USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > Centennial history of the city of Washington, D. C. With full outline of the natural advantages, accounts of the Indian tribes, selection of the site, founding of the city to the present time > Part 22
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On May 20, the corporation of the city of Washington made an appropriation of $5,000 to aid in the execution of such measures as the President might adopt for the safety and defense of the city. This sum of money was expended under the direction of Mayor Rapine, and John Davidson, Peter Lenox, Elias B. Caldwell, and Joseph Cassin.
May 29, 1813, a dinner was given at Davis's hotel in honor of the recent naval victories of the United States, which dinner was attended by a large number of citizens, without regard to party affiliations, from Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria. Of this occasion it was said that it was the most numerous and respectable, and at the same time the most brilliant, assemblage of citizens that had ever been convened in the District. Among those present were the Vice-Presi- dent of the United States, George Clinton; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Henry Clay; and many members of Congress. General Robert Bowie, Governor of Maryland, acted as president of the day. Among the toasts drank were the following:
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"The American People. Self-collected in prosperity, undaunted in adversity."
"The Genuine Republican. He that is ever ready to defend his country against her enemies."
"The Mission to Russia. As it is pledged to pacific intentions, so may it prove the precursor of an honorable peace."
"The Flag of Decatur. To the lightning of heaven it bows, to British thunder, never."
On Thursday, July 15, 1813, great excitement was produced in Washington by the report that the enemy's ships were approaching the city, his force in the Potomac consisting of fourteen sail. One- half of the regulars, drafted militia, and volunteers encamped at War- burton Heights, Thursday night, and the remainder within a few miles of them. The fort itself was in good order and well garrisoned, and the frigate Adams lay within a short distance. The Secretary of the Navy went down to Warburton on the same day that the report gained circulation, and arranged for the erection of a battery on the water's edge, which mounted nine heavy cannon. The Mayor of the city issued an order on the 15th requesting every man, whether or not subject to military duty, to enroll himself in some volunteer company for the defense of the city in case of an attack by the enemy. A meeting of the citizens was held in the afternoon of the same day in Capitol Square, at which it was resolved that the citizens who had not enrolled themselves should do so, and that a city commandant be appointed by a majority of the company officers, and that the Mayor be that officer. Regular patrols were organized among the citizens, which patrolled the city at night.
A strong detachment of United States artillery occupied Fort Warburton in Washington, and the ridge upon which the fort stood was held by a battalion of the Tenth and a company of the Twentieth United States Infantry, a battalion of drafted men, and a detachment from Captain Burch's men, all under the command of Colonel Nicholl, of the First Regiment of United States Artillery. On the road leading from Piscataway to Port Tobacco were the dragoons, supported by Captain Davidson's infantry, Captain Stull's riflemen, the Georgetown Grenadiers, and several companies of infantry. Near where the War- burton and Washington City roads meet, was the Thirty-sixth Regi- ment, under Colonel Carberry, with the remainder of Colonel Burch's artillery. This arrangement, besides guarding against the enemy's approach, admitted of a ready concentration of the American troops. At that time an invasion of the city seemed imminent. The various
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militia companies were under arms every morning at five o'clock, and through the day they were drilled and exercised, and fitted for the duties of the field. At Greenleaf's Point works were commenced upon which to erect a battery of heavy cannon, and furnaces were con- structed with which to supply the cannon with red hot bolts. Below the Navy Yard, also, a similar fort was constructed. On Tuesday morning, July 22, 1813, the enemy's ships descended the river, and were then not in sight at Point Yates, about seventy miles away. A troop of cavalry under Captain Osburn, and two companies of infantry under Captains Lastly and Means, all from Loudon County, Virginia, arrived in Alexandria on Monday and Tuesday, July 19 and 20.
The British squadron was under the command of Admiral Warren. He having apparently abandoned his designs against - Washington, an order was issued on Sunday, July 25, for the discharge of the volun- teers, and they returned to their families and friends on the 26th, the regular troops and drafted militia remaining near Fort Warburton.
