Daily globe., 1879-10-05
CAPTURE OF WASHINGTON.
Interesting Acc cunt of an Event Which Hap
pened Sixty-Fiv Years Ago..

w
pened SixtyFive Years Ago.
a correspondent of the Hartford Time
writes from Washington, August 81: Th
battle of Bladensburg and the ''burnln
OF Washington,' as some writer's hav
spoken of it, took place on August "a
1914. Sunday was therefore, the sixty
fifth anniversary Of the day. There wa
no public celebration of the event, thoue]
IN several houses in this city "the heroe
OF Bladensburg' (for there are some O
them still livlng) met and fought the bat
tie over again; but this time it was owe
dinner table, the pleasantest kind of
battle, by the way. On Saturday I hac
long and extremely pleasant chat will
MIR Nicholas Callan, one of the origina
tors and leading members of the Oldes
Inhabitants association, as one of oul
most prominent and oldest citizens
He has had official business with every
president since Jackson, and remem
bers James Madison very we'll Mr.
Callan has held the office of notary
public in tins city 1or these many wears
and in that time has been brought into
contact with thousands Of officials, con
gressmen, foreign ministers, who have
long since been numbered among the
dead. He was not old enough to take a
hand IN the battle of Bladensburg, but
remembers the day very we'll, as also the
entry al the British into this city on
the evening following the battle. I will
attempt to reproduce the story of that
day as it was told me by Mr. Callan.
Starting out he said ''The authorities
here had received information from vari-
Gus sources that the British were coming.
and that they intended to burn the pub,
Tic buildings in this city. No one knew
by which road they would come. There
were no telephones, telegraph or fast
mails in those days, and news was sent
by carriers or by the pony express only.
1t was learned day or so before the
Brltis sh came here that they had arrived
some where along the coast of the Chesa
peakc bay; that they would come up the
PatuXcnt to Washington. It was expect
ed that they would cross the bridge over
the eastern branch of the Potomac. known
then and at the present day as Bennings
bridge. Preparations were made so that
the bridge could be5set on ire as the Brit
lsh were crossing it, or DESTROYED so that
they could not get back. Commodore
Barney had charge of a detail OF
sailors, and Major Miller COMPANY
of marines. They were stationed at
the bridge and remained there until thew
found out that the British intended to
enter the city by the Bladensburg pike
they then went to Bladensburg and
played a most important part in that
battle, which resulted in the defeat of
our side. Our forces that battle con-
sisted Of several thousand volunteers
cavalry and infantry. The majority OF
the cavalry had never been on the back
OF a horse before that day; and as for the
infantry, the great majority of them had
never fired gun, or pistol, even, IN their
ives. Fire arms were not as plentiful in
those days as now, and such a thing as a
percussion cap or breech-loader was new
er even thought of. The British attack.
ing force was great deal smaller than
ours, but was disciplined. President
Madison and his cabinet witnessed the
Dattlc, having gone out there on horse.
back that morning. One of our reri
ments had no guns. The others did not
get to the battlefield until it was too late
for them to be Of SERVICE"
"How was that?n [ ventured to ask
III.
man who was on duty in the arsenal did
not know much about counting. and he
had some difficulty in getting out thu
guns for the volunteers, many Of whom
dld not know how to fire them after they
received them; and then, again, he was {
long time IN getting and counting ou
tllnts Tor them. He counted out the flint.
several times before he issued them, Sc
particular was he that he would not make
a mistake. On the road out thew me
the others coming in on lively retreat.
"When dld the British arrive in thi,
city" I inquired.
"Fhey got here pretty soon after o1
army did," said Mr.. Callan. "reachine
the city about or o'clock in the after
noon. The battle was fought about noon
or little before that hour. remembe
very we'll their march into the CITY. A
they were coming along couple O
squares east of the capitol some one free
at Gen. Ross, who was in command O
the red coats, missing him but KILN,
his horse. The gun was fired from th.
mouse OF gentleman named Scwall
Gen. Ross ordered that the house b.
burned, and in a few minutes It was !,
flames. No other private property wa
destroyed. Soon after that the Briti.]
soldiers burned the capitol, and the,
marching to the treasury building burnet
that. Then they fired the p1esident'
house, and after that marched to a plac
on Maryland avenue, where thcv camne
for the night"
''Thc burning having been anticipate6
was any preparation made for it?n
eyes. All Of the Important records q
the departments had been boxed un an
removed to hiding places in Virgini;
They were hid so we'll that the Britis
never found them. I lived then wher
my office is ION Fifth street. near FL
teenth (about one hundred wards fror
the treasury Department., and remembe
very we'll the appearance Of Preside1
Madlson's messenger as he passed alon
New York avenue bearinga a message fro,
the president, who was at Bladensbure
to Mrs. Madison, telling her to leave t6
city as soon as possible: the Britis
had arrived 1t was understood in oc
vance where she should go if she recei,
ed sucha message. She immediately LEI
for place IN Virginia, ,tEwhere she It
mained, as did the president and sever,
members OF his cabinet, until the BIRTHS
lett tor Baltimore eight or ten days afte
You have read, no doubt, of the death {
Gen. Ross near Old Point, at Baltimor
on September 10, following. AS he ws
riding along two boys fired at and kille
him from large tree in the woods. TT
boys were riddled by bullets, whole re.
Jmpnf fhoir