British Lieutenant Inventories Ammunition and Ordnance Taken from Americans in Burning of Washington

BURNING OF WASHINGTON, DC.

Published by Washington, D.C., 1814

About this Item

Thomas G. T. Williams, Copy of Manuscript Document Signed, August 25, 1814, Washington, D.C. 2 pp., 8 1/8 x 13 1/2 in. Royal Artillery Lieutenant Thomas G. T. Williams compiled this list of ordnance and ammunition that the British Army seized from the Americans in their march toward Washington, at the Battle of Bladensburg, and in the capture of the American capital of Washington, D.C. It also notes that Americans destroyed a great deal of ammunition and ordnance as they abandoned Washington to the British. A few days later, the British would have less success against American forces at Baltimore and Fort McHenry. Four months later, 23-year-old Williams died of yellow fever outside of New Orleans. Complete TranscriptReturn of Ordinance, Ammunition, and Ordinance Stores taken from the Enemy by the Army under the Command of Major General Robert Ross, between the 19th & 25th Augt 181419 August 18141 24 Pr Carronade22 August 1814 1 6 Pr Field Gun with carriage complete 156 Stand of Arms, with cartouches &c &c24th August at Bladensburg2 18 Pr }5 12 ? } with field carriages complete3 6 ? }A quantity of Ammunition for the above220 stand of Arms25 August at Washington { 6 18 Pr Mounted on traversing Platforms { 5 12 ?Brass { 4 4 ? { 1 5½ Inch Howitzer { 1 5½ Inch Mortar26 32 Pr 36 24 ? 34 18 ? 27 12 ? 2 18 ? mounted on traversing Platforms 19 12 ? on Ships Carriages 3 13 Inch Mortars 2 8 Inch Howitzers 1 42 Pr Gun 5 32 Pr Carronade 5 18 Pr do 13 12 Pr Guns 2 9 Pr do 2 6 Pr do 500 Barrels of Powder 100-000 Rounds of Musquet Ball Cartridge 40 Barrels of fine grained powder A large quantity of Ammunition of different Nature made up. The Navy Yards and Arsenal having been set on fire by the Enemy before they retired, an immense quantity of Stores of every description was destroyed, of which no account could be taken. Seven or eight very heavy explosions during the night denoted, that there had been large Magazines of Powder.J Mitchell (signed) Thos T. Williams Lieut A Qr M Royal Artillery[Docketing:] Return of Ordinance Ammunition and Ordinance Stores taken from the Enemy between 19th and 25 August 1814Historical BackgroundAlthough the British had declared a blockade of the American coast early in the War of 1812, most of the first two years of fighting took place along the American-Canadian border. In mid-1814, the British shifted their attention southward and sent an expeditionary force into the Chesapeake Bay.Led by Major General Robert Ross (1766-1814) and Admiral Alexander Cochrane (1758-1832), the British moved up the Patuxent River and landed at Benedict on August 19, 1814. They began marching upstream the following day, reaching Nottingham on August 21, and forcing American defenders to destroy the gunboats of the Chesapeake Bay Flotilla on August 22. Ross proceeded up the Patuxent to Upper Marlboro, from which he could threaten either Washington or Baltimore.On August 24, 1814, the British force of 1,500 army regulars and Royal Marines faced a combined force of nearly 7,000 Regular Army and state militia troops at Bladensburg, Maryland. The British routed the American defenders, clearing the way to the capital, only eight miles away. Later that day, the British entered Washington, D.C. and burned most government buildings to the ground, including the Executive Mansion and the Capitol. (Fortunately, President James Madison had heeded James Monroe's advice; at the last minute, clerks at the State Department stuffed the records of the Confederation and Continental Congresses, George Washington's papers as Commander of the Continental Army, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution into coarse linen sacks and carted them to Virginia, out of harm's way.) Although Rear Admiral George Cockburn (1772-1853) wanted to burn the entire city of Washington, Major General Ross refused and prohibited his soldiers from destroying private property. A. (See website for full description). Seller Inventory # 27323.03

Bibliographic Details

Title: British Lieutenant Inventories Ammunition ...

Publisher: Washington, D.C.

Publication Date: 1814

Binding: No binding

Condition: Fine

Book Type: Manuscript Document Signed