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THE

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WRITTEN SHORTLY AETER THE
CAPTURE OF WASHINGTON CITY,
August 24, 1814.

[Probably it is not generally known, that the flight of MAHOMET,
the flight of JOHN GILPIN, and the flight of BLADENSBURG, all
occurred on the twenty-fourth of August.]

PRINTED FOR THE PURCHASER.
1816

REPKINTED 1865.
SEVENTY-FIVE COPIES.

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-£>. -6? &*~*^

Cl ';' 0.057 o

BLADENSBURG RACES.

James Madison a Soldier was,
Of courage and renown,
And Generalissimo was he
Of famous Washington.
Quoth Madison unto his Dear,
" Though frighted we have been
" These two last tedious weeks, yet we
" No enemy have seen.
"To-morrow is the twenty-fourth,
" And much indeed I fear
" That then, or on the following day,
" lhat Cockburn will be here."
" To-morrow, then," quoth she, " we'll fly,
" As fast as we can pour
" Northward, unto Montgomery,
" All in our coach and four.

[4]
" My sister Cutts, and Cutts, and I,
" And Cutts's children three,
" Will fill the coach — so you must ride
" On horseback, after we,"
He soon replied, " I do admire
" Of human kind but one,
" And you are she, my Dolly dear ;
" Therefore it shall be done.
"lama Generalissimo,
" As all the world doth know ;
" And my good friend and namesake too,
" Shall mount his horse, and go.
" My trusty steed, the Griffin bold,
" Will bear me safely through ;
" And Cockburn is a lucky dog,
" If e'er he catch Monroe.
" We'll start as though for Bladensburg,
" But, when we've clear'd the town,
" We'll for Montgom'ry, and o'ertake
" The coach at early noon."

[5]
Quoth Mistress Dolly, " That's well said ;
" For, should it once transpire,
" That to Montgom'ry you are fled,
" 'Twill set the town on fire."
The General kiss'd his loving wife;
O'erjoy'd was he to find,
Though bent on running off, she'd still
His 7wnor in her mind.
The morning came — the coach was brought,
But yet was not allow'd
To drive up to the door, for fear
The Mob should grumble loud.
At Brother Cutts' the coach was staid,
Where they did all get in —
Six precious souls, and all agog
To dash through thick and thin.
Smack went the whip — round went the wheels,
Were never folks so glad :
The dust did rise beneath the coach,
As though the dust were mad.

[6 ]
The General, at his horse's side,
Seiz'd fast the flowing mane,
And up he got in haste to start,
But soon stopt short again :
For saddle-tree scarce reach'd had he,
And seated to his mind,
When, turning round his face, he saw
His Cabinet behind.
Monroe was there, and Armstrong bold,
No bolder man mote be :
And Rush, th' Attorney- Oe-ne-ral ;
All on their horses three.
Not so the Boatswain : — lo ! he sat
In his hir'd house alone,
And penn'd two letters, to be sent
As soon as they were done :
The first to save the Navv-Yard,
Order'd it to be fir'd;
The other, dated back, to cheat
Tlie man, whose house he hir'd.

EH
" Monroe, you're late !" quoth Madison —
" 'Tis late indeed, I fear,
" For us to steer for Bladensburg :
" The British are too near."
The Cabinet on horseback sat,
And there they reason'd high,
If for the camp they should set out,
Or northward straight should fly.
Not long before the gallant four
Had plann'd it in their mind,
When Cuffee scream' d, " De Shappo-hat
" And Sword be leave behind !"
" Good lack !" quoth he, " then bring 'em me,
" My leathern belt likewise,
'* In which I bear my trusty sword,
" When I do exercise."
Now Mistress Dolly (careful soul !)
Two wrapper-bags had found,
To hold the sword and chapeau-bras,
And keep them safe and sound.

[8]
Up Cuffee starts — and brings the bags,
And lays them open wide ;
Then puts the chapeau on his head,
The sword upon his side.
Then over all, that he might be
Equipp'd from top to toe,
His long blue cloak, well brush'd and neat,
He manfully did throw.
Now see him starting once again
Upon his nimble steed,
Full slowly pacing through the street,
With caution and good heed.
But gaining soon the country road
Beneath his well-shod feet,
The snorting beast began to trot,
Which gall'd him in his seat.
As luck would have it, all at once,
At distance in the rear,
Six gallant troopers, mounted well,
Approaching did appear.

[9]
And one upon his bugle-horn,
So loud a blast did blow,
Our Hero wish'd him ten miles off —
He scar'd the Griffin so.
So — " Fair and softly !" James did cry ;
But James he cri'd in vain :
The Griffin gallop'd off outright,
In spite of curb or rein.
So, stooping down, (as needs he must,
Who cannot sit upright,)
He grasp'd the mane with both his hands,
And eke with all his might.

