Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-05

the war resolved itself into numerous desultory
skirmishes between boats small landing par
ties and the American militia. The expedi-
ton -, forced its way up the northern l1 branch
ing capturing government stores wherever
they could be found and being in almost daily
conflict with the enemy. more especially at
Havre de Grace, Georgetown and Fredcricks-
town.
In 1911 Admiral Cockburn took part. in con
cert with his friend, Maj. Gen. Ross. in a
the city of Washington virtually without re-
sisfance, and retiring unmolested after having
entity estimated at from half a million to three
millions sterling. Cockburn was the guiding
spirit throughout the campaign and was actu
ally engaged on most occasions. The capture
OF Washington seems to have been entirely
suggested and planned by him, and though
from the preponderance Of the land forces en-
awarded fell to Ross .'of Bladensburg." Ross
himself in reporting the success properly
wrote:
ITO Rear Admiral Cockburn. who suggested
the attack Washington and who accom-
panied the army, confess the greatest obi
ga lions for his cordial cooperation and advice
Still cooperating with Gen. Ross. Cockburn
ut his special request accompanied him his
advance against Baltimore and was with him
in the paltry skirmsh in which Ross received
his death wound. 18th September. 1914. Dur.
ing the rest of the year he continued opera
tions in the Chesapeake in the same desultory
but dashing manner. while Sir Alexander Coch
fane WIN tne greater part OF the force at ms
disposal attempted to carry New Orleans. He
was just arranging an expedition against
Savannah when. February %. 1915, he re-
ceived intelligence that peace had been CON
cluded.
And that his history! Not Il word
about the wanton destruction of pub
lie and private property in Washing
ton; not a word about those oper-
ations by landing parties in the Chesa-
peake counties which the Americans
Of that time denounced as barbarous.
But the Rambler has read a great
deal of similar history" in which a
greater number of facts were con-
cealed than were presented. There
is no question. though. that Cockburn
was a fearless and conspicuous naval
officer. and the British government
honored him in many ways. On the
death of his brother James he sue
ceeded to the baronetcy and was sue
ceeded by his brother the Dean of
York. The admiral married in 1909
his cousin Mary. daughter of Thomas
Cockburn. and left issue one daughter,
who married in 1856 Commander J. C.
HoSeaSon.
The exploit of Ross and Cockburn
was not unanimously approved by the
English press and people, but over
emphasis may very easily be laid on
that because there are persons and
newspapers VINO OlSapprOVe or any
action taken by their government. In
1857 John s. Williams of this city,
who was brigade major and inspector
of the Columbian brigade in the war
Of 1912, published History of the
Invasion and Capture of Washington
and of the Events Which Preceded
and Followed" He recites that the
British Annual Register for 1914 de
nounced the proceedings of Ross and
Cockburn as a return to the times of
barbarism' and said. 1t cannot be con-
cealed that the extent of devastation
practiced by the yictors brought "A
heavy censure upon the British char
acter. not only in America, but on the
continent of Europe. Although the
Rambler is leaving little space for dis
cussion Of Gen. Ross, he wants to insert
here this extract from John williams
history:
THE proclamation of the President
states that though the enemy held
possession of the capital for a single
day. they wantonly destroyed the
public edifices. having no relation in
their structure to operations of the
war. nor used at the time for mill
tary annoyance, some of these edifices
being also costly monuments of taste
and of the arts, and others deposit
tories of the public archives, not only
precious to the nation as memorials
of it's origin and it's early transac-
lions. but interesting to all nations as
contributions to the general stock of