Savannah morning news., 1885-08-25
A MENroRAnuE DAY IN 1sl4.
RecOIIections of the British Occupation
of Washington.

Recouections of the British Occupation
of Washington.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24.-To-day is the
eeventy-Arst anniversary of the battle OF
Bladensburg, when the British overpow'
cred the small force which went to meet
them and marched upon the Federal
CITY, burned the capitol and other public
buildings. Mr.. Nicholas Callan, then
boy OF years, was living in house on
the site Of his present residence in Wash
sngton, /, ,422 f street, adjoining a num-
ber of unfinished houses erected by MI
Blodgett. These were then occupied oy
a number of squatters Of the lower classes
The houses and lots were made the recep-
tacle of the debris OF the neigh
borbood. The streets then were not
payed. and the sidewalks were OF prlml-
tive style. After the war the minister OF
France, unable TO find suitable resi-
deDce elsewhere, advanced the money 10
complete the Blodgett houses and TOOK up
his residence in them. At the northeast
corner OF Fifteenth and r streets there
was a drinking saloon and some houses
owned by the Widow Clark. North Of
this was the Bank OF the Metropolis. On
r street, eastward, there were few build
inRs. Among them were the Presbyte-
rian Church, known as DR.. Laurle's,
now known as Willard hall, and which
was attended by President Madison and
numbers OF our public men, and ~.
Patriok's Catholic Cl&"ch, standing on It's
present site. Mr.. CAllan states that his
father was at the front Bladenshurg) as
a private of Capt. John Davidson's COM
pany, and the city was almost wholly de
serted by the male citizens. He saw the
archives removed from the Treasury, Mr..
James Moore and Mr.. Davis Gather OF
The late Charles A. Davis J. messengers or
the department, experimenting the re-
moval. These were moved in wagons and
carts, or any conveyance they could get,
to the farm OF Mr. Samuel Harrison
Smith, afterwards owned by +. j. Middle
ton, and recently bought as the site OF the
proposed Catholic university. There was
no money then in the Treasury, most Of
the government funds being in the Bank
Of Columbia, IN Georgetown.
PRESIDENT MADISON.
"On the morning Of the battle" said
Mr.. Callan TO arepOrter. 81 saw Fresldent
Madison and the members of his Cabinet
riding down F street, going eastward.
With them was Jerry Smith, the colored
servant at the White House. That morn
ing's mass WAS said Rev. Father Mat
4
tended mostly by women and children
While mass was being celebrated Father
Matthew heard number OF sOldier4 come
into the church, but he continued the
mass 10 It's close. rhe soldiers followed
him into his house. They then informed
him that they wished 10 go to confession,
and he returned to the church, heard their
confessions, and administered the Holy
Eucharist, after which left to join the
orr Of
Father Matth - many years afterward.
''It apoeers, contiD~e1 Mr.. Callan,
''that Ne Madison and his Cabinet got
news Of the retreat, and being anxious
that Mrs. Madison should know IT., Mr..
Madison swapped horses with jerry and
sent the la>As, &c the city with word TO
save what she could Mrs. Madison at
once gathered up what effects she could,
particularly the silver. and left the house
in charge Of Thomas McGrath, the public
gardener and John Sioussa, WITH strict
orders TO save the portrait of Washington.
They RENAME at the house TIL the ad-
vance of the British and then finding thai
they could not save it with the frame,
Mr.. Sioussa took out his knife and cut it
from the frame and saved il. Soon after
the battle my father came in to get a
change OF clothing and went away i'm
mediately to join his company at Tenley-
town. Then / saw
THE TREASURY BURNING,
and the next day I saw a line OF British
troops form on Fifteenth street with Gen.
Ross at the head, his object being to burn
the Bank Of Metropolis. 1t appeared that
Gen. Ross had got hold of some of the
bank notes and noticed on them: DE
pository Of the United States.' and 80 took
IL as a public building, and intended to
burn it. Capt. James Hoban went out to
Ross and asked: w hat are YOU going to
do?' Ross replied: 81 am going to burn
the d-d rebel bank. Capt. Hoban
then explained that it was a pri-
vate bank. but that the governments
having confidence in the integrity of its
officers had deposited some Of its funds
there, and besides, said Capt HOban, If
you set fire to this building yOu'll endan-
ger the property Of poor widow, a coun-
try woman OF ours Ross then remarked,
It's a id poor widow who would own
so much property In Washington and
giving the orders to march, rode off. After
this the British soldiers were given a
furlough, and for a time had "A regular
spree. going into the saloons and helping
themselves 20 liquor, paying nothing for
ft1