Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-01-10
From tie .fatIoiiA1 Inis stissnssr
THE INyEsTIG ALTON.
3 REPORT. B.

ne Capture et Alesandria.

The Capture OF alesandria.
Ia relation 10 tie senduet Of the
Corporation Of Alexandria and its
| espturs By the enemy il his recent
enterprise, the eemmittee have been
furnished with various documents
and information, and to which tho
com,nittse refer; but in justice tothe
town and 10 the public, brief re-
Prospect may not be deemed impro-
per, rs senaecting certain events
with the SURRENDER Of tie town on,
The a9th Of August. October. fSl2..
a volunteer company was raised Ia
Alexandria, amounting to about 20,
liWludiag officers, eIeathed by voiuEl-
tary aid and donation from tho ciii-1
zens Of Alexandria ;intended for the
lines, but stationed at Fort WASH
! inston /; remained in garrison TIL
| Dseembsr; ordered to Aaaapqiis,
and there discharged. March,, 1913
Capt. Marstellar's company Of Ar
|tillery stationed at Fart Washington
for upwards Of three mouths est OF
March, 1915, compensation by com
I,mittee called on Gle Secretary OF
War for arms, Sc. fer the defence OF
Alexandria. 9Th of May. corporation
by ccm,aittes, waited upon the Pre-
sident to apr &c him ofthe defence
less state of The town President ae-
knowIedged that attention was ave
to the representations OF respectable
men. and the proper attention Should
be given. and the same timc appnzed
the committee Of the impossibility,
IN the nature Of things,to give COM.
plete protection to every assalIabie
point Of the country. 18th OF fsay'
committee of vigilance appointed 10
co operate with the committee oil
| Georgetown ami the City OF Wash
ington; a depatation from the three
committees waited upon Gen. Arm
strong, and represented the necessity
Of additional Notifications at Fort
Washington Col. Wadswort'. was
ordered to attend the committee.
examine and report upon iaeie sug
Sestions. The examination was
| made, and Col. Wa,lswsrsh reported
that the battery at Fort Washington
was in sash state. and 1t so effee-
tualIy commanded the channel OF the
Potomac, that il was not to be appre-
hended that the enemy woa!d at
tempt to pass ii while its present de-
faaces remain entire. It's elevated
situation should prevent dread at a
cannonadisg from ships /; that, II
case of designs against the District
OF Cslumhia, AN assault by land was
most probable !; to guard against this
soase iacensiderable work on the
/ land vas recom xlended an addi-
sioral Fort in thesaa,e neishborhocd
was considered unnecessary. On the
/ 5tl and isth Of August. fSii, the
! corporation loaned to the Y. States
/ $4,000 dollars, upon condition that
/ il should be expended south OF Alex
4 andria. After the defeat OF Gen.
! Winder at Biadensburg, the corpora
tiea ay eommittee waited upon the
British commander at this city, TO
know what treatment was to be ex-
pectsd, provided Alexandria should
| f.II into his hands. Admiral Cock
!. barn assured the deputation that pFi-
ysto property would be respected
that probably some fresh provisions
| and -four might be wanted, but they
/ should be paid for. Without firing
4 a quo. On the 27th, Fort WashiDgtoa
! was blown up and abandoned by the
commanding officer. Capt. Dyson,
Eyho has been dismissed frem the
service Of the United States by a
seatencc Of court lAartiaii in Goa
sequence OF it.
On the 28th, after the enemy g
! squadron passed the Fort, the Ger. !.
psration, by deputation, proceeded
| 10 the ship commanded by Captailn
Gordon, who commanded, aaa re-
| ouested 10 know his intentions IN res
garsi to Alexaadria !; which nc pro-
posed 10 communicate when nc
should esre opposite the town, but
prsmised that lac persons, houses y