Matters were then quiet for several months. General Winder, who had been a prisoner of war in Canada, and who had been released on parole, arrived in Washington April 29, 1814. Ou July 17, 1814, quite alarming news was again received in Washington, that the enemy was at Patuxent, that he had burned the villages of Benedict and Lower Marlborough, and was in sight of Nottingham. Orders were imme- diately issued from the War Department to put on the march by 10:00 A. M., Saturday, June 18, detachments from the cavalry, artillery, and riflemen of this county to the number of about two hundred and fifty men. Contradictory advices being received in the afternoon of the same day, the above mentioned orders were countermanded. On Sunday, June 19, news was again received that the enemy was reen- tering the Patuxent and had arrived opposite Benedict. Assistance was asked by the citizens of Nottingham, and the Secretary of War caused the necessary orders to be distributed by General Van Ness. By 10:00 A. M., the Georgetown Artillery and Riflemen, the Georgetown Dragoons, Captain Thornton's troop, of Alexandria, and Captain Cald- well's, of Washington, were ready to march, and all departed for the Patuxent under command of Major George Peter.
The Intelligencer said: "We learn that the enemy have pursued the same system of barbarous warfare that was commenced last summer under the notorious Cockburn. They have burned many dwellings and plundered many families on the shores of the Patuxent."
A new volunteer corps was organized about this time, known as the " Legion of Mounted Infantry," and composed of the elite of the
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entire District. The companies above mentioned reached Nottingham on Monday, June 20, and were immediately ordered to Benedict, where Colonel Wadsworth was in command of the troops previously collected. These troops included those under Major Peter, an artillery force with eight eighteen-pound cannon, and a battalion of the Thirty-eighth Regiment of United States Infantry from Baltimore. In connection with the notice of these movements of the soldiers, the Intelligencer said: "It is superfluous to notice the contemptible asseverations of facetious editors who rail at the National Government, without look- ing into the conduct of those whose willful neglect of duty has brought incalculable mischief upon a large portion of the citizens of Maryland."
On Tuesday, June 21, 1814, a slight battle was fought between the belligerent forces, in which one American named Francis Wise was killed. He was shot by a British soldier, "who most bravely fought until he was killed by repeated wounds, and who proved to be a sergeant of marines of proverbial courage and strength, and before he was disabled wounded another of the troops with his bayonet, and very nearly overpowered General Stewart, of the militia, who engaged him after Wise was killed." The British soldiers were, however, driven on board their ships, and the Americans withdrew out of reach of their guns. Six of the British were taken prisoners and brought to Washington on the 24th, and committed to the custody of the marshal. June 26, firing from the British vessels was kept up in St. Leonard's Creek all day, and fears were entertained for Commodore Barney, the British having been reenforced; but Barney extricated himself from his useless position in St. Leonard's Creek and went to Benedict on the Patuxent. Commodore Barney brought on this engagement, and in two hours the enemy "got under way and made sail down the river. They are now (10:00 A. M.) warping round Point Patience, and I am sailing up the Patuxent with my vessels. My loss is Acting Midshipman Asquith, killed, and ten others killed or wounded."1
In consequence of the retreat of the enemy down the Patuxent, the volunteers from Washington set out on their return on Wednes- day, June 29, the cavalry arriving on the 30th, and the artillery and rifle companies on July 1. Commodore Barney arrived in the city on Thursday, June 30, his flotilla having moved up the river as far as Lower Marlborough.
The battle of St. Leonard's, at the mouth of St. Leonard's Creek,
1 Commodore Barney's Report.
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June 26, 1814, was the occasion of a great deal of controversy among the officers of the American forces. Colonel Wadsworth, in his report to the Secretary of War, reflected rather severely on the conduct of Captain Miller, who commanded a portion of the artillery during the day, and Captain Miller even more severely animadverted upon the conduct of Colonel Wadsworth and his command. After moving from his position on the hill down to the lower ground, in which position he was disappointed, "finding that the barges which were firing round shot were not only out of sight of this position, but com- pletely out of range of any grape or canister that could be thrown from my batteries," he therefore sought still another position, but before he had reached one-half way to the spot he "discovered the infantry retiring in good order along the low ground," and therefore from this unfortunate movement of the infantry, himself "became one of the number moving from the field," which he had held for upward of two hours in constant firing upon the enemy's frigates, employing his best exertions to annoy them, etc. He gave great credit to Commodore Barney's flotilla, and the detachment from the flotilla under Captain Cohagen.
