30 THE CAPTURE AND BURNING OF WASHINGTON. By 4 o'clock not a vestige of the American army was in sight, and the British, overcome with fatigue, rested on the field for two hours. Though they had completely routed the American army, the victory had not been bought cheaply. General Ross officially reported his loss at 64 killed and 185 wounded,* but other reports on the British side state that more than 500 were killed and wounded. The Americans reported a loss of 26 killed and 51 wounded. Moreover, they had left many of their guns in the hands of the victor and were completely demoralized, so much so, in fact, that they offered no further resistance to the British.|| At 6 o'clock, after a rest of two hours, the British resumed their march and about dark, encamped a * James, Military Occurrences, vol. ii., p. 290. Winder's official report ( (American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 530) estimates the loss at 30 killed and 50 wounded. For plans of the battle, see Wilkinson's Memoirs, Atlas nos. 16-17; these maps being the basis of those in James, Military Occurrences; Cullum, Campaigns of the War of 1812 to 1815, chap. vii.; Lossing, War of 1812, p. 929; Narrative of the Battle of Bladensburg in a letter to Henry Banning, by an Officer of Gen. Smith's Staff. Cf. Magazine of American History (December, 1885), p. 612. At the first alarm the Secretary of the Navy issued orders to set afire the new sloop of war Argus, the new schooner Lynx, five barges, two gunboats, and the large frigate Columbia, just ready to be launched. This, together with large quantities of stores and machinery and the buildings containing them, were destroyed. See the statements in reference to the burning of the navy yard in American State Papers, Naval Affairs, vol. i., p. 360, also Military Affairs, vol. i., pp. 532, 576-579. The Lynx, however. was saved. See Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, p. 258. short distance east of the Capitol. Up to this time the raid had been conducted as an eminently proper military movement, but suddenly the British began to execute literally the orders given by Cochrane. The two wings of the Capitol were the only parts finished, but these were set afire and in the conflagration the Library of Congress and many valuable public documents were destroyed.* Ross and Cockburn with about 200 men marched quietly along Pennsylvania Avenue to the President's house and set it afire also. The torch was next applied to the Treasury building. Before midnight the flames of the three great conflagrations made the whole country light, and from the distant hills of Maryland and Virginia the fleeing President and the members of the Cabinet caught glimpses of the ruin.t Numbers of cannon were destroyed, others were spiked and, together with large quantities of shot, shell, grenades and cartridges, were cast into the river. The next morning, August 25, fresh detachments of troops continued the work of destruction. By noon the Departments of State and of War, the printing office of the National Intelli *Regarding the burning of the Capitol, see the comments from British newspapers, in Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, p. 254 et seq. iSee letter of Rush, July 10, 1855, in Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, p. 274 et seq. James, Military Occurrences, vol. ii., p. 293 et seq., and app. lxii.-lxvii.; McMaster, vol. iv., p. 142-143; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 144-145. See also Armstrong, Notices of the War of 1812, vol. ii., pp. 124-154. DEPARTURE OF THE BRITISH. gencer, the great bridge over the Potomac, two ropewalks near the navy yard and a tavern were in ruins. At the navy yard, such ships and stores as had been saved by the rain of the night before were again set afire. The departure of the British was hastened by a terrific tornado which passed over the city shortly after noon. Leaving the Post Office, Patent Building and everything else marked out for destruction, the invaders, as soon as the storm had passed over, began preparations to retire. The wounded could not be removed and they were left in care of Commodore Barney and his fellow prisoners, who were paroled for this purpose. Leaving the camp fires burning, the British column, in silence, withdrew from the scene of devastation. Passing Bladensburg, where the dead were still unburied, † Ross marched all night until 7 o'clock Friday morning, when, exhausted with fatigue, the troops were allowed to rest. At noon they were again in motion and at nightfall had arrived at Upper Marlborough, where they reëmbarked to undertake similar schemes at other places.‡ * Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, p. 263 et seq. † Gleig, Campaigns, p. 146; Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, pp. 273, 275. McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 143-144; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 147-148. On the battle of Bladensburg and the capture of Washington, the most important document is the Report of the investigating committee made by R. M. Johnson, chairman, November 29, 1814. George W. Campbell also made a report, January 2, 1815 (Cf. American State Papers, Military 31 As the British hurried away from Washington, a squadron of British war vessels under command of Captain John A. Gordon, of the Sea Horse, ascended the Potomac and approached Fort Washington. The presence of a British force, however small, had become so terrifying that the commander of the fort blew it up and fled to Alexandria, for which he was court martialled.* On the 29th squadron reached Alexandria, and the town authorities, being now in the power of the enemy, determined to ask for terms. The insatiable avarice of Gordon and his men imposed the hardest conditions. All the merchandise then in the town, as well Affairs, vol. i., pp. 524-599). There are some contemporary views in A. J. Dallas, Exposition of the Character of the War; Carey, Olive Branch, chap. viii.; Memoirs and Letters of Dolly Madison, chap. viii.; An Enquiry respecting the Capture of Washington, by Spectator (thought to be Armstrong). See also Cullum, Campaigns of the War of 1812 to 1815, chap. viii.; Cullum, The Attack on Washington City in 1814, in Papers of the American Historical Association, vol. ii., pp. 54-68 (1887); Memoirs of Admiral Sir George Cockburn; Facts relating to the Capture of Wash ington, by an officer serving as Quartermastergeneral (General Sir De Lacy Evans); Laddy Bourchier, Memoirs of the Life of Sir Edward Codrington (London, 1873); Capture of Washington by the English in 1814, in Genealogical Magazine, vol. i., pp. 229-236 (London, 1897), and the references in Wilkinson's Memoirs, vol. i., chap. xvi.; Autobiography of Charles Biddle, p. 350; Dawson, Battles of the United States, vol. ii., p. 371; Magazine of American History (January, 1886), p. 85; Harper's Magazine, vol. xxviii., p. 433. See also Horatio King's paper in Magazine of American History (November, 1885) p. 438; and Gleig's reply in ibid (May, 1886), p. 508. 