The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-06-29
Saved the
Declaration
From British


independence. II was during the war
OF 1872. The Declaration Of Independ-
ence hung. for many years. in a frame
In the state department in the room
then occupied by Stephen Pleasonton.
who moved 10 Washington in 1890
with the government Mr.. Monroe.
when he was elected president. Gre
ated a new Office. which was conferred
upon Mr.. Pleasonton. that OF chief OF
the lighthouse establishment. 10 which
was added the auditing OF the minis
terial and consular accounts This
Office was retained by Mr.. Pleasonton
under all the succeeding administra-
tons until his death, which occurred
In 1855.
Mr. Beaseley. commissary Of PRISON.
ers OF war in London, forwarded N
the state department some London
newspapers stating that the English
fleets and transports were receiving
troops al Bordeaux France. with the
intention Of operating against Wash
ington and Baltimore. Soon after IL
was learned that the British feet was
in the Chesapeake bay. and that it was
ascending the Patuxent The officials
and citizens OF the little capital city
were hourly expecting an attack.
Upon receipt Of this information,
which was few days before the enc
my entered Washington. Mr.. Monroe.
then secretary Of state, James Madison
being president, mounted his horse.
rode 10 Benedict, a small village on
the Patuxent. where the British forces
were being landed and climbed an
eminence within a quarter OF a mile
OF the village. in order to ascertain the
strength OF the enemy Being con-
WINGED after his inspection that we
had no force available that could sue
cessfully resist them. he sent a note 10
Mr.. Pleasonton by a vidette, advising
him 10 Sc that the best care was taken
OF the books and papers OF the state
department
Acting al once upon this authority
Mr.. Pleasonton purchased some coarse
linen and had it made into bags Of
suitable size. In which he assisted by
the others Of the Office. placed the
books and other papers
Mr.. Pleasonton had the bags carted
to a grist mill which he selected as a
suitable depository The mill. which
was unoccupied. belonged TO Edgar
Paterson. and was situated on the Vi--
ginia side OF the Potomac beyond the
Chain bridge, two miles above George
town.
The last load had lef, and Mr. Pleas
onton was just quitting the vacant
rooms, when. turning back suddenly
to see whether anything had been left
behind. TO his CONSERVATION he saw
the Declaration OF independence.
which had been overlooked. still hang
ing upon the wall he hastily cut Il
out Of the frame and carried II away
with the other papers.
He then began TO be uneasy about
the place he nad chosen, for II the
British took Washington. which he
firmly believed they would do. and
very soon az that. they would in all
probability detach a force for the pur-
pose OF destroying a foundry for the
making Of cannon and shot in the
and Of course would
consider a grist mill too valuable a
thing 10 be left standing in a country
they meant TO suhdue. Mr. Pleasonton
therefore visited some OF the Virginia
farm houses, whose owners were only
too willing 70 loan him wagons in
which to convey the documents to
Leesburg. a distance OF IS miles There
they were deposited in an empty
house. the keys Of which were given
to Rev Mr.. Littlejchn, who WIS one
Of the collectors Of internal revenue.
Worn out with his labors, Mr. Pleas
onton states in a letter. he retired
early TO bed that night and slept
soundly Next morning he was in
formed by the people OF the little tav-
ern where he had stayed that evening
that they had seen during the night
the same being the oath Of August. a
large fire in the direction OF WashiuS-
ton. which proved to be the light from
the public buildings. which the enemy
had set on FIRE and burned TO the
grccnd.
When he returned 20 Washington Cal
the 2d,N he found the public build
Inrs still burning, and learned that the
British army had evacuated the city
the preceding evening, in the belief
that the Americans were again assem-
bling in the rear for the purpose OF
cutting of their retreat.
But as the British feet still lowered
in the neighborhood and threatened
Washington with a second Invasion.
II was not considered safe to bring the
papers OF the state department back
for some weeks In the meantime Mr.
pleasonton made occasional trips TO
Leesburg for particular papers 70
Witch the secretary OF state had occa-