July 14, 1814, the President of the United States made a requisition upon the governors of the several States for militia from those States, to be organized into regiments and held in readiness for immediate action, to the number of ninety-three thousand and five hundred men. He apportioned to Pennsylvania fourteen regiments, to Delaware one regiment, to Maryland six regiments, and to Virginia thirteen regiments.
July 17, the enemy had a force of soldiers at Leonardtown, in St. Mary's County, Maryland, about sixty-five miles from Washington. The volunteers from this city and vicinity were then encamped near the wood yard, about fifteen miles from Washington, from which position they could in two hours reach either the Patuxent or the Potomac. A battalion of volunteers, which had been enrolled for the defense of Washington, was discharged July 23, 1814. They were reviewed that day by General Winder, and by him highly com- plimented on their soldierlike appearance. August 1, 1814, there was a general review of the military of the District by General Winder, of the Army of the United States, and commander of the military department in which the District of Columbia was comprised. The First Brigade, under Brigadier-General Young, was reviewed at Alex- andria at 10:00 A. M., and the Second Brigade, which was under the command of Brigadier-General Smith, was reviewed in front of the President's Square, in Washington, at 2:00 P. M.
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A volunteer corps of between sixty and seventy dragoons from Frederick and Washington counties, Virginia, passed through Wash- ington, August 12, for the rendezvous at Bladensburg. A detachment of about three hundred men, under Colonel Gettings, from Mont- gomery County, Maryland, also reached Bladensburg about the same time.
August 9, the entire British fleet in the Potomac lay just below the mouth of the St. Mary's River-one 74-gun ship, the Albion; one razee, three frigates, two ships, two brigs, several sloops of war, one large schooner, and twelve smaller ones. The force in the Patuxent consisted of two ships and one brig, the ships being the Severn and Prince William. By the 19th of August, the British fleet was strengthened so as to consist of forty-six sail at or near Point Lookout, and besides there were five frigates off St. George's Island. On Thursday, Angust 18, the enemy's forces entered the Patuxent, and indicated an intention of ascending the river. Upon the receipt of this intelligence in the city, General Winder made requisition upon the governors of Maryland and Pennsylvania and upon various militia officers; and the militia of the District of Col- umbia was ordered out en masse. Colonel Monroe, with Captain Thornton's troop of horse, made a reconnoissance of the position of the enemy on Friday the 19th, and the militia of Washington and Georgetown were mustered on the same day. On the 20th, about 1:00 P. M., these, together with some other forces, commenced marching toward Benedict, and encamped for the night on the road to Upper Marlborough, about four miles from the Eastern Branch bridge. The British arrived at Benedict in force on the same day, with twenty-seven square-rigged vessels and other craft. Colonel Tiglhman and Captain Caldwell were ordered, with their cavalry, to remove and destroy forage and provisions in front of the enemy, and to impede his march as much as possible. Those who reconnoitered the position of the enemy estimated the strength of his forces at from four thousand to six thousand men, and he soon advanced upon Nottingham. Early on Monday, the 22d, a detachment of the Thirty-sixth and Thirty- eighth Regiments, and three companies from the brigade of General Smith, under the command of Major Peter, marched on the road to Nottingham, and the remainder of the army took up an elevated position. Commodore Joshua Barney had joined the army with the flotilla men, besides the marines under Captain Miller. The cavalry which met the British in their march retired before them, and this led the advanced corps to attempt to impede the march of the enemy,
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who took the road to Upper Marlborough, after coming within a few miles of General Winder's army, which was drawn up in line of battle to receive him. General Winder then fell back with his entire force to the Battalion Old Fields, about eight miles from Marlbor- ough, and about the same distance from Washington. The British army arrived at Upper Marlborough about two o'clock, and remained there until next day, waiting for the return of the detachment sent against the flotilla under Commodore Barney, which was destroyed by the Commodore under orders from the Secretary of War. Late on the 22d, President Madison, together with the Secretaries of War and the Navy, and the Attorney-General, joined General Winder at Battalion Old Fields, and remained with him until the evening of the next day. On the morning of the 23d, the troops were reviewed by the President. At that time it was not known, and it could not be ascertained, what the purpose of the enemy was, whether it was to march upon Annapolis, upon Fort Washington, or upon the city of Washington. His forces were variously estimated, but it was generally believed that he had from five thousand to seven thousand men. Gen- eral Winder's force was about three thousand, with five pieces of heavy artillery, two eighteen-pounders, and three twelve-pounders, and other smaller pieces, enough to bring the aggregate number of pieces of artillery up to seventeen. General Winder, induced to believe that the enemy intended to remain stationary through the day, ordered the troops under General Stansbury at Bladensburg, and one other corps, to move to Upper Marlborough, himself going to meet them, and leaving orders that the enemy should be annoyed in every possible way, either in his march or in his position; and that if he moved upon Bladensburg, General Smith should fall upon his flank, or be governed by circumstances as to his movements.
