New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-13
CAPTURING THR CAPITAL.

Among the causes Of apprehension for the safety
of Washington which existed three weeks ago,
the knowledge that that city had once been cap
tured and sacked was quite prominent one.
Not fortified then, no delenses had been subSe-
quently provided to protect it now. Fifty years
ago. it was assailed by foreign enemies but COM
munites Of friends surrounded it. Now, these
neighboring communities were either openly hos
tile or we're secretly plotting for its destruction.
Those upon whom full reliance was TO be placed
for its defense were in the North, not armed nor
ready to move for its protection, while even Its
own citizens were considered disloyal to the Gov
ernment Bodies Of them were known to be or
ganized to aid in handing it over TO the rebel
leaders whenever they came up to the attack,
and the foul residuum Of a traitOrous Admins
traton occupied thousand positions in the pub
lio Offices, in open league with the rebellion, giv'
ING TO il all tho aid and comfort which their
official employments so fully qualified them to af-
ford. High officers in both army aud navy were
known to be unfathiul, and were constantly re-
signing most Of them uniting with the public
enemy, and communicating every fact within
their knowledge likely to render the Capital an
easy conquest. The full extent of this treachery
was not known month ago; but rs the places
left vacant by she traitors have been filed by
honest men, its peryadiDg magnitude is made ap-
parent. 1t is ono OF the most shocking revela-
tons of crime the world has ever seen. Thus
known to be occupied aud surrounded by public
enemies as was Washington few days ago, while
rebel armies were gathering in remoter States for
ia attack, the public apprehension was intensified
by the remembrance of its former humiliation.
If it fell easily before the presence Of hand
ful Of enemies, what hope could there bo for it
when thousands Of such were within its gates,
aiding and Abetting other thousands at its very
thresholdi Though the danger has now disap-
peared, yet il will be instructive TO revive the
story Of the first humiliating overthrow of Wash
ington
In August, 1914, British fleet of twenty ships,
commanded by Admirals Cochrane and Cockburn,
with about 1900 troops, under command of Gen
eral Ross, appeared in the Chesapeake On the
2lst thcy landed, without opposition, at Benedict
on the PatuIent They had no cavalry, and but
few cannon. They marched slowly toward
Bladensburg, the weather being extremely hot.
The inhabitants fed from their villages and farms
without firing gun, and the most exaggerated
tales Of the strength of the invaders gained cur
rency aud belief. Some of the militia showed
themselves occasionally as they advanced, but
abandoned their positions as they came near
them. Washington was the center of a regular
military district, and l6,6OO men, mostly from
the adjoining Slave States had been placed at
the disposal Of General Winder for IFS defense.
But Of this supposed army not one half appeared
in the field though the artillery numbered twenty
four pieces. These men are described as being
raw and untried-none having ever been in action
the whole having been hastily collected, when
il was ascertained that British feet was hover.
ing ou the coast. The Administration had grossly
neglected all warnings to protect Capital which
they knew to be defenseleu, and had provided
little else than q fo.lla OF gunboats, under the
command of Commodore Barney. Of these, Bar
ney was compelled to destroy portion aud escape
with his sailors, while the remaining vessels fell
into the enemy's hands. Fear had doubled the
number of the British, and Winder abandoned
one position after another as they advanced, until
he finally halted at Bladensburg Here Ross at
tackled him, at MONDAY on the 23d, though his
men were exhausted by long march under tho
sun. The action lasted four hours, during which
the British suffered severely from Winder's rife
men, but more especially from the artillery worked
by Barney and his sailors. Had every other
company done but half the execution that these
sailors did, the British would have been defeated
Many of them were bayoneted at their guns
the militia gave way, and Wlnder ordered re-
treat Barney continued TO fight on, and gave up
only when wounded and made prisoner, losing
ten of his guns The British made no pursuit
They were 80 overcome with the excessive heat
that they threw themselves exhausted on the
ground where they rested until the cool of the
evening, before resumiDg their march to Washing.
ton.
Thus ANONYMOUSLY closed the battle Of Badens-
burg. Winder fell back on Washington. He next
retired within the city, then withdrew from the
Capital itself, thus retreating seven times in one
day. As he entered Georgetown, his men were
mere mob. Ali discipline had vanished. Many
of them fed to their homes in Virginia. and the
army had ceased to be. When the British en-.
tered the city the next morning, there were none
10 oppose them. But slaves and rutfans had al
ready been active in plundering it. The British.
who did not contemplate O permanent occupancy,