Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-13

nv COMPANY was marched to the eyer-JO-be-re-
membered though not particularly glorious.
the Path OF August, 1914, was one about the inc
dents of which the citizen soldiers of that day
who were engaged in the fight have been veiy
sensitive, and In the general unwillingneSS TO
have them referred to, for long time partici-
pated. But, upon review Of the circumstances,
do Tot think there was anything in the con-
duct OF the militia which will Justify the ami
madverSonS to which they have been subjected.
The position occupied by my company gave me
full view of the positions of Barney and Miller
and also of the approaching British column
saw the fatal effect of the fire from the COM
mands of those gallant officers, and as the Brit
1Sh column approached our line of battle they
We're staggering under its terrible execution.
and felt certain, and do now, that three or four
VOlieyS from our line would have brought them
TO dead halt. That opinion prevailed through
out the whole body, and when the order IS re-
treat was given, and passed along the line, the
men looked at each other in establishment, evil
IDENTIFY believing that 1t must be a miStake and
when the order was repeated, murmurS were
heard on all sides. Retreat for what? was the
question heard all around me. Shall we aban-
don our homes, and the capital city of the
country, to the enemy, without struggle for
its defence? And for some moments the order
was dlal egardtd. IL was repeated In louder and
uuniistakabie terms. and we had to obey.
I he best disciplined soldiers are liable to panic
when commanded by Incapable general officers,
OF BladensbuIg tr0S incapable has never be IN
sucCt sstuly denied; but whilst repell ny with
Indignation the charge that we We're def lent in
personal courage. candor cQmpelS me TO con-
TESS that when our backs were turned upon the
British, and the retreat had fairly begun we did
sulit oi the ;aj''S' Lind OF running. and kept it
up until We reached the city. Some continued
on TO Montgomery county, and q few of the most
"a I've. II MAS lnaiiciOu5ly reported did not stop
uhtil they reached the Allegheny mountains.
TIE BRITISH IN WASHINGTON.
With several OF my comrades remained in
the city all night, hiding in the wood north of
the Presidents house, and we witnessed from
our place OF concealment with powerlesS in
dignatiOn, the vandalism which the enemy was
enecting in the city. The Presidents house was
fired, and, almost simultaneously the navy
yard, the Capitol and all the other public build
ings, with the exception Of the Patent Office
The glare from the burning buildings lighted
up nearly the whole eXpanse OF the city, and
fearing the light would penetrate our hiding
place we laid on the ground. face downward, i'll
which uncomfortable position we remained
until near the next morning.
While we were looking with sad feeling upon
what we apprehendcd was the fOrer,lnner ofthe
destruction OF the whole city, our attention was
arrested by the explosion OF powder at the
arsenal. which shook the ground upon wh'ca
direction OF the sound, we beheld the most
awful, and yet he most brilliant spectacle
which the Imagination can conceive. The
heavensQkvere filled with living fire, While the
kegs of powder which had been thrown out OF
the well by the explosion Of the loose powder
at the depot, which had been with the kegs
hastily throwntnto it,upon the evacuation of the
pr ST, and which the British had not discovered
and careleSsly ignited, as they reached an atti-
tude OF two or three hundred feet, exploded
with conclusion that seemed loud enough to
yibrate through the whole state OF Maryland.
We remained for hours motionleSS and almost
brt athleSs under the influence of the scene. bat
knowing II we were caught having arms in our
halds we would be held as prisoners of war.
AS tie dawn was beginning to appear we got up,
and gliding silently through the woods on Kalo-
rama Heights, passed through Georgetown to
TennallytoWn, where we were joined by several
members OF our company, and proceeding on to
Rockville, were again united with our COM
maud. We remained at Rockville about ten
days 5, waiting orders, and While there Our Cap
tain was relieved from duty, and we elected
Captain Moulton to I'LL the vacancy. We re-
celved orders to march TO Baltimore early in
September. anG upon reaching EllicottS Mills
we heard the news of the battle of North Point
and the repulSe Of the British. When we were
ordered back TO Washington and enCamped on
the hill now occupied by the National Observa-
tory, where We remained until late in the fall.
and then were discharged from service, and
thus ended my active military life.
Whatever taunts and jeers have heretofore
been leveled at the citizen soldiers at the battle
OF BladensbuTg, they are now siienced by the &C
ton OF Congress, which, after sixty years of in
jul tice, has recognized their services by grant
Ing pensions to the survivors. l receive mine
every three months, and just in time for market
money.
WASHINGTON AFTER THE EVACUATION.
Il
civil officer of the government came to the camp
and offered two dollars per day and rations to
all the carpenters in the company who were
Willing and competent to perform the work
ccsSaly to restore the public buildings. With
many OF my comrades awaited myself of that
offer. and upon leaving the camp l was inmedl-
atcly employed by the government, and con
tinued at work until the Navy department was
completed.
During the occupation of the city by the
British army, the civil government was. OF
course. in great measure suspended and some
di: tresS was felt for want OF provisions, the
country people being afraid TO venture into the
city The British were compelled however, hg
for their own safety TO a speedy
evacuation, and affairs, under the energetic
administration or the mayor. Doctor Blake the
father OF our excellent president, soon resumed
their wonted regularity, though years elapsed
before the MARKS OF the vandalism left by The
British army were effacad. and which are re-
membered even up to this day as acts Of wanton
destruction totally unworthy the Angl0-Siyol
After the completion OF The Navy department.
went into partnership with my brother in thu
carpentering business. and built a shop In the
west end OF the city. near to Rock creek. The
FIRST work OF any Importance we obtained was
finishing the house now known as Columbia
Hospital, but which was then owned by Tench
RinggOld, who had leased it TO the British min
tster Mr.. Baggett, for whom l did the work, and
was fortunate enough to please both him and
his lady, who were my best friends as long as
they remained in the country. My last effort at
house building was the house On the same SJuarc
fronting on NJ street. which built for Colonel
Thompson. This was In the close of the year 1920
and although quite a number of houses had been
built in the city since the close OF the war yet
in 1921 all Improvement seemed to have come to
a dead stop, and l had literally nothing to do.
| applied to several gentlemen connected with
the Executive departments. whose friendships
had secured, and was offered position at $500
per annum, which. after mature consideration.
/ declined, and having saved a small capital
commenced a mercantile business, in which
for many years
SLOW PROGRESS OF THE GROWTH OF WASHING
TON.
At that period, although l had crude ideas on
the subject, it was often surprise to me that
the capital city Of great and growing nation
should have made such slow progress in wealth
and population. But in the prosecution OF Iner-
camille business became associated with men
whose interests had been connected with the
city from its foundation, and from them and my
own observation soon learned the cause of the
apparent un-American want of enterprise.
The city Of Washington is the Child OF "a more
perfect Union of the States" 1t sprung from
the Federal Constitution. and was pre-ordained
TO be the seat OF the government OF a nation
founded upon that compact betweeY independ-
ent sovereignties and 1t cannot exist as great
city upon any other foundation. '.TheSe facts
are self-evident." Therefore its prosperity has
always been. and must continue to be. contin-
gent upon the integrity OF the Union, and
whether 1t Will retain the position assigned by
1.-THE fathers" All doubts upon these questions
must affect the interests of the city, and have
seriously done so in its past history.