The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-09-25


100000. Everybody was of course
The soldiers commit
ted no depredations except go
ing into grog-shops and ordering
what they wanted to drink, which they
forgot to pay for. But that was ex-
pected. On the day following the en-
trance of the British Father Mathew
(who was then pastor of st. Patrick's
church) heard the confessions of o
number of British soldiers. He did not
appear to be the least bit afraid of them,
and continued his regular services the
same as if everything was as quiet as
usual. Father Mathew was the first
native American who was ordained a
priest in this country. He was ordained
in Baltimore by Archbishop Carroll.
Many of the British soldiers attended
the services at his church, marching up
from their camp, about the spot where
the Botanical garden now is, in
squads" 90 '"
"When was the War Department
building burnedp' .- ..-r7
"On the morning after the 25th Cen
eral Ross led detachment of his SOL
diers up to the War Department. They
passed right along Pennsylvania ave-
nue. with lot of other soldiers. I fol-
lowed the other youngsters up and saw
them burr, the building. As General
Ross was returning he stopped in front
of the Bank of the Metropolis (now
known as the National Metropolitan
bank, on Fifth street, opposite the
Treasury The bank was in charge of
a watchman, all of its other attaches
having run away the day before, as did
a great many others. A short time be-
fore the bank had loaned $500, 900 to
the Government, to be sent to General
jackson at New Orleans. They issued
a bank note, on which was printed de-
pository of the United States These
notes were paid out to the soldiers of
Jackson's army; and one of them had
got into General Ross hands. He
gave notice that he would burn
the bank, ordering the watchman
to leave the building, and if
there was anyone else inside to tell
them to leave instantly. The watch
man answered there was no one inside.
Just at this time Capt. James Hoban,
an architect, came along and explained
to General Ross that the bank was not
a depository: of the Government in
any sense, and that it had used those
words on its notes because of its having
issued them; and, besides,' said Mr..
Hoban, if you burn this bank building,
General, you will destroy the property
of an old Irish widow which adjoins it.
'.She is a deuced poor widow if she
owns all of that property said Ross,
as he rode off without carrying his
original intention into effect. The bank
building was thus saved. There was no
attempt to save any of the furniture or
other things in the public buildings
burned. Mr.. Armstrong, who was Sec
retary of War, had told every one a
week before the British came exactly
what they would do, and no one was
surprised; indeed, they expected that
they would burn more than they did. !"
"Was any one shot by the British in
this cityP'' r.. ..- --.s
"Yes, one man; and only one, If i
remember correctly, and he was a
crazy man. He had gone insane in
consequence of fright at their coming,
and on the day they arrived he had
rugged himself out in q full suit of OFF,
GERS clothing, Generals uniform, l
believe, with all the regalia, straps,
epaulets and other traps. He marched
down to their camp the next morning
in full uniform, and, taking q good
position, he cursed them clear ont of
sight, and oh! how he did swear at them.
They stood it some time, but, the fellow
getting worse and worse, some of them
shot him. Ross said he was very sorry
about it when he learned that the man
was insane. They should have arrested
him, but certainly did not have any right
to shoot him. saw his body as it was
being taken away with his spurs on.
No red-coat ever went to Georgetown,
though they plundered Alexandria un-
mercifully after they sailed from this
city on their way to Baltimore, where
they were whipped at North Point on
Sept. IA. They agreed they would not
fire on Alexandria if everything they
asked for was given them, and then
proceeded to steal all the tobacco,
whisky and negroes they could carry in
their ships"