e of removing the public records when the enemy's approach
was known, and some of them thus seized while proceeding to take in
provisions for the army."

On that night after our arrival we heard that the British were
advanced within two miles of Long Old Fields. We who comprised the
command under General Winder were worn and dispirited; Laval's
horsemen were exhausted, and Stansbury's men at Bladensburg were tired
out by long marches, lack of sleep and scarcity of food.

As if to make bad matters worse, our general fell from his horse near
about daybreak, and really was not fit to remain in the saddle,
although he pluckily kept on duty, not the least of which were many
conferences with the President and members of his Cabinet.

At sunrise, after our force had indulged in less than two hours'
sleep, Laval's scouts brought in positive information that the British
General Ross was marching directly toward Bladensburg; half an hour
later messengers came from General Stansbury with the word that the
enemy was in his front, and urging that reinforcements be sent at
once.

It was a case of making another march without breakfast, and, for the
matter of that, we had had no supper the night previous.

There was more than one grumbler when we obeyed the summons to "fall
in;" but the men under Commodore Barney held their peace after our
leader urged that we act "like patriots, and not like children who had
come out expecting to enjoy a holiday."

Well, off we posted for Bladensburg, a good eight miles from where we
had halted, and I for one hoped that the battle, since there must be
one, would be on at once, for it seemed better to be shot at than worn
down by apparently aimless running to and fro.

We of the flotilla arrived near Bladensburg shortly after noon, and
were stationed about a mile from the village on the Washington road.
There we found two eighteens and three 12-pounders, all ship's guns,
mounted on carriages, which had been drawn to the spot by the marines
from the navy yard, and with these we were supposed to hold our
position, having no other support than a crowd of raw militia in front
of us.

Our force, meaning those under Commodore Barney's command, numbered,
as I have already said, about five hundred, and although we had no
knowledge of military tactics, we knew enough to obey our officers to
the best of our ability, which was considerably more than could be
said for very many of the troops near at han