Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-12

gtrOy everything that In the ren10te8t degree was
connected with the government.
that he obtained that remarkable In
formation from IngersolPs History OF
the War of 1872" 1t Is the only in
formation which the Rambler has been
Robert Sewalrs home were put to the
sword" Confidence in the accuracy of
that history is quite apt to be shattereG
by this bit Of history" which immedi-
ately follows 1t: "At the advance OF the
British, President Madison and his
cabinet made their escape from the city
across the Anacostia bridge. which they
caused to be destroyed so that it might
not be used by the enemy in pursuit.
President Madison crossed the Chain
bridge.
In Mr.. Bryan's History of the Ma
tional Capital" the Rambler finds this
reference to the Sewall house:
A location that became of historic interest.
at this period. passed into the hands of
who built there house from which fired
the only shot against the advancing forces Of
the British inter they left the battlefield of
Biadensburg ip the summer of 1914. The site
in question the lot adjoining on the west
Cd street northeast. This purchased by Rob
ert sewali at the sale of January 3D. 1890"
Further along, Mr.. Bryan writes:
The British also felt the exhaustion of the
heat and Of the march. and when their foes
tired they rested for couple Of hours and then
reached about dusk. camp was formed at the
extreme eastern section of the city. while n de-
panied by Admiral Cockburn. rode down Mary
land avenue. At the northwest corner of that
thoroughfare with 2d street northeast they were
greeted with Y f,isillade from the house of Rob
ert Sewall. The horse Gen. Ross was riding was
killed and the house was ordered to be burned.
which was done. About } o'clock the Capitol
was reached and set on fire, and about IL O'Clock
a detachment passed up Pennsylvania avenue to
the Presidents house. which was destroyed
and papers Of Robert Sewall. ST.. and
his son Robert Sewall. who lived for
many years in the new house that was
built on the corner, the Rambler may
sometimes find all the facts about this
horse-killing incident.
The Sewalls, like others of the old
and honorable landholding families,
have been of conservative and ret1r-
ing disposition and have figured little
in public prints or public discussions.
AS an indication that Robert Sewall
and his family fed on the approach OF
the British the Rambler will quote
the following from the personal RENT
niscenses of Christian Hines. who came
to Washington before the removal OF
the seat of government and committed
his memories to writing. in 1866
The oath of August. 1914. sad day to
the citizens of Washington and Georgetown.
The city was captured by the British under Gen.
Ross and public buildings as we'll as some
private ones were burned. With no means
TO oppose them effectively the citizens were left
completely at the mercy of the enemy. Under
these circumstances the greater portion OF the
citizens with their families. left their homes and
. sought refuge in the surrounding country. some
in Montgomery county. Nd. and some in Viz
rinia and others elsewhere. many or whom
crmped out with their families in the open.
X
The square bounded by 1st.. I'd.
and C streets is numbered 725. The
corner lot is No. l, the next on the west