The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-09-14

and modification, and without the concurrence or wish
OF the municipal authority at tue town or az ans me,-
beers OF II, the Tort WAS Abandoned su. t,e u,;,aSne
blown up by the Uu;ed States garrison te evening
u the 27th, without firing single gun Tae illomn;
correspondence bctweeu the Secretary o. Was aid |
the commander the fort, siews by w authority he
acteJs-( .ihrady buSLS!seI
This relnquishnient ofthe Fort decided the Gate O.
Alexandria. Nothing was left oppose te progress
OF the squdroI and un the morning OF the 2Sti pas
sed the ruins oil the Fort on its To the town their
bares mad sonrded considerable distance above A
bout ten o'clock OF the morning of the 2Slh alter the
squadron above the Fort the committee appointed
iy tue Council 20 bear the flag the enemy ia
they syitfZ pass tie Fort, upo, their miso,
anu pocecCe'l TO the ship commanded by captain q or
DON They requested to know What his intentions |
were in REGARD to the Of Alexandria. ihey were
ny,rnled by captain GoNioa that nc woui eonnnini
cate us terms when nc opposite tine town @ he
assured them that in the time, If the squadron
was not noiested 10y the mlsbitauts, tn persons, hot
ses audi furniture Of tn. citizens slpAld not De injured.
Que % tl. gentlemen who attended the las the
Sia,or Upon ms return from the squadron he was M
formed tiat small detchnent OF cavalry from the
my OF Gea hunserioV had been III town. probably TOR
the purpose OF accommodating the enemy that IL had
renamed bat short time Upon enquiry IL nm
Gestood tut The s.Tns of general HongeriorS at
that tine about sixteen miles from Alexandria, on It's
march T. that place, having followed the British squad
ron along the shores the Potomac, great part its
way up The force ot General hungerfori was COM
posed oil infantry aaj cavalry, with to or three small
pieces OF artillery, calculated to aiiord amy protec
uoI the town.
The municipal AUTHORITY oe the town had received no
advces of the approach OF this army; sud after the
turn ot the Gag it late toebttr in auy arrange
ments wi,A Gen. Hunserfasr! tor defence, lac
distaGt to ;,hoiTi rc:,et
The squadrou having suspended its approach to the
town. did not reachit until the evening o thus day. On
The morning oitEe say, wit .e 2Jon OF August
i arranged Itself along the town, 50 as q ccmmhd 1t
from one extremity the other, The nrce eo,st7.c
oftwo figtes, tow, toe sesinrsr, rating sc suos s.
Entyss rating SO guns two rocket ships, ot suns
each, and schooner Of guns, wheel. were but few
hundred yards rna the whaves, and the houses SO sit
ustcd that they might have been lad in ashes III few
minutes. About ten o'clock in the morning Ot the
2oth, capt. Gordon sent tue Mayor the following
terr1s;-i .9bsady published }
Upon the Mayors receiving them, he sent for the
members of the COMMITTEE ofVigilance. These terms
were borne by the officers OF Capt. GoNlon's
!I1gate, who stated but one hour allowed run 20
wa ~ tar reply to them. Upon their being read by
the Mayor and the Committee, it was observed 10 the
officer by the Mayor and of the Committee, that
it would be impossible that the Common Council could
aceede tosevcral OF them-that the municipal author
ity Of che town, had no power To recall the merchan
die that had been cut subsequent to The 18th O!
August The reply of the officer was, Ia THAI ease
would not he expected.
lie further informed that it wo Id not be in the
power OF the Common Council TO compel the citizens
TO assist in getting up the sunken vessels r'e odioer
answered that their sailors would then do 1t. lie
required TO explain what intended by the term
merchandise used in the ith article. lie answered
I
ci.ahdIZe only which intended for expectation,
such as Tobacco, Flour, Cotton, Bate Goods, sc.
l. The Mayor and one of the committee requested TO
know whether the Commodore intended 10 require
delivery OF any of the merchandise than lac could
take away With him. He answered II would not he
required This explanation Afterwards recngniIei
by Captain Gordon. With these verbal explanations
The preceding terms were submitted 10 the Comnon
! Council XVIII be here proper torcmailS that when
these terms propose, AND submitted tothe Com
rlon Council, General Hungerio had arrived with
his army nor cid 1t reach the suburbs OF the town UNITE
the night Of that day. The stil without any
means obedience, and it evident that deeRce
could avail hut that species of force which would be
calculated 20 drive the shipsfrom their mornings. No
communication had been received from the officers at
| thegcneiT'! government, and thu town appeared TO
b. abandoned to It's fate UndeT these circumstances
| tie CoIomcn Council coul have no icststion rs to
the course 10 be pursued. The citizens ot the town OF
all descriptions, with immense value Of properly,
were entirely nt'e po"er OF the enemy, whose naval
commander socogd.ngto the proclamation Of the Pres
ldent Of the United States, ttatci on the first OF Sep
tcmbel, mas declared his purpose 10 be 10 empOy
the force under his direction III destroying and laying
waste such towns aud districts upon the coast may
be toui'. ;sSlable." similar declaration hal been
made by Csii'in Gordon 20 tie cosnniittee who bbre
| the Gas Against the attack Of aach IN enemy
| the town OF Alexandria without any OF defence
whatever The people Of the town were a his aer-
cN ih c'nperd ~ yield 20 SUCH teITns as the, We
t1! nJsht think III toprcscrihe Il the members 81
the municipal authority and citizens Of the town hal
gwen iOGse To the feelings o. indignation when the
e'son hsd excited, and had sacrificed the tow and
&posd thc' wives and daughters 70 the va or ns1lts
.; an strained enemy, they would have betray-
ed thcir trusts and have depogcd the consequen-
res
The Common Courcl therefore ware obliged to
weld subsaission 10 the terms rs Explained, and
nj tnereupon, pas and publish the following resju-
don:
f Reso'oeA That the Corpmon Council of Alexan-
dria, in asserting the conditions offered BY tie
commander Of the British squadron now or the
town. has sct2d from Tie impulse ofirressble ne
" ceSsity, and solely from regard to tie welfare CT
g tlc t0wn.Ihat it consider. the ~ n oi,cn
e" AS only formal, rasmpch IS the enemy already had
" tin their p0Wcr - enforce compiiane N,h ther
deGiand, By seizure ul the property required from
US and believing the safety of the persons o. the
Inhabitants, Of their dwellings, and Of sich property
" as IS nct conpreii"pde y a the rc'iistoi., Do
pend entirely upon the obsevanee Of the terms Of
"t, The Common Council recommends to tii1 nlL,-
" ts'Dts an acci@srener ~ the time it Ices
expressly d.scian tne power Of dong Any act Oh ~
part 10 enforce pihnce-t- authority IN this gar-
"uc'ilar b-ing iinpiteJ TO Recommendation 0Iv."
To- the execution OF tIc terms isnpoed ~ tnr enemy
1T proper tat ;iie verbal explaadons nac
by the n'deer 10 ioe Mayor, generally adhered
10 M nicicar'1e wasreq,died 10 be brought back
tothe town; no assistance reIufcd Of, offered
b. tie citzensin getting up tn sunScn vessels The |
depredaOns ofthe euclm, with few exceptions we're
couiinedO -FOUR cotton anil t0baecp which sley ca,r
ed OF OF tie vessels thcn n the town: onis
one vessel burnt no prvafc dwelling was visited /,
entered IL rude hostile manner, nor were cit
izcgs personally exposed to Insult
The loss sustained from tlie enemy Il is believed will