The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-02-21
centennial Of
Of 1872
Capture of Washington and
Other Spectacular Incl
dents Recalled.

uEJIlS
"HE year 1912 marks the lapse OF
a century since the outbreak OF
our last war with England. By
all odds the most spectacular In
cident of that conflict was the capture
of Washington by the British, which
was followed by the burning of the
capitol and the White House, the pres
ident and his cabinet being driven to
ignominious fight.
One hundred years ago, in 1912, the
United States declared war against
Great Britain by a bill which. after
passing the senate and house, was
formally signed by Mr.. Madison.
The struggle which thereupon en-
sued was marked by some very heroic
deeds and many plumbers on our side,
GUS happening Of all was the taking of
Washington, which could easily have
been prevented. Truth to tell, the
president and his advisers availed
themselves Of this precious opportuni-
ty to behave like a lot of old N
and General Wir-Nr. VITO commanded
the American troJr il : e vicinity of
the capital, lost his mead entirely and
did nothing until it was too late to do
anything effectively.
Nevertheless the occasion had its
hero and it's heroine. The latter was
Mistress Dolly Madison, who played
her part like a man. holding the fort at
the White House until the last possible
moment and then %retreating in good Or
der with everything in the way Of off,
cial documents and valuables that
could possibly be carried away.
Dolly Madison's Letter.
At the moment Of what seemed ex-
tremest peril she coolly sat down and
wrote to her sister, Mrs. Steptoe Wash
1ngton:
"Will you believe it, my dear sister,
we have had a battle near Bladens-
burg? And l am still here within
sound of the cannon MI. Madison
comes not. May God protect him.
Two messengers covered with dust
come to bid me fly, but l wait for him.
At this late hour a wagon has been
procured. I have had it filled with the
plate and most valuable portable arti-
cles. Whether it will reach its destina-
ton, the Bank Of Maryland. or fall
into the hands Of the British, events
must determine. Our kind friend Mr..
Forrol1 hos ~ <D l,ocko~ roxy damn
ture and is in a very bad humor with
1ne because | insist on waiting until
the large picture of General Washing
ton is secured. 1t required to be ur-
screwed from the wall, and this proc
ess was found too tedious for these
perilous moments, so l have ordered
the frame broken and the canvas taken
out. 1t is done and the precious por-
trait placed in the hands of two gen.
tlemen of New York for safe keeping.
And now, my dear sister, I must leave
the house or the r%etreating army will
make me a prisoner in it by filing up
the road | am to take"
The portrait of Washington was by
Stuart and hung in the state dining
room. Somebody, at Mrs. Madison's
orders, broke with an AK the heavy
gold frame that protected the inner
nj of wood. IN which the canvas
was stretched, and thus it was re-
moved uninjured. The oft published
statement that the picture was cut
from the frame by Dolly herself is
incorrect.
But to 90 back a little. The British
forces on land and sea had orders to
"destroy and lay waste such towns
a~ssailable." The enemy's fleet and
transports arrived off the mouth OF
the Patuxent fifty miles south Of An
napolis) Oh the 18th day of August
1914. The troops, under General Rob
ert Ross, We're disembarked ON the fol
lowing day and formed into thret
brigades. numbering 4,50O men. Or
Aug. 20 the boats of the fleet, led by
Rear Admiral Cockburn, started W
the Patuxent to capture a bunch O
gunboats blockaded there, under tn
command Of Commodore Barney. TIL
soldiers marched abreast Of the boats
and Barney. having blown up his yes
sells to prevent them from falling int
the hands of the foe, retreated.
A Remarkable Proceeding.
Now comes the remarkable part Q
the military proceedings. For five day
the British troops marched acros
Maryland in a leisurely way, withor
encountering the slightest opposition
The country, much Of 1t densely TO
ested and with few roads, was diff
cult. Under such circumstances a fe
hundred determined men could ha,
so harassed the advancing column {
to make its progress practically IN
possible. Even the most untutort
savages would have had suficiel
military knowledge to adopt such Q
%expedient. But General Winder, wi
4 force of $500 men, including 1,O
regulars and 500 fighting sailors und
Barney. did nothing,