The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-01
LUCKY LAST LOOK |
It Preserved the Declaration Of
independence In 1914.
SAVED IT FROM THE BRITISH.
The Precious Document Would Have
Been In the State Department When
Il Was Burned but For Pleasonton's
Final Glance Around tho Room.

Il Was Burned but For Pleasonton's
Final Glance Around tho Room.
T 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 1872 The Declaration Of indie.
pendence hung for many years in
frame In the state department in the
room then occupied by Stephen Pleas
onton. Mr.. Beaseley. commissary of
prisoners Of war in London. forwarded
to the state department some London
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 ii
was learned that the British feet was
in Chesapeake bay anu 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 a 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. aud 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 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.. P6asonton purchased some coarse
linen and had it 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
way to his own office, remarked that
he thought they were unnecessarily
charming themselves, o. he did not
think the British were serious in their
intentions of coming to Washington
Fortunately Mr.. Pleasonton was Of
different opinion. and observed that it
was the part Of prudence to take meas
ures to preserve these valuable papers
at the revolutionary government Had
Mr.. Pleasonton delayed but a 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 i'll the coarse linen bags com
prtsed the secret journals Of congress-
then not published; the correspondence
Of General Washington, his commits
sion. resigned at the close of the war;
TIE correspondence Of General Greene
and other officers of the Revolution us
well as laws. treaties and correspond
ene Of the department of state from
the adoption Of the constitution down
TO that time.
Mr.. Pleasonton had the bags carted
to grist mill, which he selected as a
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
Pieasonton 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-
ence. which had been overlooked,
hanging upon the wall. He hastily
cut 1T out of the frame and carried it
away with the other papers.
He then began to be uneasy about
the place he had chosen. for if the
British took Washington. which he
firmly believed they would do, and
very soon at that. they would in all
probability detach force for the pur.
pose of destroying foundry for the
making of cannon and shot in the
neighborhOOd and. of course, would
consider grist mill too valuable
thing to be left standing in country
they meant to subdue Mr.. Pleason-
gtnia farmhouses, whose owners were
only too willing to loan him wagons
IN which to convey the documents to
Leesburg, a distance of thirty five
miles. There they were deposited in
IN empty house, the keys Of which
were given to Rev. Mr.. Littlejohn. who
was one of the collectors Of internal
revenue
Worn out with his labors. Mr.. Pleas.
onton states in letter. he .etired ear
u 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, a large fire in the
direction of Washington, which proved
to be the light from the public build
mgs, which the enemy had set on fire
and burned to the ground.
When he returned to Washington on
the 26th he found the public buildings