Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-25

property in Washington, yet, consider
Ing war to be all Sherman said it
was, he might have done great deal
worse. perhaps we were not quite so
generous in Canada when we burned
York (now Toronto). year before
the British visited our Capital.
York" we are told, was not only
taken possession Of by the Americans,
but the place was sacked and many
of the public buildings given to the
flames. The House of Parliament,
with the library and public records
were burned, and everything of value
that could be removed was put on
board the feet" Three months later
Chauncey's feet repeated practically
the same thing.
NATURALLY, the British thought
a great deal of Maj. Gen. Ross,
and IN announcing his death, which
took place on September IL, said:
Maj. Gen. Robert Ross, 21st Fusiliers.
though Of an early age, was one of
the brightest ornaments Of his profess
sion: who, whether at the head Of a
regiment, q brigade, or corps, had
alike displayed the talents Of COM
mand; who was not less beloved in
his private than enthusiastically adj
mired in his public character; and
whose only fault, if it may be deemed
so. was an excess of gallantry. enter
prize, and devotion to the service. He
had at MAZDA, in the Peninsula. but
particularly at Washington, given
such proofs of disnterested courage
and conduct, that his loss may truly
be termed national. He only survived
to recommend young and unprovided
family to the protection Of his King
and country. His remains were in
tered h st. Paul's Church yard,
Halifax, September %, under dis
charge of half-minute guns, and fol-
lowed to the grave by the Grenadier
Company of the 64th, by all the prin-
cipal naval and military officers, and
q large number Of Inhabitants"
A review Of the facts will show
that the burning of Washington was
not due to any disloyalty or any lack
Of courage or enthusiasm on the part
Of the people Of the District Of Co
lumbia; for not only did the young
men join the colors. but middle-aged
men and the old men Of the city
turned out to do their part, and, no
doubt, would have been victorious had
the troops been properly accoutered,
organized and led.
OF the old men, or "silver grays,"
as they were called. it is said they
mustered at the Marsh Market. then
located on the site of the old Center
Market, removed a few years ago to
make room for the National Archives
Building. However, this body of ell
derby men was not to be used for field
service. but rather to keep the slaves
from plundering the citizens houses in
the absence of their able-bodied mas
tiers then serving In the militia.
Christian Hines, In his rare little
book, early Recollections Of Wash
ington CITY," gives the names OF many
local men who served in the War of
181Z.15, and they are repeated here,
since they will prove especially inter-
esting to those Of our residents who
are descended from the pioneer set
tiers of the District.
In the roster of Richard S. Briscoe's
company of militia for the year 1913.
the following names appear: Richard
S. Briscoe, captain: John Ross, lieu
tenant; Christian Hines, ensign; Sam
uel johnson, Isaac Randolph, James
Shaw, Matthew Hines, sergeants; Jo-
slab Tally, corporal: and Privates
Edmund Duvall, Thomas Dove, Henry
Hines, Aaron Nally, william Worth
ington, william Williamson, John
Reeder, John N. Maus, Samuel Lewis,
william Smith, James Esling, Daniel
Hines, Rufus Elliott, William Godfrey,
William p. Godfrey, Peter Hagner,
FredericaR Tschiffely, Josias Taylor,