Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-07-06
Capture of Washington in 1874.

reference to the invasion and circumstances at
tending the capture of Washington, by the Brit
ish forces under Admirals Cockburn and Coch-
rane is not Inappropriate
During the early portion of the summer of
1914, Cockburn's fleet lay along the coast of
Virpinia MARYLAND, and the Chesapeake, when
they were ioined on the Sd OF August by Coch-
rane's fleet, direct from Bermuda, both number
ing together twenty sails. Our Government
was apprised of hostile intentions upon the Capt.
toll but General Armstrong then Secretary OF
War, processes disbelief in the rumors, and the
National HteiHgencer, proverbially cautions
as now in its conclusions, doubted the probabill-
ty of hostile intentions upon the Capitol.
President Madison, however, had taken some
precautionary steps, by ordering a militia organ
ization, which he deemed sufficient for the occa-
sion in addition to q fotlla of barges, bearing
guns placed under the command of Capt Joshua
Barney and intended to check fleets in advancing
towards the Capitol. But after sailing up the
bay, the troops disembarked at Benedict, on the
banks of the PatuXent river, on the goth of Au
gust. On the following day the army, consisting
of four thousand men, took up their march
toward the infant city. They were without ar
tlery or cavalry, and marched under the heat
of midsummer sun to Bladensburg, which they
reached on the 24th. By adopting this route,
the fotila afforded no protection to the city,
and, to prevent the guns or boats from being
taken and used against the Capitol they were
blown up the morning OF the 22d, by order of
Wm. Jones, the Secretary of the Navy.
The approach of the troops under Maj. Gen.
Robert Ross and Admiral Cockburn was watched
by president Madison in person, who directed
eight thousand inexperienced and undisciplned
militia to Bladensburgh, under the command OF
Gen. Winder to oppose the four thousand Brit
ish soldiers Capt Barney, having destroyed
the hotila, Joined the military force OF Gen.
Wnder with one hundred seaman and his Held
pieces. On the afternoon of the 24th, the BRUSH
opened fire, which was successfully returned by
Barney's sailors, who main ntained their position
nobly, while the raw recruits, under Winder
kept q respectful distance who rendered little
| or no service with their muskets, soon broke
! rank and turned their backs upon the enemy.
Barney's seamen fought bravely, and their guns
proved terribly destructive to the enemy. lie
was overcome, however, after three hours hard
fighting, hanked by superior numbers and ilnal-
" fell wounded by the side of eleven of his men
who were killed at their guns. lie ordered re-
treat, and gave himself up. His bravery con
trased nobly with the disgraceful coWaIdlce OF
the militia CA large portion OF the men were
from Baltimore and if their sons OF to day pos
sess no more of the elements essential to success
full warfare, they will do well to make terms OF
peace with the Northern lads who propose to
march through their city on their way to the
Capitel) The militia without waiting for their
commander to sound a retreat, took sudden leave
of the battlefield, and made direct line for the
woods. The British experienced severe loss IN
their ranks, stated by the historian Gleig, oil 56th
Royal regiment as high as five hundred men
| killed wounded and missing. Col Thornton,
commander of the Light Brigade Lieut. Col.
Wood commader of the 5Sth regiment and Maj.
| Brown, who led the advance troops were
severely wounded, while Gen. Ross had horse
| killed under him. The loss was small on the
| tha hnffI Itch ant
referred to above admits that if the militia had
done their duty the victory would undoubtedly
have been on the American side. or Barncys
hundred sailors he speaks in the highest terms,
remarking "not only did they serve their guns
with q quickness and precision with astonished
their assailents but they stood till some oil them
were actually bayonetted with fuses in their
hands nor was it till their leader was wounded
and taken, and they saw themselves deserted on
all sides by the soldiers, that they quilted the
field"
Gen Ross led the Third British Brigade into
the city and up to the Capitol, on approaching
which his horse was shot from under him by one
of Barneys men, who had conceal ed himself in Il
house for that object. The house was immedi-
ately entered, the inmates put to the sword, and
the building and contents burned voley
was fired into the windows of the Capitol when
the troops entered. Cockburn took the Speakers
chair, and asked the question, :" Shall this harbor
say aye" lie reversed the question, pronounced
the motion carried, and ordered the torch to be
applied to the building 1t was soon in flames.
As prudential step, the Secretary of the
Navy ordered Commodore Tingley to fire the
navy yard, with which the slo0p of war Argus,
(ten guns,) five armed barges, two gun-boats,
and all the naval stores, was consigned to the
| flames.
The British troops then proceeded to the
| Troa nd dent m which
they fired-the President having retreated, with
his Cabinet on horseback, across the Potomac.
| That night, the army encamped on Capitol Hill,
and were exposed to a severe storm, with heavy
thunder which added intensity Of awe to the
dismal scenes which had just been enacted
During the night granddaughter of Washington
rashly attacked the sentrics and was shot down.
The long bridge was simultaneously fired, at
each end, by the opposing parties-each appre
hensive of an attack by the other.
Next morning the British burned the buildings
connected with the War and Navy Departments /;
destroyed the material in the National Intettgencer
Office and threw the type out of the window {;
destroyed the ammunition about the yard and at
Greenleaf's Point threw torch into well
where O large quantity Of powder was concealed,
which exploded, destroying nearly one hundred
of the British troops scattering their mutilated
remains in every direction. A frlghtful tornado
Immediately swept over the city, destroying
| puiiuinSS anu PiVPotJt 40 - III vp'"P'0'' "
the general work of destruction. Very many OF
the enemy and of the inhabitants were buried in
! the ruins OF the falling buildings. The enemy,
alarmed for their own safety, withdrew from the
city in the evening and hurried towards the
place of embarkation.
TIE sum of 100000 has been offered in Ala
hama for the head of " one Abraham Lincoln"
whereat the Sunday Mercury says: "Their dol
lars now sell at fifty per cent. discount six
months hence their value will be that of waste
paper aud supposing the bills to be Of the de-
nomination of ifties, the hundred thousand which
they offer for the Presidential frontispiece Will