32 CHANGES IN THE CABINET. as all that had been sent away for safety since the 19th, was to be put on board the shipping at the wharf; the citizens must give up all naval and military stores and all their ships and ship furniture, supply the fleet with food at market price and raise all the vessels they had sunk to prevent capture.* Meanwhile preparations had been made to throw difficulties in the way of Captain Gordon's descent. Cannon planted on the bluffs and hills were fired at the British vessels as they passed and barges were sent against the fleet, but Gordon managed to escape and rejoined the fleet on September 9.† During all this time the President and Secretaries had been traveling around the country hunting for each other and seeking safety. Finally, Madison returned to Washington, and, summoning his Secretaries, began the work of restoring government. Houses were procured as quarters for the various departments and the work of reorganization went forward steadily. Secretary of War Armstrong had not yet arrived and Monroe was appointed Secretary ad interim. Monroe immediately prepared to de * Brackenridge, History of the Late War, p. 262; Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, chap. xv.; Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 939940; American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., pp. 533, 591. McMaster, vol. iv., p. 147; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 157-158; Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., p. 138. For the movements of the President and the various Cabinet officers, see Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 149-156. fend Georgetown, ordering some guns which were being placed on the Virginia shore to be removed to another position, but the colonel in charge of the work refused to obey and left the field.* field. Thereupon the militia met and resolved that they would no longer serve under Armstrong. These resolutions were sent to Madison and, as Armstrong came into town about the same time, the President visited him and describing to him the violent prejudices which existed in the city, Armstrong offered to resign. Madison deprecated resignation and recommended temporary retirement. Accordingly, Armstrong left Washington the next morning, but upon reaching Baltimore sent his resignation to the President. At the same time, he announced his action in a letter to the public in which some remarks were made on the weakness of Madison's conduct.† Monroe then became Secretary of War and Madison invited Governor Tompkins, of New York, to become Secretary of State. Tompkins declined the offer, however, and Monroe continued to hold the * See the letter regarding this in Gilman, James Monroe, pp. 119-122. Ingraham, Events Preceding the Capture of Washington, App. pp. 58-60. See also T. L. McKenney, Narrative of the Causes which led to General Armstrong's Resignation; Kosciusko Armstrong, Review of the Narrative, etc. (New York, 1846); and his Examination of McKenney's Reply (New York, 1847); Madison's Works (Congress ed.), vol. iii., p. 424; American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 538; Hamilton's ed. of Monroe's Writings, vol. v., p. 293; Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, chaps. vi.-vii. PARKER'S DEATH; INVASION OF MARYLAND. The practice of the highest officers in directing the actual operation of setting afire the public and private property cost the British navy a life more valuable than all the property it could destroy. To divert attention from the general movement of troops and ships on the Potomac, the Menelaus, commanded by Sir Peter Parker, had been sent up Chesapeake Bay. After he had taken position off the Sassafras River, Parker learned that 200 militia had encamped at Moorefields, about a half mile from the eastern shore of Maryland, with the intention of crossing the bay to protect Baltimore. Toward midnight of August 30 Parker landed with 124 men and went in search of the militia, hoping to surprise them. In this he was disappointed, for, having learned of the approach of the barges, the militia were prepared. On approachOn approaching within 70 yards, the British were received with a heavy fire. Parker endeavored to press forward on the centre of the line, but, foiled in this, threw himself on the flank. While cheering on his men in the moonlight, Parker was struck by a buckshot which severed a femoral artery. The British thereupon retreated and carried Parker back to the ship, but * Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 158163; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 146-147. See also Hunt, Life of Madison, p. 334; Adams, Lives of Madison and Monroe, p. 183. Brackenridge (History of the Late War, p. 263) says 250 men. 33 he died before reaching it. The British escaped with a loss of 13 killed and 27 wounded.* The British now determined to attack Baltimore. After Gordon had rejoined the fleet, the vessels, under a great press of canvas, ran for the mouth of the Patapsco. Meanwhile the inhabitants of Baltimore, under the leadership of the mayor, had set to work vigorously to strengthen the defences of the city. After the capture of Washington, the citizens toiled still more earnestly at their task and finally succeeded in throwing up a formidable line of redoubts which, though not wholly finished, gave cover to the militia.† The militia came in from the interior of the State and from Pennsylvania and Virginia, and Commodore Rodgers of the navy with his marines took possession of the heavy batteries. The approach to the city by water was defended by Fort McHenry and garrisoned by about 1,000 regular troops, sailors, and volunteer artillerists under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel George Armistead. Fort McHenry on the Patapsco, two To the right of Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 164-165. See also Sir George Dallas, Biographical Memoir of Sir Peter Parker, Killed while storming the American Camp at Bellair, August 31, 1814 (London, 1816); Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 945-946. The South in the Building of the Nation, vol. i., p. 193; The Citizen Soldiers at North Point and Fort McHenry, September 12-13, 1814 (1814). Brackenridge, History of the Late War, pp. 265-266. American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 591. |