However, the enemy left Upper Marlborough and had a skirmish with Captain Stull's company, which was compelled to retreat after firing four or five rounds. The entire army was thereupon placed in a position favorable for defense, but upon General Winder's return, late in the afternoon, he decided to march upon the city of Washington. The object of this retreat was, as stated by General Winder, to unite his entire force, fearing a night attack by a superior enemy upon his undisciplined troops, as in a night attack his superiority in artillery would be of no avail. The march of the army to Wash- ington was extremely rapid and precipitate, and the men were greatly exhausted before the camping ground was reached.
This precipitate march, or rather retreat, was of course after the
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battle of Bladensburg had been fought. It is difficult to give a correct account of that battle, because it was not very creditable to the American arms, and it was perfectly natural for all concerned in it to desire, after it was over, to prevent the precise facts from coming to light, especially where those facts reflected adversely upon their conduct. But the following account is as nearly accurate as the cir- cumstances will permit. General Stansbury arrived at Bladensburg on the 22d of the month, and the Fifth Baltimore Regiment, together with the rifle corps and artillery, in the evening of the 23d. At twelve o'clock that night Colonel Monroe advised General Stansbury to fall upon the rear of the enemy forthwith, as it was understood that he was in motion for the city of Washington. General Stansbury, having been ordered to post himself at Bladensburg, did not consider himself at liberty to leave the place, and besides the fatigue of the troops under Colonel Sterret rendered it impracticable.
On the morning of the 24th, General Winder's headquarters were near the Eastern Branch bridge, arrangements for the destruction of which had been made. Detachments of horse were out in several directions as videttes and reconnoitering parties. Colonel George Minor arrived in Washington on the 22d, with his regiment of Vir- ginia militia - six hundred infantry and one hundred cavalry, and reported to the President and Secretary of War for orders and United States arms. Next morning, after several delays in counting out the arms, it became rumored around that the enemy was marching upon the city by way of Bladensburg, and Colonel Monroe left the city with the view of joining General Stansbury, to aid him in forming a line of battle to meet the enemy. General Stansbury then occupied the ground west of Bladensburg, on the banks of the Eastern Branch. Here the front line of battle was formed. Over the Eastern Branch there was a bridge, from which a turnpike led to Washington. After the various forces at this point had been stationed, Colonels Beall and Hood, with the Maryland militia from Annapolis under Colonel Beall, crossed the bridge and took up a position on the right of the turnpike and upon the most commanding height, about three hundred yards to the right of the road, for the purpose of securing the right flank. About eleven o'clock in the morning, intelligence was received that the enemy was in full march toward Bladensburg. General Winder thereupon put his entire command in motion, with the exception of a few men and a piece of artillery at the Eastern Branch bridge, to destroy it. Upon the arrival of General Winder at Bladensburg in advance of his troops, he approved of the disposi-
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tion made by General Stansbury and Colonel Munroe; but even if he had not been able to do this, it would have been impracticable to make any change, as the enemy at that moment, 12:00 M., appeared on the opposite heights of Bladensburg, about a mile distant. General Winder's troops were arranged in line of battle as they arrived. The President, the Secretary of War, and the Attorney-General were all upon the ground. As the enemy advanced into Bladensburg, the second line of General Winder's troops was being formed. Commo- dore Barney's command came in at this time on the double-quick, and were formed in line on the right of the main road. The heavy artillery was placed in line under Captain' Miller. Lieutenant-Colonel Kramer, with a battalion of Maryland militia, was posted in a wood in advance of Colonel Beall and Colonel Hood, and the other troops were properly arranged. About half past twelve, while the second line was yet forming, the enemy approached, and