Then, snatching up the precious parchment on which the Declaration of Independence was written, and which contained the names of the fifty-six signers of that document, she entered the carriage with her sister and two others, and the four were driven away to a place of safety beyond the Potomac.  The picture was saved, and it now adorns one of the reception rooms in the White House.

The British entered Washington at sunset, August 24, 1814, and at once began to plunder, burn and destroy.  The capitol, president’s house, treasury buildings, arsenal and barracks were burned, and of the public buildings only the patent office was saved.  Some private houses were plundered and others were burned.  While these buildings were blazing in the city, the public vessels and other government property at the navy yard were in flames, for Commodore Tingey, who was in command there, had been ordered to destroy this property in case it was likely to fall into the hands of the invaders.  Two millions of dollars’ worth of public property were destroyed on that night.

On the 27th of August, three days later, Alexandria was plundered of her public stores by the British.  Having taken an enormous amount as ransom for the city, the British sailed down the Potomac, annoyed part of the way by the guns from the American forts.

Fernando Stevens’ riflemen, after the battle of Bladensburg, hastened toward Baltimore, which they knew to be also threatened.  Here they found the people energetically making every possible effort to defend the city.  Fort McHenry, which commanded the harbor, was garrisoned by about a thousand men, under Major Armistead, and was supported by redoubts.  Fernando’s riflemen were assigned to General Stricker.

On September 11, 1814, the enemy appeared off Patapsco Bay, and before sunrise on the 12th had landed, nine thousand strong, at North Point, twelve miles from Baltimore.  When news came that the British were landing on North Point, General Smith, who had about nine thousand men under his command, sent General Stricker with more than three thousand of them, to watch the enemy, and act as circumstances might require.

Fernando Stevens’ riflemen accompanied Stricker, and were sent forward down a rocky ravine, where they might watch the enemy.  Fernando left his men in the deepest hollow while he, with only ten or twelve, crept forward behind some large stones which lay at the roadside.  About ten paces to the right of Fernando was Sukey, with his formidable rifle resting in the hollow of his left arm.  Soon the head of the long column could be seen advancing up the broad thoroughfare.  Fernando saw two gayly-dressed officers riding at the head.  He afterward learned that they were Generals Ross and Cockburn.

“Say, Fernando,” said Sukey, “those fellows are officers, ain’t they?”

“Yes.”

“Must be generals by the clothes they wear?”

“Perhaps.”