The Local news. [volume], November 23, 1861, Image 2

About The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Manuscripts of an Old Bachelor. No 6.
RKMIMSCKNOK3 OF ALEXANDRIA.
"Bolla—horrida bella."
Wars—horrid wars."
How few of the present inhabitants ol
Alexandria remember the events of the war
with Great Britain, iv 1812-15 ! It was an
eventful war for Alexandria —and the town
never recovered from the proceedings prior
and subsequent tv its capture by tbe British.
"Ketrocession" made a favorable change.
and I hope it will now go on prospering and
tj pr> sper.*
The other day I was passing by the head
of the deck at the foot ol Prince street, anc
suddenly it came to my remembrance, thai
there occurred a singular scene during the
occupation of Alexandria by the British:—
and then, came trooping up before mj
"mind's eye" the men and scenes of tbosi
days Not, th it I can write—"pars fui"—
but I have a cloudy and indistinct recollec
tion of some of the incidents—and have
been familiar and often conversed with manj
of the citizens who c;>u!d tell "all that they
saw, and part of which they were." At an
uncommonly early age, Dr. Johnson was
touched for the Kinjr's Evil, by Queen Anne,
but he always affirmed when he was an old
man, in the reign of George 111., that he
"had a confused, but somehow a sort of sol
emn recollection of a lady in diamonds and
a long black hood." There is a kind of sol
emnity mingled with my reminiscences of the
capture of Alexandria.
The British squadron reached Alexan
dria on the evening of the 28th of August,
1814. In the very interesting history of the
invasion and capture of tbe City of Wash
ington, by Major John S Williams, which
Was published a few years ago, it is said,
"the naval force consisted of two frigates,
one of 38, and the other of 30 guns; two
rocket ships of 18 guns each; two bomb
ghips of 8 guvs aneh, and a schn.ner of 2
guns. This force was arranged along the
town, a few hundred yirds from tbe wharves,
so as to command the piace from one ex
tremity to the other, the houses being so
situated that they might nave laid in
ashes in a lew minutes. There was no pos
sible means id' detenco or resistance; for
even if the old men, women, and children
who were left in the town, had wrought
themselves up to the use of pitohforks,
tomts and brickbats against the enemy, all
t'nesr; would have availed nothing to protect
them from a bombardment by a naval force.
Th'; assertion, therefore, so often made, at
the time, that, under these circuin-taoces,
the inhabitants "cast themselves" upon the
mercy of the victor is a deliberate misstate
ment. The inhabitants did not "east them
selves," but were cast upon the ueroy of tin
victor, and not through any fault or negleo
of their own, but of those by whom the iui
putatioit was originated,''
Tim frigates Bea Burse and Euryalu
were fine vessels, and mnlca must imposing
appearance on the water. The sqaidroi
was ( commanded by Capt. J. A Gordon, ol
ihe 8-a H»:*e. lie dictated th.; terms ol
Oipituiati n, which hid to lie aeeeded t
by- the town authorities. Toe tio >ps am
cittzeiio of Alexandria, capable ot beaiin c
;,rus, had been ordered rom the place, uut
mare nine ecu miles off an tha duy th
squadron earns opposite the to.vn; and th
Fort below, where it was expected that th
passage up the river, of th« British vessels
would have been, at least, disputed, wa
abandoned by the U, S. forces, and blown
up. Tbe explosion reverberated through th
streets of Alexandria, and annuttUead to th
town its fate as a eaptursd city. 1 hay
thought, that, as it turned out, it wouh
have been better to have deserted the towi
entirely, and made no surrender:—but it
that event no one knows what the enein
might have done.
.To their credit, be it sail, the British ob
served strictly, on their part, the terms o
the capitulation. The inhabitants were per
sonally not molested in any manner what
ever, nor their dwellings ever entered. Thei
municipal and police authorities and
tions were never disturbed nor interferet
with, in tho slightest degree. Discipliu
was enforced, without an exception, for sue
a spectacle as a drunken or disorderly Br
tisli soldier, marine, or sailor was neve
se£n in the streets —nor, is it believed, that
one of them ever came up town farther than
Washington street. The fl tur and tobacco
captured and seized; were removed to the
* Ik« reader will pleas- bear in mind ;hat the
Maasasriats of an Old Bachelor, wore written
tight or nine- in >ntbs ago.
I lighters in the docks by the sailors, who
I dragged the drays—and a quantity of flour,
1 the barrels holding which were broken, was
given to the poor of the town. The oflicers
I appeared to be gentlemen, with the feelings
of gentlemen, and never failed to express
their sympathy with the inhabitants, at the
, condition to which they had been reduced,
aDd never turned a screw for pressure, be
yond what their duty, under the terms of
surrender, (and they were bard enough) re
quired.
