Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-08
rHs BUsNIEG OF wAsa1sGroN
During the war OF 1912, as Related by an
Eye. witness.

y.
written an account of the burning of WASH
ington sixty-oDe years ago the 24th inst.
In it he says Near the close OF this event.
full day there came by our modest home
tall man in plain attire, bending under
heavy load. He paused to rest. Being IN.
terviewed he replied g After our men had
all passed on entered the Presidents man
sion and found it deserted, whereupon l
helped myself TO selections OF gold and ell
yer service, tied them up III this ble-cloth,
as you, see gentlemen, and am making for
the Virginia shore" His interviewers re-
rnonstrated with him, and EXPRESSED some
doubts as to his loyalty. He rejoined ::
d" Have I not as much or better rght to the
property than the red coats, who in an
hours time will get the mansion and apply
the torch to it 2" The stranger was allowed
to proceed. This incident the writer men
tions, because ne has seen 1T stated that
such valuable property had been, previous
to the entrance of the British, taken TO a
place Of security. Following hard upon
this incident, the presence of the enemy
was demonstrated by the application of
the torch to the public property with
incredible celebrity. The navy yard, the
north and south wings OF the capitol, the
center building, except its massive tounda-
tions, had not at the time been built. The
state house and treasury building, with
six two story brick Jenements for their
messengers, fronting on Pennsylvania ave-
nue., opposite to the Freedmen's Bank site,
the war and navy building, and the United
States Arsenal, were in full blaze. The
angry pillows of fame illuminated the hori-
Tpbf
citizens who remained, choosing to share
the fortunes of their devoted city, now
imprisoned in their own homes, watched
and waited with intense soticltude for the
revelations OF the tardy morn. 1t at length
dawned sereuely upon the dismantled walls
and charred remains OF the public build
ings The three. story brick building then
at the corner of L and Eighth streets, de-
signed for B Bodgett's hotel, at the time
occupied by the general and city postoffices
and the patent Office, was, at the solicita-
tions Of DIR. Tnom, Rev. Brown of the First
Baptist church, Peter Force, and few
other citizens, spared. Private property
had, except for cause, been univer-
sally protected. This further fact
was also made known - that no
violence or bloodshed had been indulged
in, with one solitary exception-a drunken
dragon of Colonel Hovals's regiment re.
turned late a. night on bis steed and
dashed within the picket lines at the war
and navy building, and fred with murder
GUS intent at the guard. As he wheeled to
retire The guard, with fatal effect, returned
the fire. Also at the arsenal, by the ig-
norance of the British, a magazine was ex-
ploded, on which twenty. eight Of their
own men were killed. Daring the first
night British officer called at the little
frame house above referred to, where were
being sheltered for the time the remnants
of four families. On politely asking for a
drink of water he was kindly served by the
writer's mother. She inquired of the off,
Ger whether the families were exposed to
danger, and he replied "Keep your
lights burning and the shutters open, and
not hair of your head will be touched"
ter, said, "The flowers of May to you,
madam, " and wheeled oc his charger. and
in moment disappeared.
On tie third day of the occupancy of
the capital by the British, between 3 and 4
o'clock in the afternoon there came a
cyclone of unprecedented violence for this
locality, which cut roadways through the
forest, dismantled many buildings, etc.
With the retirement Of the storm it was
discovered that the enemy had retired also.
Some weeks later tho scattered fragments
of the subdivisions of the Late army were
ordered to report and encamp on Camp
nil, where, for a number of weeks, they
had good time generally. In a short
time the southeast corner house of the
"seven buildings" Nineteenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue, was put in good re-
pair and occupied by President Madison
and his family until the Executive Mansion
was reconstructed The Stats Department
found accommodations in General Lars
large house on the south side of G street,
near Nineteenth s.reet, north vest. In like
manner provision was made for the other
departments. For the accommodation of
Congress number of patriotic citizens by
private enterprise built at the corner
Of FIRST and 4 streets, northeast the
large building generally referred 90
during the late civil war as the Old
Capital prison. Here Congress met, and
during The session made provision for the
reconstruction Of the public buildings. As
was to be expected, those Representatives
and others who had through the years past
nursed hostility to the location adopted by
Congress for the seat of Government re-
newed their efforts to that end. Johnny
Ray, sc he was fariiliarly called, Repre-
sentative of the State of Tennessee, will
be recalled by 4 few of the old residents of
Washington, who will remember him as
never being without his cloak and UNI
brella, though the session Of Congress was
prolonged 10 midsummer nor had he ever
made 3 speech in the House save to vote
yea or nay, bus when tho old irritating
question was renewed and the public build.
ings were in ashes, giving the opposition
decided advantage Ia the controversy, his
righteous soul became stirred to depth
he had never before realized. Selling on
the propitious moment, he sprang to his
feet, and startled the Houee by cryingout:
- Mr. Speaker Mr.. Speaker Before I'd
let the enemies of the republic say that
Great Britain had, with corporal's guard,
driven US from the capital and from our
grand Representative Hail, would vote
TO meet under cotton tent pitched over
the hailowed site, though in ruins" Mr..
Ray took h;s seat amid uprosrous ap-
plause. se.-[Chioago Times.
WEBsTER's RESTING PLACE ter's
first purchase Of land in Marshfeld was an
old homestead Of one hundred and fifty
acres, but he kept adding ffgm to farm till
he had an estate of nearly eighteen hun
dred acres, much of Il consisting of the
wide, grassy downs Of the c1aat. The farm