What Is Going to Happen to Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Stones?

From the August 16, 2022, Smithsonian Magazine "Is this the end of D.C.'s most-beloved hidden landmark?" by Ellen Wexler.

In the hills of D.C.'s Rock Creek Park, hundreds of stones are piled two stories high and have sat there for quite awhile with very few folks knowing about them.  And, they are not just regular stones.  They were once part of one of the most famous structures in the United States.

What makes these stones remarkable is that they were once a part of the United States Capitol, located about eight miles south of the park.

But soon, these stones' time at the park are going to come to an end.  Officials from the National Park Service have ordered them removed for safety, realignment and preservation purposes.

The stones date back to the early 1800s when thye Capitol underwent extensive restoration after Britrish troops set fire to the building during the War of 1812, causing devastating damage.  More than a century later, in the 1950s,  renovations led to the stones' replacement.

--Brock-Perry

This Month in the War of 1812: Brownstown, USS Constitution, Battle of Fallen Timbers, Bladensburg and D.C.

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

AUGUST 5, 1812

**  Skirmish near Brownstown, Michigan

AUGUST19, 1812

**  The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere

AUGUST 20, 1794

General Anthony Wayne defeats a Native American confederation at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, paving the way for the settlement of Ohio.

AUGUST 24, 1814

**  Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland

AUGUST 24, 1814

**  Burning of Washington, D.C.

--Brock-Perry

About That D.C. Tornado-- Part 3: More Than One?

British soldiers out on the streets of Washington, D.C., on patrol when this hit were forced to  lie prostrate in the mud.

Based on the first-hand accounts, weather historians generally agree that the storm that struck the city on August 25, 1814, sparked one or more tornadoes.  It does seem hard to believe that none of the soldiers or residents would have remarked about a funnel cloud.

There can't be much doubt that the tornado(es) that struck that day saved Washington, D.C., by putting out the fires and giving the British cause to leave the city (although I don't think it was their intention to permanently occupy it).

*****************************

From the Vintage News, "War of 1812: The burning of Washington and how a freak storm saved the day" by Ian Harvey.

Two British cannons were  lifted up and moved by the storm.

According to the Smithsonian, there have only been seven other tornadoes reported in Washington, D.C. since then.

The storm and tornado also caused damage to the General Post Office and Patent Office which had their roofs torn off by it.

--Brock-Perry

About That D.C. Tornado-- Part 2: And Then It Hit

Along with the Executive Mansion (White House), the War Department, the State Department, the Treasury and many government offices were burned.  And, of course, the Capitol , along with the original Library of Congress, was also destroyed.

The British policy was to leave private property alone.  However, the fires threatened to spread out of control.  The city was in jeopardy.

The next day, August 25,  as fires still raged, a massive storm hit Washington,.  The driving rain put out most of the fires threatening the city.  Perhaps, more importantly, the invading British were so battered and demoralized by the storm (tornado included),it caused them to cut short their occupation of the city.

The storm (tornado) was so severe that it tore buildings apart, literally lifting them off their foundations.  The winds uprooted trees and knocked men to the ground.  A number of houses collapsed, killing British soldiers taking cover in them.

One British officer reported seeing cannons lifted off the ground and thrown through the air.  British soldiers out in the streets to maintain order, were forced to lie prostrate in the mud.

This Was a Tornado.  --Brock-Perry

About That D.C. Tornado-- Part 1: Background of the Event

From the March 26, 2012, Historical Digression blog "A tornado saves Washington during the War of 1812" by Patrick Browne.

One of the first targets of the British reinforcement in America in 1814, was the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C., partly as a form of payback for American transgressions to the capital of Upper Canada, York (now Toronto), earlier in the war.  Also, the destruction of such an important city would also be a major blow to American morale.

Another factor was that these new British soldiers were veterans, having fought Napoleon all those years.

Some 5,000 British landed in Benedict, Maryland, and made short work of a larger American force at the Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland on August 24, 1814.    The road to Washington was now open.

Once in D.C., they burned  what is now known as the White House (after sitting down to eat a large feast that Dolley Madison  and her staff had prepared for  cabinet members before they were all forced to flee).

