Dublin Core
Title
Destruction of the American Capitol
Description
The Daily Federal Republican had originally been a Baltimore newspaper, but moved to Georgtown in 1812 after a mob destroyed its offices for printing anti-war statements. The paper was run by members of the Federalist Party, which was the opposition party to President James Madison's Democratic Republicans.
Source
America's Historical Newspapers. Read original.
Publisher
Daily Federal Republican (Georgetown, D.C.)
Date
August 30, 1814
Coverage
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
....No pursuit was kept up by the enemy, who entered Washington at his leisure, and in the evening, with ONE HUNDRED MEN, destroyed the capitol, the president's house, and the treasury office. A few of our men left at the navy yard destroyed, by order, the sloop or war Argus, the frigate on the stocks, and the public buildings there, and the arsenal at Greenleaf's Point.
The General Post Office was spared on the representation of Dr. Thornton, that a part of hte building was a museum of the arts, containing models of the patent machines, and the cause of general science would suffer by its conflagration.
On Thursday the War-Office and two rope-walks in Washington were burnt. In the evening a party was despatched to Greenleaf's Point, and while emplyed in burning a number of gun-carriages, a quanitity of powder which had been thrown into a well, exploded and destroyed a considerable number of men and mangled many more....
Arrived at the entrace of the town, opposite Mr. Gallatin's late dwelling, Gen. Ross, at the head of his troops, halted, expecting that the city would propose terms of capitulation. While in this situation, a shot from Gallatin's house killed the horse on which Gen. Ross rose. The house was instantly set on fire and orders were at once given to burn the Capitol.
We have stated nothing that we do not religiously confide in as true. We have many precious anecdotes which will be given at leisure....
The General Post Office was spared on the representation of Dr. Thornton, that a part of hte building was a museum of the arts, containing models of the patent machines, and the cause of general science would suffer by its conflagration.
On Thursday the War-Office and two rope-walks in Washington were burnt. In the evening a party was despatched to Greenleaf's Point, and while emplyed in burning a number of gun-carriages, a quanitity of powder which had been thrown into a well, exploded and destroyed a considerable number of men and mangled many more....
Arrived at the entrace of the town, opposite Mr. Gallatin's late dwelling, Gen. Ross, at the head of his troops, halted, expecting that the city would propose terms of capitulation. While in this situation, a shot from Gallatin's house killed the horse on which Gen. Ross rose. The house was instantly set on fire and orders were at once given to burn the Capitol.
We have stated nothing that we do not religiously confide in as true. We have many precious anecdotes which will be given at leisure....