less, than is to be found in a single street of London.* As soon as the troops were refreshed, general Ross and rear-admiral Cockburn, "with 1000 men," moved forward from Bladensburg; and, at about eight o'clock in the evening, arrived at an open piece of ground, two miles from the federal city. The troops were here drawn up, while major-general Ross, rear-admiral Cockburn, and several other officers, accompanied by a small guard, rode forward to reconnoitre. On arriving opposite to some houses, the party halted; and, just as the officers had closed each other, in order to consult whether or not it would be prudent to enter the heart of the city that night, a volley was fired from the windows of one of two adjoining houses, and from the capitol; § which volley killed one soldier, and general Ross's horse from under him, and wounded three soldiers. Rear-admiral Cockburn instantly rode back to the detachment, stationed in advance; and soon returned with the light companies. The house was then surrounded ; and, after some prisoners had been taken from it,|| set on fire; the adjoining house fell with it, The capitol, which was contiguous to these * Strand. + History of the United States, Vol. III. p. 294. Wilkinson's Memoirs, Vol. I. p. 791. § App. No. 62. Poulson's Philadelphia paper, of August 29, 1814. houses, and which was capable of being made an impregnable citadel against an enemy, with little artillery, and that of the lighter class,"* was also set on fire. The "capitol containing the senate-chamber, representative-hall, supreme court-room, congressional library, and legislative archives;" + these rooms," or public buildings," as many of our London journalists have called them, could not otherwise than share the fate of the building of which they formed part.. Scarcely had the flames burst out from the capitol and the two contiguous houses, than an awful explosion announced, that the Americans were employed upon the same business in the lower part of the city. By this time the remainder of the British forces from Bladensburg had arrived at the encampment. At about halfpast 10, after a party had been sent to destroy the fort and public works at Greenleaf's point, major-general Ross, and rear-admiral Cockburn, each at the head of a small detachment of men, numbering, together, not more than 200, ‡ proceeded down the hill towards the president's palace. Finding it utterly abandoned, and hearing, probably, that a guard of soldiers, with "two pieces of cannon, well-mounted on travel* History of the United States, Vol. III. p. 296. + Ibid. 294. Wilkinson's Mem. Vol. I. p. 791. ling carriages;" had been stationed at, and but recently fled from, this the American "commander-in-chief's" head-quarters, the British caused it to be set on fire. A log-hut, under similar circumstances, would have shared the same fate, and the justice of the measure not been disputed. Why, then, in a country where equality of rights" is daily preached up, should the palace be held more sacred than the cottage? The loss of the one falls, where it ought, upon the nation at large; the loss of the other,—a lamentable case, at all times,-solely upon the individual proprietor. Had generals Armstrong and M'Clure consulted this principle, the village of Newark would have remained undestroyed; and the feelings of humanity not have been so outraged as they still are, at the bare recital of that atrocious proceeding. To the building, containing the treasury and war offices, the torches of the conquerors were next applied. On arriving opposite to the office of the "National Intelligencer," the American government-paper,-whose editor, Mr. Gales, a British subject, had been giving currency to the grossest falsehoods against the British commanders in the Chesapeake, and against the British character in general,-rear-admiral Cockburn observed to the inhabitants near him, that he * Testimony of Mr. Wm. Simmons, before the American committee of investigation. must destroy it. On being told, however, that the adjoining buildings would be likely to take fire, he desisted. The rear-admiral, then, wishing the inhabitants good night', and assuring them that private property and persons should be respected, departed to his quarters on the capi. tol-hill. Early on the next morning the rearadmiral was seen walking about the city, accom panied by three soldiers only. Indeed, general Wilkinson says:" A single centinel, who had been accidentally left on post near the office of the National Intelligencer, kept undisturbed possession of the central part of the metropolis, until the next morning; of which there are several living witnesses."* At this time, too, it appears, an American force of more than 4000 combatants" was posted upon the heights of Georgetown, which is a continuation of the city to the westward, Some During the morning of the 25th, the secretary of state's office was burnt, and the types and printing materials of the government-paper were destroyed. A serious accident had happened to the party sent to Greenleaf's-point. powder, concealed in a well, accidentally took fire, killing 12, and wounding 30, officers and men. Three extensive rope-walks, at some distance from the city, were, by the British, entirely consumed; and so was an immense quantity of * Wilkinson's Mem. Vol. I. p. 791. small-arms and heavy ordnance; as well as the great bridge across the Potomac: † a very prudent military measure, especially as the Americans had themselves destroyed the two bridges crossing the eastern branch.†A party, under captain Wainwright, of the Tonnant, destroyed the few stores and buildings in the navy-yard, which had escaped the flames of the preceding night. As the British were in haste to be gone, and as the vessels, even could they have been floated in safety down the Potomac, were not wanted by us, it was very considerate in the American government to order the destruction of the frigate, of 1600 tons, that was nearly, ready to be launched, and of the fine sloop of war, Argus, ready for sea; and whose 20 32-pounders would have assisted so powerfully in defending the entrance to the city by the lower bridge. According to the official estimate of "the public property destroyed," the value has been much over-rated. It appears not to have exceeded 1624280 dollars, or £365463 sterling. With respect to private property, we have only to quote passages from American prints, to show how that was treated. One newspaper says:-"The British officers pay inviolable respect to private property, and no peaceable citizen is molested."§ A writer from Baltimore, under * App. No. 65. App. No. 67. |