Evening star., 1924-11-30

FALL OF CAPITAL
110-Year:0Id Document in
Possession of New York
Historical Society.

Graphic details incident to the
burning of Washington 110 years
ago are contained in letter written
1t the time and now rare and
valuable possession of the New York
Historical Society.
The document, treasured for it's
historical data, was written by Mrs
Mary Hunter to her sister, Mrs
Susan Cuthbert, few days after the
ire. according TO the New York
Times. The writer was the daughter
of Richard Stockton of Princeton. q
sIgner Of the Declaration of Inde-
yendence. and judging from the
letter, lived in a home within sight
IF the Navy Yard and yet within
,arshot of the gunfire at Bladens
Uurg where the British dispersed
American troops.
The letter follows IN full:
My dear Sister-You will doubt
less wish 10 hear how we have
passed through the perils to which
We have been lately exposed by an
invading foe, whether our lives have
been spared or our habitations have
escaped TO devouring flames. With
respect to both these events We have
been highly favored. We are all IN
.suod health and our house unmo-
lested. But our fears and troubles
for some time past have been almost
r".-ond description. The British
my. commanded by Gen. Ross. and
tho seamen. by Admiral Cockburn,
49, been advancing upon Us for
n1"re than two weeks, and, as we
opposed. were not likely to be
slopped or prevented from ravaging
car city and destroying our property
20 the extent of their wishes. To
r.""wn this scene of atfiiction. on
VI ednesday last. the twenty-fourth of
Ihc month, we heard in the morning
;ldt the enemy were on their march
ear Bladensburgh and that our
militia were on their way TO meet
iaem. My husband and myself con-
Guided that 1t would be prudent to
t"ke our children and servants out
"f the way and place them few
niles off till the storm should be
,uded.
Wnshington's Capture.
r myself concluded to stay III our
house with our housekeeper and one
black servant. and my husband took
Way the children and the other
servants. About the middle OF the
Gay We heard severe cannonading
y the direction OF Bladensburgh and
some hours after We saw our men
=
orderly manner. And IN the eve
ming, perhaps at sunsetting. I will
leave you TO conjecture what our
feelings must have been when we
saw the British flag flying on Capitol
Hill, and the rockets brandlshed for
the destruction of our Capitol and
for what other property we knew
not.
In a few minutes a grum looking
"fficer rode up toSour door and asked
me where my husband was. 1 in
f"rmed him he was not at home. He
LSked me when he went abroad. ]
old him this morning. What induced
him, he said, to go abroad just at
his time. l then looked him fully
in the face and very deliberately told
him that my husband was gone to
lake a family of young children from
witnessing such a horrid scene. He
tsked when my husband was expect
ID home. This put a. stop to all
further tnterroEatories. I then asked
aim to go to the sideboard and help
himself to any refreshments that
were agreeable to him. And while
he was regaling himself / asked In
my turn what they were going to
DO; whether to burn the city gener-
ally. or conf1ne themselves to the
public buildings? He said that would
resistance was made private prop
orty would be safe, especially to those
who remained in their houses. But
that every house where resistance
vas made or in which arms should
be found would be fired. He then
told US that Gen. Ross horse had
been shot under him from Galatin's
house and that 1t was burnt. After
sraciously assuring us that we need
their troops were under the strictest
discipline-that none dared to come
into our house without permission.
Officers Polite.
Soon after went across the street
TO a neighbor's house from whence I
could have a better view of the
capitol. At this house number OF
The officers were taking some re-
freshments, and seeing US alarmed
they said everything that could be
said to quiet us. l told them I had
seen many + officers who were
gentlemen, and that / could not bring
myself to be afraid. I mentioned
that Il quantity of powder had been
deposited in the Capitol and that |
was apprehensive when the fire
reached it, it might injure the in
habitants-they said it would be i'm |
mediately removed, and that the
Capitol would not be blown up. |
They talked of burning the Wash
ington Bank but We're informed that
Il was private property and that 1t
must destroy a great deal of in
dividual property if it should be
burnt-under these considerations
they spared it They mentioned that
1T was a painful service to them
that they were disposed to do all
in their power to mitigate the dis
Tress of the citizens against whom
they had no enmity. That their war
was with the Government and not
with tha neanla All tLic roiio,.od