I have often heard my esteemed friend—
W. 11. M.—then a young clerk iv the large
commercial house of A. C C, laugh at the
conversation between Lieut. Herbert, of the
British Navy, and himself, on this occasion.
He had been sent down by Mr. C, to "take
a note," of the tobacco the British were re
moving from his warehouse, bought, I be
lieve, for parties in Holland. "My young
friend," said the Englishman, "what art
you doing there, with your pencil and book?"
"Keeping an account," was the answer,
"of the hogsheads removed." "Ah !" said
Herbert, "all correct, youug man—be par
' ticular—and, when you write to youi
Amsterdam correspondents, give them m\
j respects, and express my wishes thai
! their Alexandria tobacco may prove a pro
j fitable adventure. I wonder if they would
; draw on me for the proceeds ?" This Lieut,
, Herbeit was a relative of the Herberts ol
the old town, and used to say, that though
he was a British officer, he should ever re
spect America and Americans.
I The British had been here for a day or
; two, the town surrendered and given up by
capitulation, and the fleet moored, as I have
said, but a few hundred yards from the
wharves. A barge had been sent on shorci
for some purpose or other, under tho charge
of a midshipman, and came into the dock at
the foot of Prince street. The seamen were
listlevslv lou:»;ing about, and the officer, hay
ing ex euted his commission on shore, wae
i sauntering leisurely back to the boat. Jus!
jat this moment the clattering of horses hoofs
j were heard on Union street, and Captain
[Creighton, of the U.S. Navy, with a few
others accompanying him, dashed by.—
j Creighton, seeing the middy in the streets,
j seized him by the black leather neck-stock
which he wore, and attempted to drag him
on bis bursa, intending to carry him out as a
prisoner and a " trophy." Fortunately for
lie British officer, the string fastening the
two ends of the stock broke, and he fell to
the ground, when, recovering himself iu
stantly, be darted for his boat, jumped in,
followed by bis men, and pulled out instant
ly to the Sea Horse. It was all the work of
a minute. Cieighton's horse had hardly
paused in its career, and by the time the boat
had left the hoad of the dock, he wae in full
gallop up Duke street. This was a gallant
and daring advrnture, but an imprudent
one. He and his friends were on their way
to the White lleuse, and could not resist the
temptation of coming into town to see wha
the enemy were about. Once in, the sigh
uf the British officer fired his blood, and, in
der the impulse uf the moment, without re
Aeotion, he made the attempt to get, at leas
one prisoner before be proceeded on his jour
ney. The midshipman bad no sooner ropor
ted the affair to his superior officers, than th
drums 00 the British vessels be it to quar
ers —tbe port holes were opened—and every
preparation made to fie upon tbe town. —
And then, the old inhabitants recollect, there
Was BUch a stampede as was never before
witnessed. The women and children, and
'the fi w men who bad remained, started for
flight, end lung trains were seen g'ing out
of fc ! .>e principal streets, laden with every de
scrip ion of property that could be, in ow
old Virginia phrase, "tinted." It was a
steady stream lor some tiine.raost persons ex
pecting every minute to see the shot and
shells of the enemy falling upon the h mses,
and decimating 'he flying crowd. However,
a deputation was immedidtely sent off to Cap"
tain Gordon, the affair explained, and all
further proceedings in the matter dropped.
The inhabitants being reassured, soon ooasod
to leave town—those who had gone returned,
and everything was restored to the former
condition.
There was, during the occupation of the
town, almost an entire cessation of business. I
Many stores and shops, however, remained
open. The publication of tho Alexandria
Gazette was then suspended for two weeks, I
think—the first and only time it had ceased
to make its daily appearance since its estab
lishment in 1800. But, after the occupatiou,
and as long as the British remained here,
with the exception 1 have mentioned, there
was no alarm nor excitement among the
people.
When the fleet left Alexandria, with their
captured property, and proceeded down the
river, they found they were not to go " scot
free." Com. Rogers, "with boats and tire
vessels, attacked and annoyed their rear,"
and they had to pass the gauntlet at the
White House, where a battery had been
erected by Cm. Perry and Capt. Creighton,
and where the Alexandria artillery, under
the command of Captain Griffith, with Lieu
tenant John Corse, so behaved, a* to receive
great praise from Com. Porter in his official
dispatches. " Captain Griffith, his officers
and men," sad Com. Porter, " for their In*
: trepidity, merit the highest eulogiums. They
i fought their six-pounders until their timmu
i nition was expended, audcoollv retir.d with
their guns, when ordered to do 5..», under a
s shower of the enemy's shot."
