Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-17

concern: II lament most sincerely / was
not apprised Of the circumstance, for. had
known 1t In time. the books would most
certainly have been saved"
Neither do / suppose, general" said J.,
you would have burnt the Presidents
house had Mrs. Madison remained at home"
NO SIR" replied he. Il make war
neither against letters nor ladies, and 1
have heard SO much in praise of Mrs. Mad
ison that would rather protect than burn
a house which sheltered such an excellent
lady"
Gen. Ross is also quoted by DR.. Ewell as
prlising Commodore Barney for his be-
havior in the battle of Bla1ensburg. Gen
Ross is also reported to have frequently ex-
pressed the deepest regret that war had
taken place between two nations so nearly
allied in consalIguinity and Interest.
DR.. Ewel mentions some instances Illus
tra,ing the magnanimity of Admiral Cock
burn. He mentions an inter view which four
citizens of Alexandria hal with Admiral
Cockburn, the purpose being to secure
safety for the town on conditions of capit-
ulation. Admiral Cockburn told them that
he was ready to negotiate with them, and
that he wanted provisions, and would al
low fair price for every article furnished.
The Bank of Washington, which was then
located on New Jersey avenue, south of the
Capitol, was one of the buildings ordered
to be destroyed under the impression that
1t was public property. When Admiral
Cockburn was informed that 1t was private
property he directed that 1t should not be
disturbed.
Tribute to Admiral COclxburn.
Dr. Ewell says that Admiral Cockburn
left with him quite large sum of gold for
the benefit Of a woman who had been
wounded by one of the soldiers. He said
that this money was more than necessary
for the one for whom it was intended, and
he found urgent use for 1t in supplying food
for the forty-seven British soldiers who
were Injured by the terrible explosion at
Greenleafs Point, when the powder that
had been stored in well was set off by a
match which was unwittingly thrown into
the well by one of the British soldiers Gen.
Ross expressed his distress at being COM
PEELED to leave these wounded soldiers be-
hind.
morse to leave the city he expressed to DIR.
Ewell his regret for the robbery committed
of the doctors property by the British
soldiers and assured him that for those in
juries, as also for the services he had prom
Used to render the sick and wounded British
soldiers which were left behind, that he
should be rewarded. DR.. Ewell cared for
the wourded, and in a few days he was
notified by DIR. WorthinGton that the latter
had been appointed by the United States
government to take charge of the British
prisoners. AS DR.. Worthington was the SUI
perintendent of the hospital at Bladensburg,
as well as the one in Washington, he asked
DR.. Ewell to assist him in the discharge Of
his duties.
III
Gen. Ross had lived he would have been
literally remunerated for the articles which
were taken from his house, as well as for
his medical attendance to the British SOL
diers and for the supplies over and above
the allowance made by the United States
government.
AneclOte About Gen. Washington.
DR.. Ewell says that there was a senti-
ment among the citizens Of hostility to-
ward the British soldiers left in this city,
and that he was branded as a traitor and a
friend to the British on account of his serv-
ices to them, but, he adds, that those who
entertained such sentiments were only a
portion of the citizens.
DIR. Ewell states that as Admiral Cock
burn was looking at his men while they
were throwing into the streets the types
of the National Inteligencer, an American
gentleman observed to him: IF Gen.
Washington had been alive you would not
have gotten into this city so easily"
mo, SIR" replied the admiral IF Gen
Washington had been President we should
never have thought of coming here"
MIR. Weller stated that DIR. Ewelps ac-
count, referred to above, was published in
1917 in the third edition of a book written
by Dr.. Ewell and called The Medical Com
panion."