The Washington herald., 1909-03-07
WHEN WASHINGTON
HELPED BRADDOCK
Women Will Save Carlyle
House in Alexandria.
PLANNED EXPEDITION THERE
British Commander Called IEtO Con-
ference Colonial Governors, and
Future President Also Was There.
Now Part of the BraddOck House,
which Was Being DismantIed.


Of the old families OF Virginia, the house
in which George Washington received
the invitation TO become an aid 10 Maj
Gen. Braddock in his famous campaign
against the French has been saved from
destruction. This incident in Washing
tons career IS Of special interest for II
was from the campaign which followed
that Washington gained HIS first insight
into the military methods Of European
countries. and Of Great Britain in partic-
ular. The house is the Carlyle house. in
Alexandria, Va Il was BraddOck's head
quarters while he was in Alexandra. says
writer in the New York Tribune.
BY the accidents of municipal develop
ment, the Carlyle house. built OF English
stone in 1872. hy John s Carlyle. bec8me
absorbed IN the more modern structure
which bears the name of Braddock House
and shuts out from the public thorough
fare the older building In this manner
1 the Carlyle house has been hidden from
the passing gaze. and. being out Of sight.
II has well-nigh been forgotten, although
/ by sheer good fortune the major part OF
this historic mansion stIu survives IN ali
Of its colonial grace.
Alexandria long ago lost its commercial
prominence and the hulking old cara
vansary. the Braddock House. has for
years been substantially deserted save as
I a repository for antique furniture more
or less Of the colonial period. The Car
lyle transforming the eastern and rear
part Of the Old hOtel-has also been used
as a storehouse for this old furniture,
and likewise as a workshop in preparing
! these antiques for market With the
floors Uttered with snavlngs, the corners
crowded with lumber and the parts OF
! broken chattels, destruction has been
| imminent, with a simmering glue pot
| threatening the stability Of a smoky oil
stove The halls and spaces. where busy
! steps once thrOnged have been filed with
| stringless spinnets and dumb harpsi-
chords, while empty chairs. broken Ia
/ bles. and fitting sidebOards. ike Hmping
/ spirits, have seemed the very shadows
/ Of the pregnant past.
Women Halt Vandalism.
The walls the wainscoting. and even
/ some OF the beautiful old cornices, have
been marred by the pursuit Of the fur
niture dealer, while neglected windows
and broken panes have let in rain and
l
was the state OF affairs when the women
/ OF Alexandra stepped in and halted fur
ther injury. and besought their patriotic
! sisters OF other States TO come 70 the
rescue and TO renabilitate this historic
old mansion.
| The Carlyle house was built upon the
/ sit Of an old colonial fort. which
I guarded the interests Of the King and his
/ traders when the neighborhood was
Il known as Hunting Creek and when some
| security was necessary against the saw
ages The living rooms OF that old fort
! became the cellar Of the mansion reared
! over them, and in these compartments
I were stored dust-clad bottles. bulging
1 casks and those luscious old hams. and
the like for which Virginia was long IA
/ nous. The old fort still forms the plaza
upon which the main hallway leads; and
| IL was there In WashinEtOns day that
the young people gathered in The summer
evenings 20 chat and to watch the moon
| rise over the river, while their elders
met 10 discusss the questions Of the day
and 10 watch the trading craft that came
from over the sea TO barter the silks and
satins and riches Of the East IN trade for
the famous Oronoko tobacco which filled
the big warehouse upon the Potomac :
bank.
In the blue and white room Of the Car
lyle house-to the left OF the main hall
way-WashingtOu was a sEarer In the
military councils OF preparation for the
/ BraddOck campaign, and day after day
BraddOcks regard for him rose. In April
OF 1853 Gen. BraddOck called together in
Alexandria the governors Of Massachu-
setts, New York. Maryland. Pennsylva-
MIA, and Virginia, and together these dis
rlr0
OF the forthcoming expedition in this lit
/ tie room.
Elegance I'm Every Detail
The walls. wainscoting. mantels. &c,
are the same to-day as they were almost
a hundred and ffty-four years ago There
IS quaiutness and elegance about every
detail. and the architectural student viii
find much to interest him in the windows,
doOrways, mantels. primitive cupbOards,
chairboards. cornices. doorstoops and
holdings.
Across the broad main hallway is the
great drawing-room. which in Washing
toms day was in gold and white. and
there II Is said the youthful Washington
took an active part in rout and ball, and
led some fair Virginian through the
stately steps Of the minUet The broad
hallway is not without its sentimental
interest because local tradition asserts
that it was al the foot of the solid ma
hogany staircase that Washington stood
awaiting the coming Of the fair Sallie
} Fairfax on the occasion Of a ball, and
that the ballroom was where he proposed
} TO the same Sallie and was rejected.
II is believed that some day that por-
ton Of the deserted hotel which now
stands between the Carlyle house and
the street may be removed 50 that the
house may stand once more IN plain
sight Of the passerby- There IS little
likelihood that the BraddOck House, in lis
! present condition, viii ever prove an In
viting place for the Wayfarer. while IL is
constant menace as a firetrap TO the
historic mansion shadOwed within its
/ lrrr.l In.