Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-18

CHAPTER III.
The general pacification OF Europe which
gave England a rest from the Napoleonic wars
enabled that country TO prosecute the war
against America with redoubled vigor Official
adyices were received OF this paciacation by the
government of the United States On the Goth of
June, 1914, and on the 1st OF July Cabinet
meeting was held; the increased power of the
enemy and the probable dangers to be appre-
hended therefrom were considered. and CORE
spending preparations for defence were imme-
diately begun.
The capture and destruction OF Washington
had already been determined upon by the Brit
ish authorities. Rear Admiral Sir George
Cockburn was the person selected to execute
the design. and nj person he was to do the
work OF burning and plundering. He had
already given evidence or his brutality In his
treatment OF Napoleon while a captive and
prisoner in his HANDS His cruise GU The CneSa-
peake was accordingly
SERIES OF OUTRAGES-
Els men were allowed the rein 70 every eX-
cess. Stealing chickens and pigs and such petty
offerings were the milde5t OF their achieve
ments. They stopped and abused Old and de-
fenceleSs men; they drank ana carou5ed In
churches: they plGndered vaults and grave
yards for jewelTy. and raylShed women in the
presence or their husbands and fathers.
Cockburn had resided In Washington for some
time previous to Its projected capture, dis
gulsed as q spy, and had made himself min
Itely acquainted with ali its approaches and
means OF defence and the Views OF tae officials
and public men. so complete was his disguise
that when, after the capture OF The city, he
called Oh his former landlady She could Tot re-
cognlZe him. On the morning or the 10Th OF Au-
gust, 1874 he came In from sea with a fleet OF
twenty two sail and proceeded up the CheSa-
peake TO join the force previously stationed at
the mouth OF the Patuxent- The whole force
then assembled that river. and on the 18th were
disemOarked at the old village OF Benedict,
situated about forty miles southeast OF Wash
1ngton. The landing Was effected Without OPP
position
The land forces, under the command of Ross
an Irishman, who had served IN the Spanish
wars, Immediately began their march towards
Nottingham, a small town on the Pat1xent,
about fiftet miles north OF Benedict. On the
21St, at noon, they reached lover Marlboro,
where they halted, that Cockburn. who was
moving up the river In boats. might communal
cate with Ross. The army, supported by Cock
burns fiOtilla, then moved on TO nottingham.
''On approaching that place. says Cockourn.
"a few shots were exchanged between the lead
Ing boats and some or the enemy'S cavalry. out
The appearance OF our army caused them 10 dis
appear with precipitation"
They remained at Nottingham the night of
the 2iSt, and the next morning took the Chapel
Hill road for pper Marlboro, BarneTS fiotila
OF seventeen boats, which was lying near Mt.
Pleasant, was abandoned and fired on the
appearance OF Cockburn oEe vessel
falling Into his hands. Barney hastenei with
his seamen and marines to join the main army
g O'Clock on the 22d and remained there unmo-
Tested unril the same hour next day 10 rest and
refresh bis troops. During these orderly and
leiSuTeiy proceedings OF the British tQda :iSi0n.
confusion and chaos prevailed among the
Americans. Orders were given aQd counter
manded movements were made without aim or
object; there was no concerted plan OF action:
there was no common purpose: there was no
presiding brain. The army at the O.d Fields
was mere mob. Gen. WDSerSol quotes from
an officer present as tollows:-"The camp was
a y a mol n mr..
and militia were as merry as ~ a fair; you
might have heard the cOunter5iga fifty yards
on when the sentry challenged Mr.: John
Law. an honOred citizen OF Washington
referring TO the order TO retreat before
the battle, said IL his statement
before the committee, Although our march III
the retreat was extremely rapid. yet orders
were occasionally given 70 the captains OF con-
panie5 TO hurry up the men. The march, there.
fore, literally became run OF eight miles; and
the proprieJy or this rapid movement may be
tested by the fact that, the main body or the
enemy biyOuacked that night on the WILDWOOD
estate, more than three miles distant from the
ground We had left What had General Win
der been doing In the meantime? TO answer
this question we must so back ID the American
side OF the history.
An UNPLEASANT CHAPTER.
Gen. N!ndGT vas placed in command OF the
troops assigned for the protection of Washing
tOD. on the 18th OF July he was advised by the
Secretary or War that the van OF Admiral Coch-
ranes neet had arrived in Lynn Haven bay,
and that two Seyenty-f1urS ami two frigdtss
had passed Point Lookout. On tie lsth Oh July
Gen. Winder was authorized by the Secretary
or War TO call on Pennsylvania for live tnou-
sand men, on Virginia for two thousand, on
Mary land Tor six thousand and on the District
or Columbia for two thousand. WnT II was
that Gen. Winder Jailed to obey these ders
and neglected to collect the troops rem aims a
mystery TO this day. The most Charitable con-
Struction Is That the General found him ,elf-as
many other men have-in a position for which
he lacked every necessary qualltic iJloa.
he = nj tIlrsU -Er
Ceived adyceS that the enemy fleet had entered
and was ascending the Patuxent 10 force. o
the next day-the 19th-the General reported
that he called for 1.-The militia of the District OF
Columbia, for Vests and Williams a1d the
Baltimore brtSadeS en- niISSe, and for five hun
dred men each, nom all the brigades On the
western shore OF Maryland, aud the counties
which border the Potomac on the Virginia Side,
and for General HungerfoTd'S corps from the
Northern Neck or Virginia.
On the same day the Secretary o. War ordered
General Wtncer Ito push his cavalry into the
neighoOrhood OF the enemy, If their movements
INDICATED an attack On Washington, for the
purpose OF driving of horses and cattle and re-
moving all supplies OF forage on their Dute"
And on the I'D the Secretary advised General
Winder that the Baltimore brigade would Oe at
Biadensourg on that day, and suggested de-
mOn5tratlon oy Barney'S corps and other troops,
on the right Of Nottingham. which should
menace the enemies rear and his
Tllghman and Captain Caldwell made y
feeble attempt 10 carr out the former OF these
orders without results and the latter suggesv
lion was entirely dlSregarded. ON this Same
Qay-tne 22d-the enemy held a position at ami
near Nottingham, his force estimated by Col,
Beau at four thousand and By COL Monroe at
SIX thousand, but without cavalry and nearly
destitute OF field artillery. light corps was
now organized, consisting Of the S6th and SSth
regiments OF the line, two troops OF dragons.
and the companies of the District OF Columbia
militia This corps was ordered TO meet the
enemy, while the main body TOOK a position
ABOUT one mile In advance OF the woodward
and on the route which the enemy was expected
10 move towards Washington.
our cavalry advanced 10 meet the enemy who
had now put themselves In motion but soon
fell back whereupOn the advanced CORDS OF our
forces were ordered 10 fau back on the main
body. But the enemy tnS.ead Of taking the
direct route 10 Washington turned about and
marched TO Upper Marlboro. To meet this
movement General Winder fell back with the
Battalion 10 Old Fields. Here on the morning
OF the I'D, the army was reviewed by the PreSi-
Cent and the Heads OF the Depart ments and IT'S
effective force was found to be three thousand
Two hundred men and seventeen pieces or ar
I seIy- a second order was now given TO the
pSAt lroopS 70 advance and attack the enemy.
AT THIS CRITICAL JCSCFCRE
General Winder was nowhere to be found.
fortunately, however, the battle did not take
place After few yolleys at loag range the
light troops returned to the main body OF the
army, winch remained In line or battle Till san
SET Wnen the general returned and aF nnpa do