'b1

Away went he — and after him
Our heroes rode apace : —
They little dreamt, when they set out,
Of running such a race.
Griffin, who never had before
Been handled in this kind,
Affrighted fled; and, as he fled,
Left all the world behind.
2

[10]
The wind did blow ; the cloak did fly,
Like streamer long and blue,
Till, loop and button failing both,
At last — away it flew !
Then, might all people well discern
This gallant Little Man :
His sword did thump behind his back,
So merrily he ran.
Bush follow'd on, and Armstrong scream'd
The troopers, one and all;
And eke Monroe cri'd out, I guess,
As loud as he could bawl :
" Stop there ! your Excellency ! stop !
" The northern road you'll pass ! —
" We'll get into a pretty scrape,
"If further on we chase."
This well he knew — yet on he went —
And on they follow'd too ; —
For whenso'er the Devil drives,
There's never any Whoa !

[11]
And still as fast as he rode on,
'Twas marvellous to view
How he outrode the Cabinet,
And eke the troopers too.
And now, as he went bowing down,
His little head full low,
His sword flew up against his hat,
And gave him such a blow,
Off went at once his chapeau-bras,
And fell into the road ;
Our Hero never stopt thereat,
But onward still he rode.
Thus, all along the District through,
These gambols he did play,
Until he came unto the spot
Where Winder's forces lay.
There, as the colours flapp'd the air,
And all the music play'd,
Griffin stopt short, as well he might,
And James he rais'd his head.

[12]
Up came Monroe, and Armstrong too,
And Rush brought up the hat ; —
The troopers pass'd, and hung their heads,
Asham'd that they were beat.
" Where are the British ? Winder, where ?
" And Cochburn, where is he ? —
" D'ye think your men will fight, or run,
" When they the British see ?
" Armstrong and Rush, stay here in camp ;
" I'm sure you're not afraid ; —
" Ourself will now return ; and you,
" Monroe, shall be our aid.

J5

" And, Winder, do not fire your guns,
" Nor let your trumpets play,
" Till we are out of sight — Forsooth,
" My horse will run away."
The camp he quits : Monroe and he
With speed their steps retrace ;
And soon they gain'd the northern road,
So rapid was their pace.

[13]
Then, speaking to his horse, he said,
" I am in haste to dine ;
" 'Twas for your pleasure I came here ;
" You shall go back for mine."
Ah ! luckless word, and bootless boast,
For which he paid full dear ! —
Just as he spake, a cannonade
Did roar most loud and clear.
Whereat his horse did snort, as if
He heard a lion roar,
And gallop'd off with all his might,
As he had done before.
Away went Madison — away
Went chapeau-bras once more,
So frighted was the horse, it fell
Much sooner than before.
Monroe did ride, and soon they met ;
He tri'd to stop Jem's horse
By seizing fast the flowing rein,
Which only made things worse :

[14]
For, not performing what he meant,
And gladly would have done,
He thereby scar'd the Griffin more
And made him faster run.
Away went Madison — away
Monroe went at his heels —
And, all the while, his lab'ring back,
A merry thumping feels.
Now, at Montgomery, his wife,
Out of the window, spi'd
Her gallant husband, wond'ring much
To see how he did ride.
" Stop, stop ! your highness, here's the house !"
They all at once did roar :
" Here, at Montgom'ry, you're as safe
As ten miles off, or more : —

v

" Stop him, Monroe, here's sister Cutts,
" The girls, and Cutts, and I ;
" The dinner's cold, and we are tir'd,"
Monroe says, " So am I."

[15 ]
But neither horse, nor James, a whit
Inclin'd to tarry there ;
For why ? — the distant cannonade
Was rumbling in his rear.
So, like an arrow swift, he flew,
Shot from an archer's bow ;
So did he fly — so after him
As swift did fly Monroe.
Six gentlemen upon the road
Beheld our General ride —
Monroe behind — the chapeaa gone ;
The broadsword by his side.
"What News? What News? your highness — say
Not one of them was mute :
He pass'd right on — they, one and all,
Soon join'd in the pursuit.
But all the windows on the road
Flew open in short space ;
The women thinking, I suppose,
Our General rode Express.

r

[16]
And so he did ; for he first bore
The news to Fredericktown ;
Nor stopt, from where he first got up
Till he again got down.
Now long live Madison, the brave !
And Armstrong, long live he !
And Rush ! and Cutts ! Monroe ! and Jones :
And Dolly, long live She !
And when their Country's Cause at stake,
Our General and Monroe
Next take the field to lead our troops
Against th' invading foe :
But fly their posts — ere the first gun
Has echo'd o'er the wave,
Stop! stop! POTOWMAC! ! stop thy course !
Nor pass MOUNT VERNON'S Grave!

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