The Washington times., 1914-08-23

Baltimore militia began to break: sew
eral of the Fifth Baltimore Resiment
also fed. General Winder ordered us
to retreat, in consequence OF the nisht
OF the militia. The British column hao
just then begun TO advance. Not man
of our company had been touched by
the fire of the enemy: and | thought
that the battle was only then seriously
commencing.
The only death on the retreat was
said to be that of a captain OF the
regular army, of approved courage,
taken with the contagion OF unanimous
panic. who ran with the crowd TILL ne
fell. tainted. and expired.
On the other hand there were num-
erous instances of individual oraNeIs.
One of the most striking was that OF
private, Barney Parsons. later door
keeper at the Capitol, who refused to
retreat when ordered, but single hand,
ed loaded and fired a field piece, and
then spiked II as the British bayonets
were within a few yards OF him' ne
brave Commodore Barney was wound
ed and captured, but General Ross or
dered that he be shown every courtesy courtesy.
When the first of the fleeing miiitla-
men reached Washington the CITY.
which then only numbered 9,o0o became
terror-stricken. Mrs. Madison, unterrl-
fed by the urgings of her associates
paused long enough to take 'iilocrt STU
arts portrait OF Washington IRON It's
heavy frame and carried 1t and the
original Declaration of independence
away in the carriage with her. She was
Joined by the President and Mr. Rush
at Rrookville. Md. The Secretary OF
War and Secretary of the Treasury fled
to Frederick, Md. Secretary Of State
Monroe went to his home in Virginia.
as did Secretary of the Navy Jones.
Admiral Cockburn possessed himself
ma yIrh n
had black. unweaned colt following
her and on this grotesque mount rode
about the city experimenting the burn
ing of the public buildings and the de-
struction of the office of the National
Intelligencer. which had attacked him
viciously in its columns. He puartered
himself in the house OF a Mrs. Suter.
which stood opposite the southeast
corner of the Treasury. When he sat
down to supper he jocosely blew out the
candles. saying he preferred to eat by
the light of the burning Treasury.
Valuable Records Burned.
In most Of the Government depart
ments the fleeing clerks carried with
them the more valuable papers. but the
loss to the Congressional Library. which
was then quartered in the Capitol, was
irreparable. many valuable records of
the Revolutionary war being destroyed.
The night OF August 25 all residents
were warned under pain Of death to
stay indoors from sunset to sunrise. and
that evening the British began their
march back to their ships, leaving their
dead unburied and ninety wounded to
the care of the Americans
or the 1000 men who were supposed to
defend the city from the invading en-
Cmy less than tw enty wcr. killed. in
cluding the captain. who ran himself to
death, Sone historians place the num-
ter as low as eight killed and eleven
wounded.
The attitude Of many prominent Eng
lishmen on the matter of the burning
Of Washington Is shown by the query
which appeared in the London States
man at that time:
rs ii quite true that the expedition
to Washington will meet with univer-
sal APPRECIATION? rhs ;rossacks spared
FaIis. hut We spared not the Capitol at
Washington