GENERAL NEWS.
! The Richmond Enquirer says, that "The
\ amount of voluntary contributions of cloth
ing, &c, for the Confederate army, register-j
> ed at the passport office between the 3d on
' October and the 10th of November, is over
" one million of dollars, reaching the sum ot
r $1,002,537. No account account was made
1 uf parcels of less than $100 in value, nor uf
1 contributions that did not pass through Rich
' mond to the army of the Potomac, Western
I Virginia, or the Peninsula. Contributions
• to the army at Norfolk, in Tennesseee, in
H Kentucky, in Missouri and in Arkansas
1 i have not be.in registered, and would proba
" I bly, within the period referred to, amount U
half a million more."
The Iriends and opponents ol Gen. Beau
regard are carrying on a newspaper contro
S versy at Richmond, Beauregard publishe
' a card in the Whig requesting his friend
' not to notice the attack** of his enemies, dis
5 claiming any ambitious aspirations, and an
nouncing his intention to retire to privat
5 life at the end of the war. The tr able aroi
from certain general orders and reports o
1 Beauregard, which implied reflections up;
the defensive policy of the Confederate go\
' ernment.
The Memphis Appeal t-ays, " A journe
from Richmond to Memphis n,w occupies
four days, owing to the destruction ol the
bridges i«i East Tennessee. Two of these
bridges were costly, and cannot be speedily
rebuilt. The railroad managers are using
every effort to keep up the communication
between them by ferries and temporary
bridges."
The United States steamer San J.tcinto is
at Newport, where she has put in on account
of breezy weather and a heavy cross sea.
The department has established a post
office at Port R yal, to be called by that
name, and has sent out a blink commission
to General Sherman, to be filled with the
1 name of a suitiible person as p.tutniai er who
will give the required bond.
The repairs on tbe Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal are expected to be completed iv a few
days. There is no coal now arriving. Cum.
berland lump, in Washington and B hi in -re,
sells at present at $7, retail.
The New York corresponds t of the Phi
ladelphia Ledger writes on Wednesday: —
"Wall street is on the rampant again to-day,
and the stock market, under a fresh outbreak
of a vague and foolish presentiment (it is
nothing more) of a war with England, is
down liom one to one and a half pr cent, on
the prices of yesterday."
The Governor of Maryland has ecmrais
■ioned lion. Richard L. Bowie as Chief Jus i
tice of the Court of Appeals of Maryland. !
Judge Bowie was chosen at the late election
as 1 an Associate Judge, and is the successor |
of Judge Tuck
The steamer Persia sailed from New Yoik
on Wednesday for Liverno 1, with ninety
passengers, among whom are Bishop Mail* j
vainc and two daughters, and Mr. Bodisco,
of Washington city.
The Oxford (Miss.) intelligencer siys: "It
is highly probable that the Legislature will
in a few days pa*s a law touching the heart
less speculators in suit throughout that
State."
On Wednesday last, says a letter in the
Norfolk Day Book, two parties ot truupumet
on the peninsula, and mistook each other lor
enemies. Brisk tiring at ouce commenced,
and a number on each side were killed and
wounded ere the mistake was lound out. —
Among the killed was Major Bailey of Mo
bile, whose body has been taken to his
friends.
Ihe bark Theressa reports speaking, un
on the 12th inst., the schooner Wintbrop,
from Wilmington, N. C, lor Nassau, having j
Bttie blockade with another schooner, four ;
previously. '
A singular project is said by letter writer*
to have b?en started at Washington is
nothing less than the incorporation of Maty
land and all that part of Virginia lying ea*t
of the Blue Ridge into a single State, Una
territorial boundaries o( which are to be fix
ed by Congress, and to annex the two Ka*t
ern Shore counties of Virginia to Delaware. ' 0
Such legislation is simply foreshadowed as
"probable."
The New York Tribune publishes a letter
from Ilatteras Inlet, North Carolina, dated
the 18th inst., which announces the estab
lishment of a Provisional State Government
for North Carolina on that day, by a con
vention of delegates and proxies representing
foity-five counties of the State.
The last rail if the Mobile and Grand
Northern R lilroad was laid on the 11th.—
This is the completion of an important link
ef communication between the various im
portant cities of the Smth.
W MISCELLANEOUS!.
JULIUS DINELT, DENTIST,
Opfick. No. 17 Wash'ugton :street, above King.