--Brock-Perry

Did a Tornado Save D.C.?-- Part 4: How the President's Home Became White

There was a debate as to whether the tornado saved Washington, D.C. from the British or if it actually helped them to ruin the city.  Whichever it was, President Madison went back to the city on August 27 and peace between the two countries was achieved by the end of the year.

Congress thought about abandoning the city and constructing a capital elsewhere, but they eventually rebuilt the city.  The granite stone of the  President's residence was burned black with soot and it was decided to repair the structure and paint it white.  This is how the White House got nits name.  So, whenever you hear the White House being mentioned, that goes back to the War of 1812.

Peace negotiations started in the City of Ghent, Belgium in August 1814, as both sides wanted peace since the trade embargo largely impacted the British economy (not to mention the even bigger expenses of fighting Napoleon).

Hundreds of American privateers had put to sea and were wreaking havoc on the British merchant fleet all over the world.  Public support  in the U.S. was also waning, especially in New England where the federalists assembled in Hartford, Connecticut to discuss their grievances (and some even went so far as to desire secession).

Peace terms called the Treaty of Ghent were agreed upon and signed in December 1814, but the conflict did not officially end until Congress ratified it on February 17, 1815.

--Brock-Perry

Did a Tornado Save D.C.?-- Part 3: The Admiral and the Lady's 'Interposition of Providence'

Obviously shocked and surprised by the violent weather, the British decided it was time to leave.

A local D.C. weatherman wrote:

"As the British troops  were preparing to leave,  a conversation was noted between the British admiral (Sir George Cockburne and a Washington lady regarding the storm.  The admiral explained, 'Great God, madam!  Is this the kind of storm to which you are accustomed in this  infernal country?'  

The lady answered, 'No sir, this is special  interposition of Providence to drive our enemies from our city.'  

The admiral replied, 'Not so, madam.  It is rather to aid your enemies in the destruction of your city.' "

Saved by a Tornado?   --Brock-Perry

washing

Did a Tornado Save Washington, D.C.?-- Part 2: And a Huge Rainstorm Put Out the Fires

The clouds began to form and the winds kicked up.  What happened next has been called a tornado which formed  in the center of the city and made its way through the British forces on Capitol Hill, ripping buildings and uprooting trees as it went along.

The British cannons weren't spared either and were tossed around like leaves.  The British who didn't take cover were killed by falling debris and structures.

Even when the tornado was gone, heavy rains continued to pour for the next two hours and most of the fires which the British had set were extinguished.

From the Heavens.  --Brock-Perry

Did a Tornado Save Washington, D.C. in the War of 1812?-- Part 1

From the May 7, 2022, SOFREP.com "Did a tornado save Washington, D.C. from being razed to the ground?"

On the night of August  24, 1814, British troops entered the nation's capital with the intent of destruction.  They set fire to the U.S. Capitol and what is now known as the White House.

The U.S. Capitol survived, though the Senate wing was badly damaged since it was the oldest part of the structure with wooden floors and the books and manuscripts of the Library of Congress.

Washingtonians were used to scorching summer heat and damaging storms.  The day of the invasion, the temperature was at 100 degrees, excellent conditions for the burning of the city.  Much of the city was aflame as the British continued their destruction.

But, the skies began to darken and there was sharp  lightning accompanied with loud claps of thunder.  The people of D.C. knew what was coming and that was a big storm.  They took shelter but the British didn't.  England gets plenty of rain, but usually without the storm.  And, a big one, as it turns out, was on the way.

--Brock-Perry

This Month in the War of 1812: Surrender of Detroit and Burning of D.C.

From the American Battlefield Trust August 2021 calendar.

AUGUST 16

1812:  General Hull surrendered Detroit to the British

AUGUST 19

1812:  The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere

AUGUST 24

1814:  Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland, a big American defeat

AUGUST 24

1814:  The Burning of Washington, D.C.

--Brock-Perry

The Last Time U.S. Capitol Was Breached Was Over 200 Years Ago

From the January 6, 2021, Guardian "U.S. Capitol's last breach was more than 200 years ago" by Amanda Holpuch.

