Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1914-08-23

WASHINGTON u c.. Aug 22-
In the light Of present Il az in Eu-
rope Il Is ia,efssting ~ recall the
fact that residents Of this vicinity.
including the President Of the Tn
tied states and an the officials Of
the government were having some
similar worries Of their own just one
hundred years ago today on this
date IN the year 1874 word was re-
reiyed IN Washington that the Brit
ish expedition under Gen Ross and
admiral Cookburn had effected a
landing 0n tho shores OF Maryland
and was ready 10 march on the ma
tioual capital
Two days later. on August -. the
British entered Washington and
wrought such havoc with It's public
building chat years were required
to reconstruct and repair them The
capture of tnn city was preceded by
the defeat u' a motley army mus
tered Co. defend o. This engagement
occurred or BIadensburg Nd The
American force consisted OF several
thousand rlH militia commanded by
Gen. WlnIrr aud few hundred OF
tommodurr barney.s sailor, aud ma
rines. HHl the militia been equal 90
holding its Tpund the victory would
have been tth the Americans But
the citizen ..diers' quality was not
on a par RfH their quantity
Tho American position al Blad-
cnsburg VI trong. and the defend
"rs were H.l posted The British
force con '-d of less than 1000
men. but OH. most OF these men were
veterans aUl had fought under
. NelliuEtuu .n Europe. After a
scrambluE kirmish. the British
charged aud the American militia
broke and led The sailors and
marine alone disdained TO retreat
They put uH resOlute resistance
ana We're overcome by numbers. The
/ President and Cabinet were at Blad-
enshurg VH.H the British approach
I ed, bat %, ned 20 the city when
| the conflict .egan. and narrowly es-
/ capped capture
As soon the British entered
/ Washington they began their work
| Of destru.' "a. The congressional
library with many valuable histor-
zeal documents. was destroyed. and
/ an attempt vas made to burn the
I capitol I.. torch was also applied
| 10 The White House. the treasury
/ and tho aar and state departments
/ and le'or. Ie British evacuated the
/ city and tHr flames we're eNtinguish-
+ ed, pr0prr' valued at s2.0o0,00t
had been I.,troyed. and In addition
/ many Amer ans had been killed and
would-d The black mark which
the raid 'a'f on Washington came
f. very near '. ending it's career as the
. capital o' The United States. aud u
required 900 President Madison's IN.
fluenC- Zoo revent the seat OF gov
. eminent h.ng removed 20 som,
place Jess re-embling straggliul
village thar had been visited by con
f. migration
when Oh. world heard OF the sack
Of Washington II denounced u as eV
[ ceeding ~. limits Of decent warfare
I Neterthele the British government
. honored Gen Ross by permitting his
I family % I'D "Of Blede.sburg' "a
their patron ymic Most British his
torians have attempted 10 excuse the
vandalism Iy stating that the act,
were iure's 'iation for the depreda
tions conn itted by the Amerncans
along the nanadian border. pariicu'
LARRY in tn towns and villages In the
vicinity OF Niagara Falls. other.
have statel that the British soldiers
we're iucensed because o. an attempt
made By a citizen OF Washington q
XIII Gen. p0ss. whose lie was saved
az the EXPENSE Of his horse
After applying the torch 20 Wash