by Confederates in 1863.
Of course, my listing is not complete, a longer list might show other towns looted or burned.
But they would not all be by Union troops, and some of the earliest (i.e., Lawrence) came at the hands of Confederates.
But to be clear: my point here is not to excuse anybody of any crime, but simply to emphasize that:
Imho, that's exactly the attitude we also should take today.