The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-13
CHAPTER XXI
g. RAcHEL MACK

and now a fleet of warShipS n, longer needed to fight Napoleon wa free to move against the Unitet States. Soldiers too. Down at Der
 muda, General Ross's seasoned British army had gone aboard Ad
 n1iral Cockburn's impressive ships and their destination was the Amer
 ican coast. Norfolk was sieged Hampton was burned. By the mid ale of July the enemy was ascend ing the Potomac with purpose. New Englanders who had op' posed the war or regarded 1t in differently suddenly came awake to patriotism. Up in Boston MT
 Cabell Banks, senior, was turning six of his best merchant ships into priyateers and was speaking proudly of my son, Captain Banks of the Gray Gull" Yankee capital was being released new military companies raised merchant shippers were taking out letters of marque almost to man
 And yet, had this happened fir time? The northwestern frontiers were exhausted from holding al bay the Indians who had allied themselves with the English. Ano in Washington, no defense hao been planned to save the Capitol
 President Madison, who hao been called too aggressive, was now spoken fo as laggard with g do-nothing policy. New Eng land gentlemen were shouting Cad! Doesn't he think Cockburr means what he says about burn ing Washington?"
 One hot summer day Dick said to Polly, I'm going to Washington tomorrow by coach"
 Whatever for?" Polly asked. Il was August, and little Richard was cutting some very bad teeth His Uncle Dick and his medical books had been great help in this trying time. What will you do in Washington, Dick?" Polly demanded in dismay.
 "Offer my services. hear they've horses to spare down south. I've enough put by to pay for an ordinary mount of my own I can't walk, but I can ride, and I'll join any cavalry unit they want to put me in. I've got to do my part, Polly
 "Yes," Polly agreed, feeling weak with surprise. She had not thought of the war reaching out and laying hold of lame Richard. "I1l get your clothes ready, Dick. What will you want to take?"
 And so it came about that Dick Chelsey found himself the sole oc- cupant of stage coach approach ing Washington on the steamingly hot day of August p. He seemed to bo the only person wanting to get to Washington; the highway was filled with people going out of it, chiefly women and children. They represented all strata of society and they fled by horseback, carriage, cart, and foot.
 Dick found the capital to be in 8 state of suspended action. Con- gress had adjourned after day of fasting and prayer. Business houses were closed. Flimsy de- lenses were being thrown up near the bridges that commanded the eastern approach. Archives of the State Department had been put into linen bags and sent to Vir- ginia farmhouse. These were Washington's only precautions against an invading British army with blood in its eye.
 Dick found a camp on the edge of the city where volunteers were joining the 600 militia stationed there. He was immediately ac- cepted and permitted to purchase his mount for a cavalry troop. And so he witnessed the night mare that was the burning of Washington.
 On the morning of August 24, the English on the Potomac loitered downstream, but those under Cockburn and Ross had arrived by the Patuxent river and were only seven miles distant. These were in pursuit of Commodore Joshua Barney and his sailors whom they had chased out of Chesapeake Bay and up the Patuxent. When Barney burned his boats and struck inland they had followed and when he took his stand, the battle of Bladens- burg occurred.
 Dick was among the volunteers from Washington who fought with Barney, and a motly crowd they were shopkeepers, gentle men farmers, schoolboys, con- gressmen, senators, and Negro slaveS-anyone, in fact, who could carry a gun in the defense of Washington.
 The English used fire rockets. This frightened the pack mules of the Americans; stampede started which ended in retreat. Pell-mell into Washington went the routed army, through the city and up Fred erick road toward open country. When the English had rested and recovered, they following in good marching order.
 Many lay wounded at Bladens- burg, among these Dick Chelsey. That night he lay in 8 ravine un- discovered, too weak to call for help. But he had staunched his own wound with a handkerchief. Against the blackness of the night he saw the sky flame red for long hours, and he knew he had failed to save Washington.
 He smiled bitterly as he thought of his useless little gesture-his offered life. Was he a fool, or had he touched the stars? A strange sense of lightness filled him, for he had lost much blood. But be- fore dawn a downpour of rain fell on his upturned face and saved him. It was the same rain that stopped the spreading flames in Washington. High wind accom- panied it.
 At dawn someone found Dick rxs. o1eau and carried him tn a