The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-05-30
CAPTURING THE CAPITAL.

CAI u n4NG HE CAPlIAL,
Among the causes Of apprehension fo
the safety of Washington which existet
three weeks ago, the knowledge bat tha
city had once been captured and sacket
was quite prominent one. Not forti
fed then, no defenses had been subse
queDtly provided to protect it now. Eff
ty years ago, it was assailed By foreign
enemies, but CON munities Of friends sur
rounded it. Now. these neighboriDs
com munities we're either openly hostile OF
we're secretly plotting for its destruction
Those upon whom full reliance was to be
plaOed Tor its defense we're in the North
not armed nor ready to move for its pro.
lection, while even its own citizens were
considered disloyal to the Government
Bodies Of then were known to be organ.
lied to aid in handing it over to the re-
bel leaders whenever they came up to the
attack, and the foul residuum of trail
torous Administration occupied thou
sand positions in the public Offices, in o.
pen league With the rebellion, giyin to it
all the aid ard comfort which their off,
cial employnents so fully qualified them
to sffoFd. High officers in both army
and navy were known to be unfai.hful,
and we're constantly resignipg. 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 a month
ago; but, as the places left vacant by the
traitors have been filed by honest men,
its pervading magnitude is made appa-
reDt. 1t is ope ofthe most shocking rev.
elations Of crime the world has ever seen.
Thus kDown to be occupied and surroun.
ded By public enemies as was Washing
ton few days ago, while rebel armies
were gathering in remoter States for its
attack, the public apprehension was in
tensfed by the remem brance of its for
mer humiliation. If it fell so easily be-
fore the presence of handful ofenemies,
what hope could there be for it when
thousands Of sueh we're within it's gates,
aiding and abetting other thousands at
its very threshold2 Though the danger
has now disappeared, yet it will be iu-
structive to revive the story of the first
huniliatipg overthrow OF Washington.
In August, 1914, a British feet Of
twenty ships. commanded by Aduirals
Cocbrane and Cockburp, with about T.
500 troops, under command of General
Ross, appeared in the Chesapeake. On
the 2lst they landed, without opposition,
at Benedict, on the Patuxent. They had
no cavulry, and but few cannon. They
marched slowly toward BIadensburg, the
weather being extremely hot. The in-
habitnDts fed from their villages and
farms without firing guu, and the most
exaggerated tales Of the strength Of the
invaders gained currency and belief
Some Of the militia showed themselves
occasionally as they advanced, but aban
doned their positions as they came near
them. Washing ton was the center of
regular military district, and Is, 600 men,
mostly from the adjoining Slave States,
had been placed at the disposal of Gener-
al Windcr for its defense. But of this
supposed army not one half appeared in
the field, though the artillery numbered
twenty-four pieces. These men are de-
scribed as being raw and untried-none
having ever been in action--ths whole
having been hastily collected, when it
was sscertained that British feet was
however on the coast. The Administra-
ton bad grossly neglected all warnings
to protect a Capital which they knew to
be defeuseless, and had provided little
else than hotila Of guDboats, under the
command of Commodore Barney. Of
these. Barney was compelled to destroy
portion and escape with his sailors,
while the remaining vessels fell into the
ensmy's hands. Fear had doubled the
number of the British, and Winder aban-
doued one position after another as they
advanced, until be finally halted at Bla-
densburg. Here Ross attacked him, at
monday on the 23d, though his men
were exhausted By c long march under
the sun. The action lasted four hours,
during which the British suffered severe
'cteIy ftO@n HiHNCi e iiuSlHSHi Ouo hV.S
especially from the artillery worked by
Barney and his sailors. Had every 9th
er company done but half the execution
that these sailors did, the British would
have been defeated. Many oftbem were
bayonctcd at their guns, the militia gave
way, and Winder ordered retreat
Barney continued to fight on, and gave
up only when wounded and made prison
er, losing ten of his guns. The British
made no pursuit. They were SO over
come With the excessive heat that they
threw themselves exhausted on tho
ground, where they rested until the cool
of the evening, before resuming their
march to v Washington.
Thus ANONYMOUSLY closed the bate of
Bladensburg. Winder fell back on
Washington. He next retired within the
city. then withdrew from the Capital it.
self, thus retreating seven times in one
day. AS be entered Georgetown, his