The chronicle=news., 1913-09-23


an tho bi.ckened ruins Of the capi-
ltaI and sadly reviewing the surpris-
Ing events OF the month Just ended.
British troops had brushed aside the
pucTilc defenders OF the city. had
marched within the gates and had
put the town to the torch. II Is not
10 BE- wosdered at. After reading the
following account OF those times.
printed in the Kansas City star. that
we hate let slip by unmarked an I'm
portant historical centenary.
On = hot afternoon In August 100
years ago 1000 American soldiers.
mostly raw recruits. stood on bare
green hill a, BiadensburG. on!y =
short distance from Washington. pre-
pared to defend the capital city
against the inTasIon of the British.
The Americans were drawn up In m
Impressive array. Roads and bridges
seemed to be well defended The
soldiers were In place admirable for
defense. and II was believed that
they would offer u stubborn resist.
ance to the advance Of the British
veterans. especially ~ the Prcsidcn;
was with them and they were fight
Ing under the eyes Of all their couu-
,rymrn.
I, was expected that Bisdensburs
would be an American Thcrmopyiae.
but instead 4; was = track meet. the
American soldiers lowering a num-
her OF long distance records. For
they fired only two or three voilcys
at the marching columns Of Brltons.
and then one after the other the var
ious companies turned and fled. And
the President and his Cablnr, were
the first to reach washinston. 4,
Was u most hamiiiatiux defeat.
The American 0oycrun,cn, had
Icsiiy b~~n Informed that an attack
~oaiai more than likely be made on
washinxton. and Its defense had been
left to General ". u. windcr. \
rcGnisitIon was made on the several
States for $4,000 men. Of whom
Maryland. Pennsyivsnia aud virsin-
II were to contribute $1,000. Hut
for somc reason the acquisitions we're
slow In arriving. and the British
were not far from the capital before
much hsA bern seeompiishsd In get
sias troops. .. t- ..
There WAS great excitement In
washinx,on the night Il was learned
that the English were bi,ouack~d at
Mriwood. 10 miles. from the city.
rrc.iacn, Madison. Secretary Non
ro~. os the state Department.. and
Secretary ARMSTRONG. OF tho War D.-
sartmcn, w.,T In a state of sr-.,
perturbation. General Wiudcr va.
drirca to distraction by the we'll.
meant advice Of everyone from tho
President down. They all knew how
To whip the British and each had a
diffcrcat plan. Roth Monroe and
Armstrong had served In the Rcvolu.
iion AMI both believed themselves
competent to comm an army. Bn,
the ~ariikc government, seems to
have reduced TO a state Of ute.
hclplessn-ss by tho appearance Of
1000 British troops 10 near the
capital.
B'adcnsburs. toward which the
British now marched. lies six miles
from Washington. II Is At the head
Of small craft navigation on the
eastern branch Of the Potomac. the
river being creased by a bridge abo,i,
10" feet long. which formed a part
of the old post road from Wishing.
ton to Baltimore. Another road
from Georgetown Joined the WASH
inston road at an acute angle a few
yards from the bridge. Ia the irisn.
galar space formed by these two
toads the Americans Of Siansbury'.
command. who had been stationed Al;
Biadrnsburx. were posted. On the
brow OF little cmincncc. 800 yards
from the bridge was an carthwork
which was occupied by tho artillery
companies from Baltimore under
Captain Meyers and Captain M
srndcr. i5o strong with six six.
poundcrs. On the tight of tn. bat
terry. near the junction OF the roads
and concc,Icd by the bushc. of the
low ground near the river. PINK.
ncy's Baltimore riflemcn. i3O in
number. were posted. In the rear Of
the battery were two companies Of
Maryland militia, acting as rifiemen.
Four hundred yards behind the bat.
terry were Sscrreti's Fifth Regimen.
of baltimore volunteers. 500 strong.
and the Maryland regiments Of Ra-