WHEKE HE (JAN UK FOUND AT ALL TIMKK.
nov 22— tin*
to** REWARD— bUaffl, between Alexandria
tjpt) ami lie.- Semlfcarv, F,.irl'-<x
County, on tho evotiriH ■kir.-<..UBfe£he l-lih in
stant, a WATEK-PrTOFKotjr; or CAI'E,
perfectly new. Oa^aaßsi<aMj)J?ii r the top, was
winked the name 4|| BbMSoN, Novem
ber, " AVhoever said article
to Lieut. CLIFFORD THijßbiV, ot the Ist
New York, (late Lincoln) Oavpury, at Camp K<nr
ney, near the Theological Seminary, will be pttid
t the above mentioned reward. nov ?o—:ii*
A CARD.
DURING the suspension of uiy regular School
Exercises, I am willing, for the sake of con
genial employ uicn', tv receive v few students, to
whom I will give thorough daily- instruction in nil
tho solid English branches, together with Compo
sition, Hook-Keeping, Mathematics, and the Phy
sical Sciences.
This will afford a rare opportunity for iiupiove
me'.'t, to such young mci. and youths, a* desire
the quiet, order, and relinenierit of a SELKCT
SO'UOIj, together with the peisomtl instruction
ot an experienced Teacher.
TERMS $12.50 per quarter—Drawing $2.50.
No extra charges whatever. Hours of instruction
from 9, A. M.. to I, P. M. Exercises to be com
menced on the 2nd of December.
H mo7-lm CALBB S. HALLOWELL.
DR. McCONNELL, DENTIST,
FMOM WASHINGTON, 1). C,
\T7ILL visit Alexandria on Wednesdays and Sa
iYV turdnys, professionally, each week.
—Corner of Kinsr and Wnsbiiig
ton streets, next door to the office of Judge C.
Nchlc, lately occupied by Douglas l'\ Forrest,
i novt)—2w
DRUGS, CHEMICALS, vie.
LEADBEATER A CO., DRUGGISTS,
Stvblkk's Oi,n Stand, SsTAaunms 1792,
Nos. [> and 7, S'-ntli Fairfax Street,
AI.KXANDIUA, VlliniNlA,
TT AYE in st re a lull stock of Drugs, Chemiculs,
LA Paints, Oils Acids, Genuine Patent Aiedi
cines, Bye Stuffs, Surgical Instruments. Porta*
mery, Soups, Sponges, C< ngress Water, M'dicine
Chests, Spi os. Coal Oil Camps and Chimney*,
Pocket Medicine Cases, and till oilier goods usual
ly round in a well conducted Drag establishment.
1020 29—eolm
PORTLAND KEROSENE.
A AA GALLONB <>, the above, which is univcr
tvU sally to knowlodged t» be canal. If noi su
perior, to unv attar, r solved and U»r sale at a ie
duoed price. HKMiV COOK A CO,
nov9 -'a rep la Hall, KingsUct.
OIL! OIL!! OIL!!!
LARD OIL, Machine Oil, Liosce■!, both raw and
boiled, Ettierea) Oil, pure Noatstoot Coal Oil,
Train and Tanners' Oil, rceMked and for sale by
inv'.l lIKNuY COOK A C<».,SMi-epla ll'till.
CKOOKBITS
,v& ■ FLOUR! FLOUR!! FLOUR!!!—A prima
! article of FLOUR, manuia -tared expressly ior
! family us-, may be had atC. F. SUITLE * CO.'S,
!No 20 Union street. nov 22—2f*
JOHN T COOKE,
CIIE AP rAtt IL V ti ROGER,
Comer of Prince and Pitt Streets,
(Oi.n Post Officii Coiinkk.)
j A T/ ,r AYS on Band a large and well Stlasts]
I J\. stock of FAMILY GROCERIES, whici wiil
j »o sold on terms to suit the tiaisa,
CRANBERRIES, AND RAI
* > SONS, for sale by JOHN T. COOKE,
nov It (n,l 1>,,!.t Offi't Corner.
BOOTS AND SHOES.
HENRY C. FIELD,
BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURER,
No. 74 King street, Alexandria,
KEEPS en hand, and is prepared to manu
facture BOOTS and SHOES of nil kinds.
JNrMftLITAKY BOOTS «,r SHOES made -~.%
the short.es" notice, and of the best mutt-rial. '
•*&**** Persons in want of a good article in his
i lias, wil ""do well to pive him a cull. oct 7
WJJ3
PRICE KKIHJCKI).
OAK WOOD! OAK WOOD!!
I AM AUTHORIZED to take orders for OAK
WOOD, to be delivered at $6 75 per cord.
Call at Wise A Co 'l Coal Office, King street,
nov 15—lm* B. T. PLUMMER, Agent.
DRY GOODS.
DRY GOODS. *
r>RYAN A ADAMS, A gusts,
£> No. 7«, King street. oct 7