The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-09-03
THE FATE or WAR


THE FATE OF WAR
Has befallen the City of Washington. 1t
was taken by the enemy on "Wednesday tire
gath instant, and evacuated by them in the
course of Thursday night, after destroying
the interior and combustiblc part c' the Cap
itol, of the Presidents house, and of the NIB
lie Offices. The Navy Yard was burnt bv the
order of our officers, on learning that the enc
my was in possession of the City. Not having
room on time in this hasty publication to de-
tail particulars we content ourselves with
publishing the following letters, which, with
few remarks subjoined, must suffice for this
day. Particulars will be given hereafter.
Cory ETA letter .froa, Brig. Gen. HinGcr 10
the Sec'y. Of Uar, dated
BALTIMORE, Aug. 81, 1914.
SIR-Nhen the enemy arrived at the
mouth of Potomac, of all the militia which
had been authorised to assemble, there were
about 100 in the field, from Is to 400 under
Gen. Stansbury near this place, and about $50
at bladensburg, under 1t. Col. Kramer the
slow progress of draft and the imperfect or
ganization with the ineffectiveness of the laws
to compel them to turn out, rendered it inpos-
sible to have procured more.
The militia of this state and of the corItgu
GUS parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania were
called on en- masse, but the former militia law
of Pennsylvania had expired the list of June
or July, and the one adopted in its place is not
to take effect in organizing tho militia before
October. No aid therefore has been received
from that state.
After all the force that could be put at nv
disposal in that short time, and making such
dispositions as i deemed best calculated to
present the most respectable force at whate-
yer point the enemy might strike, was ena-
blcd by the most active and harrassing move
ments OF the troops to interpose before the en-
envy at Bladensbnrg about hve thousand men,
including three hundred and fifty regulars and
Com. Barney's command. Much the largest
portion of this force arrived on the ground
when the enemy were In sight, and were dis
posed of TO support in the best manner the po-
sition which Gen. Stansbury had taken: They
had barely reached the ground before the ac-
ton commenced, which was about o'clock
p. M. of the oath inst. and continued about an
hour. The contest was mt as obstinately
maintained as could have been desired, but
was by parts of the troops sustained with
great spirit and with prodigious effect, & had
the whole of our force been equally firm, j
am induced to believe that the enemy would
have been repulsed notwithstanding all the
disadvantages under which we fought The
artillery from Baltimore, supported by Mai
Pinkney's rife battalion, and part of Cap
tain Doughtey's from the Navy Yard, were
in advance to command the pass of the bridge
at Bladensburg, and played upon the enemy,
as have since learned, with very destructive
effect. But the rife troops were obliged after
some time to retire and of course artillery-
Superior numbers however rushed UPON them
and made their retreat necessary, not howe
yer without great loss on the part of the enc
my. Major Pinkney received severe wound
in his right arm after he had retired to the
left ~ = h,..or
and centre of Stansbury's brigade consisting
of 1t. Col Ragan's and Shuler's regiments,
generally gave way very soon afterwards
with the exception of about forty rallied by
Col Raglan, after having lost his horse, and
the whole of a part of capt. Showers compa-
ny, both of whom Cen Stansbury represents
to have made even thus deserted a gallant
stand. The fall which Lit Col Raglan received
from his horse, together with his great efforts
to sustain his position, rendered him unable to
follow the retreat we have therefore to la
ment that this gallant and excellent officer
has been taken prisoner he has however
been paroled, and met him here recovering
from the bruises occasoned by his fall. The
loss of his services at this moment is seri-
Gus.
The 5th Baltimore Regiment under Lieut..
Colonel Sterrett being the left Of Brig. Gene
raj StanSbury's brigade, still, however, stood
their ground, and except tor moment when
part of them recoiled few steps, remained
firm, and stood until ordered to retreat, with
a view to prevent them from being out flank-
ed.
The reserve under Brigadier Gen. Smith
of the District of Columbia, with the militia
of the City and Georgetown, with the regulars
and some de:achments of Maryland militia,
flanked on their right by Commodore Barney
and his brave fellows, and Lieutenant Colonel
Beal, still were to the right on the hill, and
maintained the contest for some time with
great effect.
1t is not with me to report the conduct of
Com. Barney and his command, nor can !
speak from observation, being too remote, but
the concurrent testimony of all who did OBJ
serve them, does them the highest justice for
their brave resistance and the destructive eff
feet they produced on the enemy. Commo-
dore Barney, after having lost his horse, took
post near one of his guns, and there uDfortu-
nately received severe wound in the thigh
and he also fell into the hands of the enemy,
Capt. Miller of the marines was wounded in
the arm fighting brayely. From the best in
teligence, there remains but little doubt that
the enemy lost at least 400 killed. and wo,ir,-
dcd of fhcess very ,rr,tts1,sI r,erfinr L.i1.a