Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-21
DAILY EVENING STAR.
DESTRUCTION OF THE CAPITOL IN 1914.
A Choice Relic Of those Timas

a Choice Relic Of those Times.
some months since (says the Cincin
natl Enquirer,) our good friend Docto
Crmkshanks, of Green township, handed
us relic of the trying times of 1914
which his father had preserved and hand
ed over to posterity-a National Intel
hgencer," of date, August 80, 1914. l
isa smoked sheet, of ten inches by twelve
and the following comprise its content.
entire:
NATIONAL n INTELLIGENCER
WASHINGTON CITY, AUGUST 30, 1914.
After an intermission of several days
owing to the unfortunate events herein.
after noticed, we have it in our power tc
issue paper in the present reduced form
which we hope in a day or two to chang,
to its usual shape and condition.
The fate of war has befallen the CITY
of Washington. 1t was taken by ths
enemy on Wednesday the 23d instant
and evacuated by them in the course o.
Thursday night, after destroying the in.
terror and combustlble pert Of the Capi.
tel, of the Presidents house, and of the
public Offices. The Navy Yard was
burnt by order of our officers, on learn.
ing that the enemy was in possession ol
the City. Not having room or time in
this hasty publication, to detail particu-
lars, we contend ourselves with publish.
ing the following letters, which, with a
few remarks subjoined, must suffice for
this day. Particulars will be given here
after. as-- t.-
cGgy ,a,, Of 70 |slsr e ggazss s IT, Gssssa G,s
BALTIMoaE, August q, 1914.
Sir When the enemy arrived at the
mouth of Potomac. of all the militia
which l had been authorized to assemble
there were but about 400 in the field,
from thirteen to fourteen hundred under
General Stansbury near this place, and
about 25O at Bladensburg, under Lieut..
Col. Kramer; the slow progress of draft
and the imperfect organization with the
ineffectiyeness of the laws to compel
them to turn out, rendered it impossible
to have procured more.
The militia of this State and of the
contiguous parts of Virginia and Penn
sylvania were called on en- n,GSsc, but the
former militia law of Pennsylvania had
expired the first Of June or July, and
the one adopted in its place is not to take
effect in organizing the militia before
October. No aid, therefore, has been
received from that State.
After all the force that could be put at
my disposal in that short time, and
making such dispositions as [ deemed
best calculated to present the most re-
spectacle force at whatever point the
enemy might strike, [ was enabled by
the most active and harrassing move
ments of the troops to interpose before
the enemy at Bladensburg about five
thousand men, including three hundred
and fifty regulars and Com. Barney's
Much the largest portion of
this force arrived on the ground when the
enemy were in sight, and were disposed
Of to support in the best manner the
position which Gen. Stansbury had taken.
They had barely reached the ground be
fore the action commenced, which was
about l o'clock P NJ. of the 24th inst, i,
and continued about an hour. The con-
test was not as obstinately maintained
as could have been desired, but was by
parts of the troops sustained with great
spirit and with prodigious effect, and
the whole of our force been equally firm,
[ am induced to believe that the enemy
would have been repulsed notwiths,and-
ing all the disadvantages under which
we fought. The artillery from Baltimore,
and part of Capt. Doushtey'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 artil.
lery. Superior numbers however rushed
upon them and made their r.treat neces-
sary, not however, without great loss on
the part of the enemy. Major Pinkney
received severe wound in his right arm
as he had retired to the left flank Of
Stansbury's brigade. The right and cen.
ter of Stansbury's brigade, consisting O
1t. Col. Ragan's and Shutters regiments
generally gave way very soon afterward
with the exception of about forty rallied
by Col. Ragan, after having lost his horse
and the whole or part of Capt. Show
er's company, both of whom Gen. Stans
bury represents to have made, even thu
deserted, a gallant stand. The fal
which 1t. Col. Ragan received from hi
horse, together with his great efforts t
sustain his position, rendered him unabl
to follow the retreat we have therefor
to lament that this gallant and excellen
officer has been taken prisoner; he ha
however been paroled, and l met hin
here recovering from the bruises occasion
cd by the fall. The loss of his services
at this moment is serious. .-..
The 5th Baltimore Regiment unde
Lieut.. Col. Sterrett, being the left G
Brig. Gen. Stansbury's brigade, still
however, stood their ground, and e1cep
for moment when part of them recOile,
a few steps, remained firm, and stood un
til ordered to retreat, with view to pre-
vent them from being out-flanked.
q The reserve under Brig. Gen. Smith O
the District of Columbia, with the mill
tia of the City and Georgetown, with tn
regulars and some detachments of Mary
land militia, fanked on their right b,
Commodore Barney and his brave fel