The National Register.
London, England, 1814-10-02 00:00:00

VIE NATIONAL Itr.GITEII.

OCT. Q.

ATTACK ON WASHINGTON.

-- • -
Extract of a Lrt:er fsom a NaratOfficer ; dated an boar! his Majesty;
ship I..)!aciena, Put uxog Rirer, ChisapeJlte Bay, Aug. U.
It has been the pleasure of Providence to crown our country's.•
aims in this rpeafer with one of the most fortunate and glorious
yi..tories the times of ht e have produced: our little army of four
thowand mereaad ‘2oo Woe jackets, have succeeded in totally rout- •
ing tho American army of eight thousand, commanded by Madison,
the Preddent, in person.. The battle took place at Bladensbere,
a small viiliree you will find in the map of Mary! ,nd, about five
riVes from Washineton, which city our troops entered the same
crchiug (the ..fCh Arnzast). Nothing can equal the surprise of
the Ainerie:lns at Wallimotton on the event ; the position and ,11-,
priority et* t`oair army them such confidence of !otecess,
that sa.aree'.y a pre.clutiou was taken to renteve any state valnahles
frion the town, wilith. therefore, all fell a prey to the flames. Ae
extraor,'inarY sized fvir.:lte, noirintine (42 gins, a smaller one, the
Dock yard, ao extensive roFe•store. 1-lon-es of Congress and Repre-
sentatives, War olice, anti ail other public buildiees havehcen des-
troyed., toet:Omer with M.olhom's private home, which tor plate and
furnintee is said to have quailed at y palace. The destmetion has
been immense, :nal at a leo:lent:L. c...lculatiou is allowed by the
Wallitietinrians to be I trill MILLIONS OF 1/.II.LATIS damage. It
will surprise on all in Fnelaud the more to know, that all thii.
his
been executeil with so tritline a lo3s rei three or :'stir lan:tired men.
As I know von will feel desirous to have as particular a &scrip-
tier' as possible of this affair, I shall eive you the hto.t thee extrione
fatieue will allow Inc to la rite. Out our troop- he'no d:!tnite:el:t dat
llenv.lict, a r.ruall yillaec in this river, their firs; o!.ject (in coojnec-
tion with .oer boats of the navy) was time destiortion aII ica” gen-
. boats and several small lirge•. lshich had been very fortunate
noving vs all the snomier ; w:s commanded by Con
mane Bartley, man xYlio at the battle of - illadenslearel: proves
himself one the bravest on the fielJ; and woo; datteertrusly wonni;eml.
llarecy, on the approach of cur boats, reoreotemi to Nottiooliam,
where of course, we followed, Wel pilled up for the ilt!ark
but he spared 114 the trmble of aoy tiineo iirrther, fer Wileo
we were within about a mile of him, be h'ew r.w all hut one,
. and retreated towards Washington vOtlr about huedred mete
Omir troops now made a sharp mareli tOr t; -e eap:tal, and at Marl-
boro' were met by MO cavalry. whom a trifliee fire mien di-peraed.
On the '2l tit at noon, after a tedious march, our troops arrived at
the village of Blatleusburgle situated on a hill on the ea‘teru side chi'
a small brooch of the Potowinac river, on the oppesite side another
hill, which Madison occupied as a food position for the Ameri-
can army. The river was passable by a small bridge ; and so confi-
dent had Madison been of threshing us, that he did not even Like
the common precaution of any
.soldier, either to undermine or blow
the bridge up. Barney was chartzed by Matiison to defend this
bridee WI twelve pieces of artillery, anti all his seamen, iii addi-
tion to three hattering pieces of 24 petted,. :Madison commanded
the cavalry anti foot, with a thick womi on his rear Anil u siltnatilAs.
Our lads determined to force the bridoe; they rather flr.sw than ran ;
the lire was tretneedous; in ten minetes three field officers anti
twelve others were down : cur troops umbra on, forced the hi Hee,
*stymied tie Lit% ~„tit' hilt* an limir old Emehmed'a flat! fh w tli-
uniplialit over the American camp ! In an hour not an Americari
soldier but t e wounded was t.O ‘eon. Madison secured himself
at an (*nay part of the coetrst, and Fct a sad totrAnple of cowardice
an I treaciwry to his tirtlitct! :..rxr try. FrOM that day to (tor army's
return on board, not a sire of a c:irier has Leen tic cii, compirtely
Ii ,ve they felt emir Yi iii h Lleo.-t• : theeoh we are w ci! inert c'! that
eir ninny was neuxt day reioPeced from 1 ittimere to a force of
I`l.oeo. Theke must be sead, fo• their envoirdire i iverctlitile. We
are now prepay:._ them another dose ; !out to ''.hat particular pail
it is to be ;initial I cannot say. for :Arty intentloll 1,3 very properly
kept secret ; we -COI only conjecture to i'..nrompolis or Norfolk, as
*e have an order to prepare fiat-bottomed boats.
P. S. Commodore Darnav is our prhorer or parole. Madison
narrowly escaped es. Our rockets did treat CM:entiOn, and have
spread the utmost elarm amongst the Yaokics."

ANOTHER J.FTTER.

Ave. 51.—Our success covers the Gobernment here with dis-
grace, and puts Mr. i‘latlison in a very emit( mptihle point of view.
The storming Of Wasiti.:gtcn -tas cert:tit,iy the I,tgt c!inv, iti the
President's contempletinu, !,o ranch t'e de.rived tt,
the last moment. Letsulf t:le gond house-
iwif4 until she had scarce time to get away. :very thin; was touud