The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-10-11
LUCKY LAST LOOK
1t Preserved the Declaration Of
independence In 1914.
SAVED IT FROM THE BRITISH.
The Precious Document Would Have
Been In the State Department When
It Was Burned but For Pieasonton's
Final Glance Around the Room.


Been In the State Department When
It Was Burned but For PIeasonton's
Final Glance Around the Room.
Comparatively few of the present
generation know how near to being
lost was once the most precious of our
national documents. the Declaration
of Independence. 1t was during the
war OF 1912. The Declaratio of indie
pendence hung for many years in q
frame in the state department tn the
room then occupied by Stephen Pleas
onton. Mr.. Beaseley, commissary Of
prisoners of war in London. forwarded
newspapers, stating that the English
fleets and transports were receiving
troops at Bordeaux, France. with the
intention Of operating against WASH
ington and Baltimore. Soon after it
was learned that the British deet was
In Chesapeake bay and that II was
ascending the Patuxent The omcials
and citizens VI the little capital city
were hourly expecting an attack.
Upon receipt of this information.
which was few days before the
enemy entered Washington, Mr.. Mon
roe, then secretary Of state, james
Madison being president, mounted his
horse. rode to Benedict, small village
on the Patuxent where the British
forces were being landed, and climbed
an eminence within Quarter Of mile
of the village. in order to ascertain
the strength Of the enemy. Being con-
vinced, after his inspection, that We
had no force available that could sue
cessfully resist them, he sent q note to
Mr.. Pleasonton by a vidette, advising
him to see that the best care was TAX
en- of the books and papers Of the state
department.
Acting at once upon this authority.
Mr.. Pleasonton purchased. some coarse
linen and had 1t made into bags of
suitable size. in which he. assisted by
others In the Office. placed the books
and other papers.
While engaged in this work General
Armstrong, then secretary Of war,
passing the state department on his
he thought they were unnecessarily
| alarming themselves, as he did not
think the British were serious In their
intentions of coming TO Washington.
Fortunately Mr.. PleasontOn was of a
different opinion, and observed that 1t
was the part of prudence to take meas
rres to preserve these valuable papers
of the revolutionary government Had
Mr.. Pleasonton delayed but few
days, had he followed the advice OF
the secretary of war, an irreparable
| loss would have been sustained For
the papers which Mr.. Pleasonton had
| placed IN the coarse linen bags COM
| prised the secret journals Of congress.
then not published: the correspondence
OF General Washington. his commits
sion, resigned at the close of the war;
the correspondence Of General Greene
and other officers of the Revolution as
well as laws, treaties and correspond
ence of the department of state from
the adoption Of the constitution down
to that time.
nv Pleasonton had the bags carried
to grist mill. which he selected as 4
suitable depository. The mill. which
was unoccupied, belonged to Edgar
Patterson and was situated on the
Virginia side OF the Potomac. beyond
the Chain bridge, two miles above
| Georgetown.
The last load had left, and Mr..
Pleasonton was just quitting the va
cant rooms when, glancing back sud
denly to see whether anything had
been left behind. to his CONSERVATION
he saw the Declaration Of Independ-
hanging upon the wall. He hastily
cut 1t out of the frame and carried 1t
away with the other papers.
He then began to be uneasy about
the place he had chosen, for II the
British took Washington, which he
firmly believed they would do. and
very soon at that. they would In all
proba bility detach force for the pur-
pose Of destroying a foundry for the
making OF cannon and shot In the
neighborhood and, Of course, would
| consider a grist mill too valuable
thing to be left standing in a country
they meant to subdue. Mr.. Pleason-
ton therefore visited some Of the Vir-
! ginia farmhouses. whose owners were
only too willing to loan him wagons
in which to convey the documents to
Leesburg, a distance OF thirty-fve
miles. There they were deposited In
an empty house. the keys Of which
were given TO Rev. Mr.. Littlejohn, who
was one of the collectors Of internal
revenue
! Worn ont with his labors, Mr.. Pleas
onton states in letter. he retired ear
ly to bed that night and slept soundly.
Next morning he was informed by the
people of the little tavern where he
had stayed that evening that they had
seen during the night, the same being
the oath of August. large fire In the
direction of Washington, which proved
to be the light from the public build
ings. which the enemy had set on fire
and burned to the ground.
When he returned to Washington on
the Goth be found the public buildings
still burning and learned that the Brit
ish army had evacuated the city the