That horrible scene of idiots running amuck in the Capitol last weekend is still in my mind and it will join the Twin Towers burning on 9/11 and the pictures of the burning and sunken USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor.

And the fact that their intent was to disrupt a government function.  Well, just too much.

Not since 1814 has the building been breached like it was Wednesday.

Then, it was by British troops  who set fire to it and other public buildings in Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812.  City residents were aware of the British approach and most had fled by the arrival of those troops.

The Capitol was under construction at the time and while a considerable portion was destroyed by the fire, use of many fireproof materials allowed for the preservation of the exterior and many of the interior rooms.  Still the fire was bad enough that many documents were destroyed, glass lights melted and statues destroyed.

I've written a lot of posts about the burning of Washington, D,C..  Click on the Burning of Washington DC label.

--Brock-Perry

December 30, 1813: The British Get Payback for York and Newark

DECEMBER 30, 1813

British troops burned Buffalo, New York, during the War of 1812.

They also burned the nearby and competing village of Black Rock.

This was partially in retaliation for the American burnings of York (then capital of the British Upper Canada colony and now the city of Toronto) and the village of Newark earlier in the year.

Of course, this was 8 months before Washington, D.C. was burned by the British, also in retaliation for the American burnings.

Mean, mean War.  --Brock-Perry

Fort Wool in the Chesapeake Bay Seems to Be Going to the Birds-- Part 1

From the November 13, 2020, Bay Journal "Fort Wool, nesting  seabirds both need  saving" by Terry McGovern.

Recently, efforts have been made to turn Fort Wool into a habitat for nesting seabirds.   But, Fort Wool is also a historic site and saw use during the Civil War and other wars, including World War II.  

It was built on an island of granite blocks after the War of 1812, partially in response to the British attack on Washington, D.C.  It and the completion of nearby Fort Monroe allowed American cannons to control access to Hampton Roads.

It also served a s a summer residence for two U.S. presidents:  Andrew Jackson and John Tyler and it was an initial sanctuary  for enslaved blacks escaping to freedom under the protection of the Union Army.  Guns from Fort Wool fired on the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia in the Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862.

Union president Abraham Lincoln observed the first Union attempt to take Norfolk, Virginia, from the fort's ramparts in May 1862.

Until recently, the fort was visited by thousands of people a year and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

--Brock-Perry

Thomas Jefferson, the Library of Congress and David Rubenstein

From the February 13, 2020, Washington Business Journal "The Library of Congress scores big donation from David Rubenstein" by Drew Hansen.

Billionaire David Rubenstein is committing $10 million  to the renovation of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress.

The project will ultimately cost $60 million and focus on enhancing the visitor experience at the library's flagship building and will include a new ground-level orientation center, a learning  lab and new exhibitions that will better tell the story of the Library of Congress.

A new orientation center will be built around the display of President Thomas Jefferson's personal trove of books which he sold to the library in 1815 to replace the collection destroyed by the British in 1814 when they burned it during the sack of Washington, D.C..

Jefferson's library totaled nearly 6,500 volumes and was purchased by the government for about $24,000.

Thanks, Mr. Rubenstein.  --Brock-Perry

The Second Storming of Washington, D.C. By the British: Only This Time They Had Guitars and Mop Tops

Of course, most people know of the British burning of D.C. in 1814, but 150 years later, another group of British also came to town and to thousands of screams.

If you'd like to read about it, go to the labels section and down to Beatles and click.  These were posts from 2014:  Feb. 17, 18 and 21.  It also includes the setlist they played for the concert.

Beatlemania Strikes the Capitol City.  --JohnPaulGeorgeRingo

Passed 3000 Posts to This Blog

This post marks the 3019th for this blog.  I started it back in 2012 during the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

I started it mostly to find out more about the war, which is often relegated to "forgotten" status.  I found that it was an interesting war and had a lot more about it than just the burning of Washington, D.C., the Battle of Baltimore and "The Star-Spangled Banner" which is about the most many Americans know about the war.