the battle commenced. The Bal- timore artillery opened fire upon the enemy's light troops advancing along the streets of the village, dispersing them, and they protected themselves behind houses and trees as well as they could; but other portions of their troops began throwing rockets, and his light troops began to advance, concentrating near the bridge and pressing across it, and also crossing above, where the river was fordable. The enemy's column was thrown into some confusion while approaching the bridge, but having gained it they rapidly crossed, and forming into line moved steadily on, compelling General Winder's artillery and riflemen to give way. Soon afterward the rockets from the enemy's force assumed a more horizontal direction, and passing too near the heads of Colonel Shutz's and Colonel Ragan's regiments, the right gave way, and this, falling back, was followed in a few moments by a general flight of the two regiments, in defiance of all the efforts and exertions of General Winder and General Stansbury and the other officers. Bureh's artillery and the Fifth Regiment remained with firm- ness; but notwithstanding that the enemy's light troops were driven back by the firmness of these two regiments, at length, the enemy having gained the right flank of the Fifth, which exposed it, Burch's artillery and Colonel Sterret, in command of the Fifth, were ordered by General Winder to retreat, with a view of forming at a short distance to the rear; but instead of retiring in order, the Fifth, like the other two regiments, in a very few minutes was retreating in disorder and confusion. Attempts were then made to rally the troops, which were temporarily successful. They ultimately failed, however, and the troops were badly routed. They retreated on the
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road, which forked in three directions -one leading by Rock Creek to Tenley Town and Montgomery Courthouse, one leading to George- town, and the third to Washington.
After the retreat of the troops under Lieutenant-Colonel Kramer from his first position, the column of the enemy was exposed to a gall- ing fire from Major Peter's artillery, which continued until they came in contact with Commodore Barney, and it was here that the enemy met with the greatest resistance and sustained the greatest loss. An eighteen-pounder was opened upon him by Commodore Barney, and this completely cleared the road for the time being, and several attempts were made to rally. Ile thereupon made a flank movement to the right, when Captain Miller opened upon him with three twelve- pounders with considerable effect; but they kept on with the flank movement and at length gained the rear of the right of the second line, and a retreat was ordered by Commodore Barney. After some further maneuvering and fighting, the troops, some of whom had remained firm in their positions, were ordered by General Winder to retreat, and after again forming were again ordered to retreat by the commanding general. And when General Smith's command came into the field and were in the act of forming in line, they were also ordered to retreat to Washington, expecting there to be united with the troops of the first line. Colonel Monroe covered the retreat. At the Capitol the troops were again halted while General Winder was in consultation with Colonel Monroe and General Armstrong.
However, the first line, which had been the first to break and retreat from Bladensburg, with the exception of Colonel Laval's, had most of them taken the road which led north of the District of Columbia, and others had dispersed and gone to their homes. Taking all these things into consideration the commanding general believed it would be impossible to defend the city against the invading forces of the enemy; nor did he think it would be proper to attempt to defend the Capitol building, as that would leave every other part of the city to the mercy of the enemy. On receiving the order to rally on the heights of Georgetown and abandon Washington to its fate, the troops, according to General Smith, evinced an anguish beyond the power of language to express. They were held at Tenley Town, and an attempt to collect them together was only partially successful. Some returned home, some went in pursuit of refreshments, and others gave themselves up to the feelings which fatigue, privation, and chagrin naturally produce. The forces collected were marched about five miles from the Potomac, and early in the morning of the 25th ordered to
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