GENERAL HISTORY. 



[iSo 



hand, it cannot be concealed, that 

 the extent of devastation prac- 

 tised by the victors, brouoht a 

 heavy censure upon the British 

 character, not only in America, 

 but on the continent of Europe. 

 It is acknowledged, that strict dis- 

 cipline was observed, while the 

 troops were in possession of Wash- 

 ington, and private property was 

 anxiously protected ; but the de- 

 struction not only of every esta- 

 blishment connected with war, 

 but of edifices consecrated to the 

 purposes of civil government, and 

 affording specimens of the ad- 

 vance of the fine arts among a 

 rising people, was thought an in- 

 dulgence of animosity more suit- 

 able to the times of barbarism, 

 than to an age and nation in which 

 hostility is softened by sentiments 

 of generosity, and civilized po- 

 licy. 



If there be such a thing as hu- 

 manized war, its principle must 

 consist in inflicting no other evils 

 upon an enemy, than are neces- 

 sary to promote the success of 

 warlike operations. This indeed 

 may be construed so as to admit 

 of a wide scope of mischief, and it 

 will sometimes scarcely be possible 

 to draw the line between allowa- 

 ble and illicit injury. But there 

 are cases in which no ambiguity 

 exists, and those of the destruc- 

 tion of useful or ornamental works, 

 the purpose of which is altogether 

 pacific, seem to be of this kind. 

 History presents many instances 

 of the hostile conflagration of 

 palaces, which have seldom failed 

 to be reprobated as acts of un- 

 manly vengeance. Retaliation, 

 indeed, has usually been the pre- 

 text for hostilities exceeding the 

 prescribed lutasurc ; and in the 



present case, the excesses com- 

 mitted by the Americans in their 

 invasion of Canada have been 

 made the apology for the devas- 

 tations at Washington. But it has 

 appeared in the preceding narra- 

 tive, that due retribution had al- 

 ready been inflicted for those enor- 

 mities, with the promise that the 

 punishment should not be carried 

 farther without fresh provocation. 

 If the matter be considered in a 

 simply political light, it can 

 scarcely be thought desirable that 

 unnecessary severities should be 

 practised, which must leave a deep 

 and durable resentment in the 

 bosoms of a people, with whom a 

 restoration of the relations of peace 

 and amity is so much to be wished. 

 Such reflections as these will na- 

 turally occur to every one, who 

 has at heart the honour and moral 

 reputation of his country, as well 

 as its character for military 

 prowess. 



It has been mentioned, that a 

 part of the operations against 

 Washington consisted in dispatch- 

 ing a force against fort Washing- 

 ton, situated upon the Potowmac 

 below that city. Capt. Gordon 

 of the Sea-horse, the commander 

 of this expedition, proceeded with 

 several other vessels up the Potow- 

 mac on Au/Tust 17th, but for want 

 of pilots was not able, after severe 

 labour, to reach the fort till the 

 27th. On the evening of that 

 day he began the bombardment of 

 the place, the efliect of which was 

 such, that after the explosion of 

 a powder-magazine, the garrison 

 evacuated it, and possession was 

 taken of the fort and batteries at 

 day-light on the 28th. A number 

 of pieces of heavy ordnance were 

 found spiked in the works, the 



