Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-08-23

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The BATTLE OF BLADENsBURG.
Tomorrow will be the anniversary Of the
Battle of Bladensours, sometimes spoken of as
the "Bladensburg Races" bat people who use
that term by way Of reproach of those who
participated IN the engagement must know
very lille OF the facts. Historical records and
the testimony of the survivors Of the war of
1s2 20 TO show that our District troops foueht
calamity on that occasion, and that they
deserved victory, If they did not win It, On
cal Incompetence, the interference of civilians
and consequent bad management-sodi disastrous
to the Union cause several times during our
late civil war-paralyzed the efforts of the
brave men who rallied for the defense CT the
national capital, and the result was their
defeat, and the shame OF having the seat of
government captured by the enemy. The
Battle Of Bladensburg was fought on the cath
ofAugust, Ieli. Losing IN his Field Book of
tne war OF le12, Just published, says that Tor
several months previous to the advent of Cock
burn. thoughtful men had called the attention
OF the President and his constitutional advisers
TO the exposed state Of the entire District of
Columbia. and especially the Capitol, and to
the importance Of adopting vigorous measures
for ITS defense The President appears to have
feared the danger, but his Cabinet were I'M.
moved. Even when the foe was 80 near that
the booming of his cannon could almost be
heard, they could NOT be impressed with a
sense OF impending danger. June came, ana
yet there was q strange apathy in official
Circles, and very little preparation for defence.
In the entire Fifth Military District, OF which
the District of Columbia was part, there were
only wothousand one hundred and ffty .four
effective enlisted men, OF whom one. half was at
Norfolk, one-quarter at Baltimore, and the
remaining quarter divided between Annapolis.
Fort Washington and ST. Mary's. There were
besides only a company of marines i'm
the barracks at Washington, and a com.
pany of artillery at Fort Washington.
AfleDgth the Government was aroused TO
sense OF danger and responsibility BY intell,
gence from Bermuda that there was at that
port "a fleet Of transports, with a large force,
oouLd to some port In the United States pro.
bably the Potomac" Onicial intelligence of
this fact reached the Government on the a6th
and on the LIST Of July the President called a
cabinet council. and laid before them a well
considered plan Of defence against threatened
invasion, which had been suggested, If NOT
actually prepared, by General William H.
"lnuer, who had lately been exchanged, and
mao returned from Canada. In contemplating
inc estaoiishment OF camp Of regular troops
Iwo' or three thousand strong, somewhere be-
tween the Eastern branch of the Potomac and
the Patuxent Rivers in Maryland, and the
concentration of ten thousand militia in the
Neinity OF Washington City. The Cabinet
approved the Presidents plan. A new
QvU N-4-
formed. comprising Maryland, the District of
Coiumoia, and the portions of eastern Viz
glria lying between the Potomac and Rappa-
hammock rivers. Brigadier General Winder
vas appointed to the command Of it, and the
government made reQuisition upon the sew
eral States for militia to the aggregate of nine.
ty-tnree thousand men, who were to be orxau.
lied al home and held in readiness. The Dis
trict Of Columbia and the State of MARYLAND
were called upon to furnish their respective
quotss Immediately, the former being two
thousand men and the latter six thousand.
pennsylvania was directed TO send d We thous-
and and Virginia two thousand to the militia
rendezvous at once The naval defences were
entrusted 10 Commodore Barney, a veteran
commander, who was in the Pafuxept with a
small hotiua OF gunboats
In Official orders there appears an army
OF fifteen thousand militia for the defence
OF Washington, and General winder was
envied as the fortunate commander of a
larger force than had yet appeared in the field.
But that army remained hidden In official par.
agraphs, and only small portion Of Il CON.
'ronted the invader, for he came before the
States on whom the Government had made a
fer militia had moved In the matter
General Winder entered upon his duty with
aidcrIiy, under the influence OF seductive
nv he
he was soon made to feel that he was
The victim Of Official incompetency, he was up-
lring IN his exertions to make the defence of
he District certainty. Yet, Notwithstanding
The danger that threatened, and his great per.
sonal popularity, heightened by good deeds on
me Nortnern frontier, Winder was compelled
10 report on the LIST Of August that he had actu.
lily IN camp only ous thousand regulars, ana
about f'ur thousand militia enrolled, larger |
pro lG4 tion Of them Yet to be collected The
Government had neglected to call for cavalry
service.
While these feeble efforts were in operation
me enemy appeared in strong force On the
10Th of August the small British SQUADRON in
ne chesapeake was reinforced oy q fleet of
twenty lone vessels under Admiral Sir Alex.
ANGER nI Coeniane, the senior commander Of the
another under Commodore Sir Charles NAL
COLIN These vessels bore several thousand
land troops. commanded by General Ross, an
active leafers- Washington ana Baltimore
appear 10 have been chosen Objects OF attack
sim ultaneously. A part of the British naval
force, under Captain Gordon, went up the
Potomac, and another portion, under Sir Peter
Parker, went mp the chesapeake toward Bal.
lin ofe Barney, then at Nottin CHAM, prompt.
" informed the Navy Department OF this
movement, and Of boast of the BIRTHS h Admit
raj that he would destroy the American ffotil.
la, and dine in Washington the following |
Sunday. General Winder, by direction OF |
he War Department, Immediately ordered |
General Samuel Smiths division 1.-THE third1 OF |
he Maryland militia into actual service He
ilso called upon General John p. Vanpess.
,ommt nder Of the militia Of the District
of Columbia, for two brigades, 10 ba /
,ncamped near Alexandria; and he ssnt
= circular letter 70 all the Brigadiers of the
Mary land militia, asking for volunteers ]
10 the amount OF one-half of tha,r !
respective com nands The veteran patrio,
General smith, promptly responded to the
aA OF the 6overameut- The British in the
meantime had moved mp the Patuxent from
Benedict, the land troops being accompanied
BY notffla OF launches and barges that kent i
abreast of them. The naval forces were under I
he command Of the notorious narauder /
Cockburn. Their land force pushed forward /
% Upper Marlborough, whence a road led |
ffrecily 10 Washington City, and there en-.
;amped. leaving Cockburn and the British 7
fotilla At Peg Point. Now let MS see what |
orces were at The disposal Of General WIndsor
or the defense OF WASHINGTON, There were two |
mall brigades OF District tro Ups. One of these
orn \, 1