Sustained honor Part 35

"Misther Madison, wasn't that as illegant a knock down as iver a man saw in all his life? I enjoy such."

"How are we to save Was.h.i.+ngton without an army?" cried the president, whose mind was wholly occupied with the safety of the capital.

To this, Terrence responded with his stereotyped:

"Lave it all to me."

Mrs. Madison, at the White House, had already been apprised of danger, by a messenger sent by her husband on the flight of the militia. Her carriage was at the door ready for flight, and she had already sent away to a place of safety silver plate and other valuables. While waiting anxiously for her husband, she cut out of the frame for preservation a full length portrait of Was.h.i.+ngton, by Stuart. At this moment, her husband's messengers, Mr. Jacob Barker and another man, entered the house. Mr. Barker cried:

"Fly, Mrs. Madison, the day is lost, and the British are coming!"

"Where is my husband?" she asked.

"Safe, and he will join you beyond the Potomac."

Pointing to Was.h.i.+ngton's picture on the floor, she cried:

"Save that picture! save or destroy it, but do not let it fall into the hands of the Britis.h.!.+"

Then, s.n.a.t.c.hing up the precious parchment on which the Declaration of Independence was written, and which contained the names of the fifty-six signers of that doc.u.ment, she entered the carriage with her sister and two others, and the four were driven away to a place of safety beyond the Potomac. The picture was saved, and it now adorns one of the reception rooms in the White House.

The British entered Was.h.i.+ngton at sunset, August 24, 1814, and at once began to plunder, burn and destroy. The capitol, president's house, treasury buildings, a.r.s.enal and barracks were burned, and of the public buildings only the patent office was saved. Some private houses were plundered and others were burned. While these buildings were blazing in the city, the public vessels and other government property at the navy yard were in flames, for Commodore Tingey, who was in command there, had been ordered to destroy this property in case it was likely to fall into the hands of the invaders. Two millions of dollars' worth of public property were destroyed on that night.

On the 27th of August, three days later, Alexandria was plundered of her public stores by the British. Having taken an enormous amount as ransom for the city, the British sailed down the Potomac, annoyed part of the way by the guns from the American forts.

Fernando Stevens' riflemen, after the battle of Bladensburg, hastened toward Baltimore, which they knew to be also threatened. Here they found the people energetically making every possible effort to defend the city. Fort McHenry, which commanded the harbor, was garrisoned by about a thousand men, under Major Armistead, and was supported by redoubts.

Fernando's riflemen were a.s.signed to General Stricker.

On September 11, 1814, the enemy appeared off Pataps...o...b..y, and before sunrise on the 12th had landed, nine thousand strong, at North Point, twelve miles from Baltimore. When news came that the British were landing on North Point, General Smith, who had about nine thousand men under his command, sent General Stricker with more than three thousand of them, to watch the enemy, and act as circ.u.mstances might require.

Fernando Stevens' riflemen accompanied Stricker, and were sent forward down a rocky ravine, where they might watch the enemy. Fernando left his men in the deepest hollow while he, with only ten or twelve, crept forward behind some large stones which lay at the roadside. About ten paces to the right of Fernando was Sukey, with his formidable rifle resting in the hollow of his left arm. Soon the head of the long column could be seen advancing up the broad thoroughfare. Fernando saw two gayly-dressed officers riding at the head. He afterward learned that they were Generals Ross and c.o.c.kburn.

"Say, Fernando," said Sukey, "those fellows are officers, ain't they?"

"Yes."

"Must be generals by the clothes they wear?"

"Perhaps."

Ross was riding gayly along by the side of c.o.c.kburn, laughing and jesting about making Baltimore his winter quarters, when on their left there suddenly rang out the sharp crack of a rifle, while a little puff of smoke curled up from the great black rock almost two hundred paces distant.

"Oh!" groaned the general, and jerking his rein, until his horse reared in the air, his chin fell on his chest, and he began to sink from the saddle. c.o.c.kburn caught him and called for a.s.sistance. They hurried him back to the boats, where he might have surgical aid; but he died before the boats were reached.

Fernando Stevens heard the sharp report on his right, as Ross fell, and, turning his eyes in that direction, saw the smoke slowly curling up from the muzzle of Sukey's rifle.

"Say, Fernando, I ought to count three or four for that one, shouldn't I?" Sukey coolly asked. "He was a big one." [Footnote: The reader will pardon this slight deviation from history. The real slayers of General Ross were two Baltimore mechanics, Wells and McComas, both of whom fell in the conflict on the same day, and to whose memory a monument has been erected by the citizens of Baltimore.]

The British were thrown into momentary confusion by the sudden death of General Ross; but Colonel Brooke rallied them, and Fernando's riflemen fell back until they joined General Stricker's men.

The British came on and a severe fight, which lasted two hours, ensued, when Stricker ordered a retreat to his reserve corps. There he reformed a brigade and fell back toward the city, as far as Worthington's Mill, where they were joined by General Winder and some fresh troops.

Fernando witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry during that terrible night, when Mr. Francis S. Key, a prisoner on board an English vessel, composed the song which immortalized him,--"The Star-Spangled Banner."

Not only Baltimore, but all the Chesapeake and coast was threatened by the British. Cruisers by the score were threatening almost every seaport town.

The day after the unsuccessful bombardment of Fort McHenry, General Smith sent for Fernando Stevens, and when he was in the general's head quarters, that officer said:

"Captain Stevens, I would like to have you do a little detached duty."

"General, I am willing to do whatever you wish. You can command me at your pleasure."

"There is a cruiser on the coast threatening a little town where some government stores have been placed for safety. Will you undertake the defence of the town?"

"Certainly; I will do the best I can; but success will depend on my means."

"How many men have you?"

"One hundred and fifty."

"I will send fifty marines with you."

"But artillery?"

"There are some nine-pounders and one long thirty-two at the village.

Muster your men, hasten there at once, and do the best you can."

"But, general, you have not yet told me the name of the village."

"Mariana."

"What?" gasped Fernando, starting to his feet. "Did you say Mariana.

Perhaps I misunderstood you."'

"No; I mean Mariana. Captain Lane, an old privateer officer of the Revolution, is there. He has organized a company of Marylanders on the peninsula on which Mariana is situated, and will be able to help you some. You will find an abundance of ammunition for your artillery."

Fernando left the general's quarters with his heart beating in a way which he could not explain. Terrence had just returned to the company.

Fernando ordered his men to be ready to march at dark, and was hastening across the street to a tavern for his supper, when he was suddenly accosted by a familiar voice with:

"Golly! ma.s.sa Stevens, am dat you?"

"Job, where have you come from?"

"Everywhar, Ma.s.sa. I done been rovin' de worl' over huntin' for de ma.s.sa I belong to when I war taken by de Britishers; but I can't find him.

Whar ye gwine?"

Fernando explained, and the negro said:

"Golly! ye goin' dar?"