Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-08
MORE ABOUT THE SACKlNG OF
WARRINGTON


niscence by Mr.. John G. Hardness Of the inva-
sion of this District and the ''sackipg" of WASH
ington by the British in 1914. In many particu-
lars it was 30 very different from what had
heard from other sources and learned from his
tory that was constrained to think that either
Mr.. Harkness' memory of the events Of that oc-
casion was very much impaired or that he was
at the time very young q do not know his age),
and what he knew he had mostly learned from
hearsay by persons who were not very familiar
with all the operations of the British and Ameri-
can forces In the waters Of the Chesapeake bay
and the Patuxent river prior to the advance of
the CORNER upon Bladensburg and subsequently
upon Washington. Therefore would ask that
you will allow me to give you 'Ieaf" from the
only authenticated history that have been able
to find in the city giving the details of the war
of 1912 and OF these transactions, compiled
rom official documents" by SET. O'Connor, fourth
and published by John Low, New York. 1917"
from which it will be seen that the British did
not land from ''the Potomac river" but came
up the Patuxent river, and also did not remain
in the city three days" Nor is any mention
made of their blowing up through ignorance
the magazine at the arsenal, by which twenty
three Of their own men were killed"
Pages 227 to 231 Of the above-named history
say: 'The enemy appeared In great force in the
Chesapeake, about the middle of August 1914
More than so of his vessels entered the Patux-
ent and landed about 5000 troops and marines,
chiefly about Benedict, 40 miles southeast of the
city Of Washington. The force at the DISPOSE
ton Of Gen. Winder, who had been appointed
nately inadequate to defend the city, and it fell
into the power of the enemy. The entire force
of every description which could be collected to
oppose the enemy, did not exceed 5000 men;
these, however, would have been sufficient for
the purpose had they all acted with equal firm
ness. OF these several hundreds arrival oft or
the battle commenced, and many after the re-
treat had been ordered. The force actually en-
gagged was less than 1000.
"* On the 22d the British fiankers
approached the woodward, IL miles from the
city, where Gen. Winder with his main body
was posted The line of battle was formed by
the American troops but the enemy filed off to
the left. At 9 o'clock Commodore Barney
caused his fiotilla to be destroyed, and he pro-
ceeded with his men to take post in the front of
the enemy.
ION the evening OF the sd Cen winder's
headquarters were at Battalion Fields, within
8 miles Of the city, aud a short distance from
Bladensburg. At one O'Clock on the oath the
about half mile distant from the village. The
artillery from Baltimore. supported by Major
Pinckney's rifle battalion and a part Of Captain
Doughty's, from the navy yard, were in ad-
Bladensburg. Soon after one o'clock the enemy
appeared. advancing toward the bridge over
the Eastern Branch. When they reached the
bridge, which thew did in solid column, the
artillery opened a warm fire on them, and the
ri1emen and regiment of militia were soon
engaged. Before two o'clock the enemy ad-
vanced so close on the Baltimore volunteers as
to force them to retreat, bringing
with them their artillery and arms,
except one piece, which was lost by the un.
ruliness OF the horses. The retreat was not the
effect of cOwardice, for no men could behave with
more honor to themselves. While they
fought they made CALLING impression on
the enemy, and when forced to yield before
numbers vastly superior, they would no doubt,
have yet sought place from which to triumph
| in contest so handsomely began, but they
were not properly supported. The right and
center of Stansbury's brigade, consisting of
Lieut.. Col Raglan and Shuler's regiments gen.
orally gave way, and fled in disorder, nor could
they be rallied, with the exception of about 40
men. and a part of Capt. Showers company,
both of whom even thus deserted made a gal
liant but Intellectual stand. Col. Raglan. in his
great efforts to rally his men. was wounded and
taken prisoner. The 5th Baltimore regiment,
under Lieut.. Col. SterTett, being the left of Gen
Stansbury's brigade. still stood their ground
and, except for moment. when part of them
reccled few steps, remained firm until ordered
to retreat.
"The reserve. under Gen. Smith. of the Dis
trict OF Columbia with the militia of the city
and Georgetown, with the regulars, and some
detachments of Maryland militia, fiauked on
their right by Commodore Barney and his men
and Col. Beal. maintained the contest with
great effect until overpowered by numbers
Barney and his gallant men had just gained
the ground from station near the navy ward.
and opened from 18-pounders fire. which for
the time 1t lasted, and considering the means
was perhaps the most destructive and active
that has ever been experienced. The brave
Barney fell severely wounded into the hands of
the enemy. His men fought under mis- orders
until the enemy reached nearly to the muzzle
of the guns; nor did they retire until ordered to
do so, after every hope of victory vanished. The
enemy treated the commodore with that cOur-
tesy and attention which his splendid merit
could not fail to inspire.
1.-The battle being now over, after continuing
more than All hour, Gen. Ross, who commanded
the land force, and Admiral Cockburn, who COM
manded the Seamen and marines (British),
entered the city with part of their forces And
now began a scene, which, in the opinion of
even savage, would disgrace the characters
while living and, after death, cOnsign to eternal
infamy the names Of these two commanders
Never will barbarism and the fate of Washington
be coupled in history, without being accom-
panied by the names of Ross and COckburn. The
destruction of private property would be in
character with the conduct which disgraced the
British arms in the Chesapeake and elsewhere
The triumphant entry OF the marauders into the
capital OF an infant republic, gave them an
opportunity of proving the respect i'm which they
held the arts. sciences, and literature. They
TO use the words OF PRESIDENT MadlSOn'S prOcla.
nation, wantonly destroyed the public edifces
having no relation in their structure to the
operations of war, nor used at any time for mill
tary annoyance; some Ofthese edifces being costly
monuments of taste and of the arts and others
repositories of the public archives, not only pre-
cious to the nation, as the memorials of its
origin, and its early transactions, but interesting
to all nations, as contributions to the general
stock Of historical instruction and political
science" $50 it would seem from this that
the government archives were destroyed, which
the author of your former communication says
''were carried away to . place Of safety" and
"not destroyed" with the public buildings"
continues the historian, ''the national library
was destroyed. Cockburn attended in person,
to the destruction Of the printing materials In
the Office Of the National EnteHi9encer A few
private buildings were burned. The navy yard,
with all it's shipping and stores. including new
frigate and slOOp Of war, were destroyed pre-
vi0us to ito occupation by the enemy. The
British army retired on the night Of the 25M in
prudent hurry, and with studied silence. leav-
Ing some Of their wounded behind and some of
their dead unburied. The American loss was
stated by Gen. Winder to be between thirty and
forty killed, from fifty to sixty wounded, and
about one hundred and twenty taken prisoners
From the best intelligence says the general