Actually, I had envisioned this blog stopping after the war ended 200 years ago, but as you can see, it continues.

The Brock-Perry sign-off for this blog refers to British and Canadian hero Isaac Brock and American hero  Oliver Hazard "We have met the enemy and they are ours" Perry.

Let's See How Much Longer It Goes.  --Brock-Perry

Christopher R. Perry-- Part 4: Personal Life, Five Sons in Navy

Christopher Perry returned to the United States in July 1800 and the crew was discharged.  The General Greene was placed in ordinary at Washington Navy Yard and reduced to a hulk in 1805 before being burned Aug. 24. 1814, to prevent capture by the British.

Perry and most of the other officers of the U.S. Navy were laid off by the Naval Peace Establishment Act of 1801 which reduced the size of the Navy.  Only nine of the 42 captains of the Navy retained their commissions.

PERSONAL LIFE

Perry married  Sarah Wallace Alexander on August 2, 1784.  She was the descendant of an uncle of famed Scottish hero William Wallace.  They had eight children.  All five of the sons were officers in the U.S. Navy who died in the service.  The two most famous are Oliver Hazard Perry and Matthew Calbraith Perry.

I was unable to find out anything about Christopher Perry in the War of 1812.

In 1800, he became the owner of a large house in Newport, Rhode Island, that still stands and is called the Knowles-Perry House which is probably where he lived for the rest of his life.  He died in 1818. and is buried in the Belmont-Perry plot in the Island Cemetery in Newport.

--Brock-Perry

Christopher R. Perry, USN-- Part 1: Father of Some Famous Sons

I'm sure I knew that Oliver Hazard Perry had a father, but never thought anything about him until I was doing posts about ships that had been burned in the Washington Navy Yard in 1814 to prevent them from being captured by the British.  One of them was the frigate USS General Greene, another ship I had never heard of as well.

And, not only was Christopher Perry the father of Oliver Hazard, but also quite a list of other naval officers.

Here's his story.

From Wikipedia.

CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND PERRY  (December 4, 1761 - June 1, 1818)

Was an officer in the United States Navy, appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Pleas for Washington County, R.I., in 1780 and served until 1791.  He was the father of Oliver Hazard Perry and Matthew Calbraith Perry.

The Perry in my sign-off below is for Oliver Hazard Perry.

--Brock-Perry

The Three USS Columbias in the Civil War

I am writing about three U.S. Navy ships named the Columbia which took part in the Civil War in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog.

One of them was the second frigate by that name and this one was launched from the Washington Navy Yard in the 1830s.  However, it was burned when the Confederates captured the Norfolk Navy Yard.  The second one was a former blockade runner that was captured on its maiden voyage, turned into a Union blockader and ran aground and sank after just one month's service.

The third one was a former Cofederate ironclad captured at Charleston.

Three USS Columbias and not much service.

You can go to the Civil War Navy blog to read about them.

--Brock-Perry

USS General Greene-- Part 2: Quasi War, Haitian Revolution, Burned At Washington Navy Yard

While in San Domingo (today's Dominican Republic), the General Greene was with the USS Boston (later burned with the Greene at Washington navy Yard in 1814).  On December 1, 1799,  the Greene assisted in the capture of the schooner Flying Fish and then retook the American schooner Weymouth, which had been captured by the French privateer  Hope.

After that, much of her time was spent keeping an eye on the Haitian Revolution and gave artillery support to General Toussaint.  In April 1800, she carried two representatives of Toussaint to an audience with President John Adams and later convoyed 12 merchant ships to Havana

Afterwards, the Greene went to Newport, Rhode Island, where its crew was discharged.  Captain Christopher R. Perry was retired under the Peace Establishment Act of 3 April 1801.  After that, the general Greene was laid up in ordinary at Washington Navy Yard where she served as a floating sick bay for the frigate USS Constellation in 1801.

In 1805, the ship was reduced to a sheer hulk.  It was burned to prevent capture by the British August 24, 1814.

That Covers All the Ships That I Found Were Burned At the Washington Navy Yard When the British Captured Washington, D.C..

Brock-Perry