proposition could be made, the work of conflagration commenced. The capitol, the President's house, the offices of the treasury, war, and navy departments, and their furniture, with several private buildings, were destroyed. The party sent to burn the president's house, entered it, and found in readiness the entertainment which had been ordered for the American officers. In the dining hall the table was spread for forty guests, the sideboard furnished with the richest liquors, and in the kitchen the dishes all prepared. These uninvited guests devoured the feast with little ceremony, ungratefully set fire to the building where they had been so liberally fed, and returned to their comrades.-One house from which Gen. Ross apprehended himself to have been shot at, was burned, and all the people found in it slain. The most important public papers had been previously removed. The navy yard, with its contents, and apparatus, one frigate of the largest class on the stocks, and nearly ready to launch, and several smaller vessels, were destroyed by Commodore Tingey, under the direction of the secretary of the navy, after the capture of the city. The loss to the United States, as estimated by a committee of the senate, was, in the capitol and other public buildings, At the navy yard, in moveable property, In buildings and fixtures, $460,000 417,745 91,425 $969,170 To this estimate is to be added the loss of the public library, furniture, and other articles not included in the foregoing; making the whole public loss somewhat to exceed a million of dollars The British, having accomplished the object of their fired upon from the windows of one of the houses. Two corporals of the 31st, and the horse of the general himself, who accompanied them, were killed. This outrage roused the indignation of every individual of the army. All thoughts of accommodation were instantly laid aside; the troops advanced forthwith into the city, and having first put to the sword all who were found in the house from whence the shots were fired, and reduced it to ashes, they proceeded without delay to burn and destroy every thing in the most distant degree connected with the government. visit, left the city on the 25th, and passed through Bla densburgh at midnight, on the route to Benedict. They left their dead unburied; such of their wounded as could ride were placed on horseback; others in carts and wagons, and upwards of ninety left behind. The wounded British prisoners were intrusted to the humanity of Commodore Barney, who provided every thing for their comfort; and such as recovered, were exchanged, and returned to the British. Two hundred pieces of artillery at the arsenal and navy yard fell into their hands, which they were unable to remove: these they spiked, knocked off the trunions, and left. Their retreat, though unmolested, was precipitate, and conducted under evident apprehensions of an attack. They reached Benedict on the 29th, and embarked on the 30th.* Their whole loss during this expedition was 400 in killed and wounded, besides five hundred more, who were made prisoners or deserted. 116. Battle of Plattsburgh. About the 1st of Sept. 1814, Sir George Provost, Governor General of Canada, with 14,000 men. entered the village of Champlain, and issued addresses and proclamations inviting the citizens to his standard, and promising them the protection of his majesty's government From Champlain he continued to make gradual approaches towards Plattsburg, until the 6th. Early on the morning of that day, he made a rapid advance in two columns, one coming down the Beckmantown road, and the other along the Lake road. At a bridge crossing Dead creek, intersecting the latter, General Macomb had stationed a detachment of 200 men, under Captain Sproul of the 13th, to abbattis the woods, and to place obstructions in the road; after which he was to fortify himself with two field pieces, sent with him for that purpose, and to receive orders from Lieutenant Colonel Appling, who, Perkin's Late War. with 100 riflemen, was reconnoitring the enemy's movements, some distance in advance of this position. The brigade of General Brisbane, which approached through the Beckmantown road, with more rapidity than the other, was met by about 700 militia, under Gen. Mooers, who, after a slight skirmish with the enemy's light parties, with the exception of one or two companies, fled in the greatest disorder. Those who were intrepid enough to remain, were immediately formed with a corps of 250 regulars, under Major Wool, of the 29th, and disputed the passage of the road for some time. But their fears also getting at length the better of their judgment, notwithstanding the enemy fired only from his flankers and patrolling parties, they followed the example of their comrades, and precipitately retired to the village. Major Wool's regulars remained firm however, and being joined by Captain L. Leonard's party of flying artillery, and the 6th, and a detachment of the 34th regiment, continued to annoy the advanced parties of the British column, and killed Lieutenant Colonel Wellington, of the 3d, or buffs, who was at its head. General Macomb, at this moment, personally directing the movements in the town, soon saw that the enemy's object, in making so much more rapid a march on its west than on the north, was to cut off Lieutenant Colonel Appling's and Captain Sproul's detachments, despatched his aid, Lieutenant Root, with orders to those officers to withdraw their forces from Dead creek, to join the detachment of Major Wool, and to fall upon the enemy's right flank. Whilst Lieutenant Colonel Appling was proceeding in obedience to this order, he was encountered on the north side of the town, by the light divisions of the enemy's 1st brigade, sent for the purpose of cutting him off, and which had that moment emerged from the woods. Their numbers were superior, and had he been delayed an instant longer on the Lake road, he must inevitably have yielded. Here he engaged, but after a short contest retired before them. In the centre of the town he re-engaged them, and being joined by Major Wool, was ordered to retire to the American works on the south of the Saranac. |