Viaduct On The Baltimore & Washington Railroad



Viaduct on Baltimore and Washington Railroad

Reproduced from a 7¼"x 4¾" Steel Engraving by W.H. Bartlett

The Viaduct, is  Print # 39 of 66 from  Volume I

"AMERICAN SCENERY" or LAND, LAKE, AND RIVER 

Published in 1839 by George Virtue, 26 Ivy Lane, London

 VIADUCT ON THE BALTIMORE AND WASHINGTON RAILROAD.

      The Patuxent, which is leaped over so lightly at this place by the arches of the Viaduct, becomes, ere long, a stream which is not only respectable in size, but most respectable in story. It will ever be associated with the name and fame of the gallant Barney, who, though his exertions could not prevent ultimate defeat, did much to sustain his country's honour, and has made his own imperishable.

     While the British squadron was blockading the eastern coast during the summer of 1814, Commodore Barney sailed from Baltimore in command of a flotilla con­sisting of a cutter, two gun-boats, a galley, and nine large barges, for the protection of the inlets and harbours in the several parts of the bay. On the 1st of June, being at the mouth of the Patuxent, he discovered two schooners, one of which carried eighteen guns; and immediately gave chase. The schooners were joined, however, by a large ship, which despatched a number of barges to their assistance; and the commodore sailed up the Patuxent to avoid being cut off from the Potomac. The schooners and barges following him, he engaged and drove them back, and then anchored within three miles of the seventy-four. In the course of a few days, the enemy was reinforced by a rasee and a sloop of war; and joining the barges of these vessels, they followed the flotilla into St. Leonard's Creek, across which Commodore Barney formed his boats in line of battle. A sharp engage­ment ensued, the enemy gave way, and the flotilla pursued them to within a short distance of their shipping. In the afternoon, the enemy made another attempt. with twenty barges and .two schooners. After a warm action, the barges were driven back upon the, eighteen-gun schooner, which, in attempting to beat out, was so severely handled, that her crew ran her aground and abandoned her. On the 26th, a corps of artillery arrived from Washington to the commodore's assistance, and a combined attack was made on the whole squadron. The action continued two hours at the end of which the enemy's ships were driven from their anchorage, and stood down the river.

 

     The cessation of hostilities in Europe, enabled the British government to send out powerful reinforcements to their fleets and armies in America; and Sir Alexander Cochrane soon arrived with thirty sail, having on board several thousand men, under command of Major General Ross. This force entered the Chesapeake, and a plan of attack on Washington, Alexandria, and Baltimore, was adopted. Admiral Cochrane very honourably informed the Secretary of State that he had orders to lay waste all the accessible towns on the coast; and the fleet, in two divisions, soon after approached the capital by the Potomac and the Patuxent.

       In obedience to orders, Commodore Barney blew up his flotilla in the Patuxent, and with his seamen and marines, joined the army under General Winder. General Ross landed six thousand men at the head of frigate navigation, and, with five thousand, General Winder met him at Bladensburg. The action commenced at mid-day. Commodore Barney had been placed with his battery in the main road by which the enemy advanced; and after two or three vain attempts were made to pass him, the main column fell back in disorder, and it was found necessary to flank his right. The British were gaining ground, however, in every other part of the line; and Commodore Barney was soon left with his small force standing alone.

        General Ross had now nearly complete command of the field; the ammunition waggons had been driven off in the disorder, and the commodore was reduced to a single round of cartridge. He had besides received a severe wound in the thigh. Thus situated, he gave reluctant orders for retreat; and after being carried a short distance, he fell, exhausted with loss of blood. He was soon after taken prisoner, and removed to the enemy's hospital, where he was treated, by the orders of General Ross, with the greatest kindness; and, on his recovery, released on his parole.

       After his victory at Bladensburgh, General Ross marched directly to the capital, and proceeded immediately to burn all the public buildings, library, &c. Then, as now, Washington was merely a diplomatic capital, very thinly populated; and the few inhabitants were unable to make any show of resistance. No comment is necessary on an act which the English nation itself was the first to condemn.

      The division of the enemy's fleet which sailed up the Potomac, consisting of eight sail, was directed to attack Alexandria. That small town surrendered, and obtained a stipulation, upon very ungenerous conditions, that their houses should not be entered or destroyed. Captain Gordon, who was in command, sailed soon after down the river with a fleet of prize vessels taken from the town, and a great amount of property. He received some damage from the batteries lower down, but joined the rest of the squadron in the Chesapeake, and accompanied them in their less successful attacks on Baltimore.

      We think the "City of Monuments," as the last-mentioned town is called, should erect a monument to the memory of Barney.

A TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVE.

" Though furled be the banner of blood on the plain,

And rusted the sabre once crimsoned with gore;

Though hushed be the ravens that croaked o'er the slain,

And calmed into silence the battle's loud roar;

Though Peace with her rosy smile gladden the vales,

And Commerce unshackled dance over the wave;

Though Music and Song may enliven the gales,

And Joy crown with roses and myrtle the brave;

Like spirits that start from the sleep of the dead,

Our heroes shall rouse when the 'larum shall blow;

Then Freedom's broad flag on the wind shall be spread,

And Valour's sword flash in the face of the foe.

Our Eagle shall rise 'mid the whirlwinds of war,

And dart through the dun cloud of battle his eye –

Shall spread his wide wings on the tempest afar,

O'er spirits of valour that conquer or die.

And ne'er shall the rage of the conflict be o'er,

And ne'er shall the warm blood of life cease to flow,

And still 'mid the smoke of the battle shall roam

Our Eagle - till scattered and fled be the foe.

When Peace shall disarm War's dark brow of its frown,

And roses shall bloom on the soldier's rude grave –

Then Honour shall weave of the laurel a crown,

That Beauty shall bind on the brow of the brave-"

percival,

NOTE: This is a exact copy of the original 1839 text describing the above Print,

from "AMERICAN SCENERY" Volume I, Page 82, Published by

George Virtue, 26 Ivy Lane, London