New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-26
slavery and the Capture OF Washington City
in lsIt.

Those who have attentlvely read the his
tory Of our last war with Great Britain. may have
noted, tina; when the British in the Chesapeake
ovinced their intention OF making descent on
either Baltimore or W ashngton. the President
and his Cabinet ordered the regular force 10 be
stationed at the Patuxent for the protection OF the
toTmer,and made requisltlon on Pennsylvania, Ma
Uland and Virginia for 10000 militia Tor the de-
Tense Of the latter, the number apportoned 10 Ma
ryland being 5000. and to Virginia, for some
reason or other. but 1000 men. And they may have
further observed, that when the American forces
made, near Bladensburgh. their stand against
the British, who had now shown their destIna-
ton to be the National Capital. the Virginia
militia, though known, many days previous, TO
have been on their way, and within 50 miles OF
tie scene Of action, were most unaccounta5ly alb
sent. and so continued until our army, being UNI
able. for want Of numbers. to cope with the
enemy. fell back toward Georgetown, when one
Virginia regiment not numbering, probably, over
ore-iOurh OF the required 1000. for the first
time reached the ground, but constituted both too
s-a AND too late an accession TO be oil any ser
vice in saving the Capitol from the vandal con
fagratlou that followed
In reading the history Of this humIliatng event,
we used 10 wonder, as have doubtless many
others. where were the militia of the once gal
liant Old Dominion, that they did not fly, NJ the
first alarm, 10 the defense OF the meuaced Capt.
L. .
we We're never able to find any solution to the
mystery till we subsequently, became a tempo
rarv resident of the northern par, OF Virginia.
tie section upon which the reQuisltl0n tor the
aforementioned number OF militia had been
made Here we learned from the concurrent
TESTIMONY Of the best informed, the following
fact which. as nOthmg0i the klnd has ever been
published, we must be content to state on our
own responsibility
VI t.t, ba
through her Governor. Gen Madison. who was
a brother of President Madison, and who was,
at the time the commandant of that division OF
the militia whose services were required, he
promptly ISSUED his orders collected his quota,
and commenced his march for the scene OF &C.
ton Scarcely, however. had his force passed
nom Orange, Culpepper, Madison, and other adj
loining counties, from which It had been princl-
paly raised, before the slaves IN all that section
were seen 10 be in commOton. 4 rumOr, It APP
peaTed, the source OF which nobody knew, had
suddenly spread everywhere among them, that
some powerful Foreign Prince, from Africa, we
believe they had II, with a sufficient force TO ac-
compish his purpose, had arrived on the coast
10 give freedom TO the slaves OF Virginia.
This rumor soon becoming confirmed news
with them they simultaneously quilted work,
and, without maniestng the least disposition
to iniure the whites. began, IN their joyful ex-
element to run from plantation to plantation,
collect IN bodies, and prepare 70 go OIL to meet
their expected deliyerers.
The white inhabitants, IN The mean tlne
who as has ever been the case with the whole
South. were sonsltIyely alive 10 the fear OF a
slave Instruction, and were now thoroughly
alarmed 10y this movement among the blacks, as
harmless as was the shape It had taken, sent OF
express after express to General Madison, whose
force had made a temporary halt IN the vicinity OF
the Potomac from which II was upon the point OF
moving 10 Washington, and begged him 10 re-
turn with his troops 10 quel the apprehended
instruction Of the slaves. This at once COM
plctely paralyzed the movements OF General
Madison. He Immediately marched back with
the principal part of his force, leaving the rest,
We believe, TO remain on the spot to await the
event and tie IN readiness to return also, II
wanted Finding, however, IN few days, that
the forces with which he had returned, were sui
fcient 10 oyeraWe the slaves, though he dare
not again withdraw them from the injected DIS,
trici he finally sent orders 20 the remnant ne had
left On the Potomac to move on To Washington,
as they then did, but reached the place, as before
stated too late to be oi any service.
II the opinions OF the military men OF the day,
IN deeuing the battle of Bladensburgh 10 be OF
an udecisNe character anu IA considering that
q small additional force would have enabled the
Americans 10 have there made a successful stand,
were well founded, who need doubt that had the
Virginia Brigade, which had thus been fechl!eu
and kept back to take care OF the slaves, peen on
the ground III season, the fortunes OF TIE day hai
been with Us. and the National Capitol saved
from destruction
To Southern men who tax Of dlsunion, aud
Northern men who believe that II VIII ever be
seriously attempted by the former the fact we
have .ust stated should be alike signlican; and
instructive Let them ponder upon II.
Green Mountain Freeman