Of the Americans, six had been slightly wounded, and one mortally. Of the hundred houses in Ston{273}ington, forty had been more or less injured, ten of them badly, and two or three were entirely destroyed. The enemy had thrown in more than sixty tons of metal. Colonel Randall, the commanding officer, received high praise for the manner in which he had conducted the defence, as did also Lieutenants Lathrop and Hough. There were smaller affairs of the same nature, at various points along the New England coast. At Wareham the enemy landed in safety by means of a flag of truce, and then burned a large cotton factory and the vessels at their moorings. At Scituate also they burned the shipping. But at Boothbay the militia rallied and drove them off with considerable loss. The attempt to land was repeated on several different days, but every time without success. CHAPTER XVII. THE WASHINGTON CAMPAIGN. {274} _Ross's Expedition against Washington--Battle of Bladensburg--Destraction of the Capital--Capitulation of Alexandria--Comments of the London Times--Expedition against Baltimore--Death of Sir Peter Parker--Battle of North Point--Death of General Ross--Bombardment of Fort McHenry--How a Famous Song was written._ |But these little affairs along the coast were of small consequence in comparison with what befell the capital of the country. Relieved by the peace in Europe, the English Government resolved to prosecute the American war with greater vigor, and fixed upon the policy of striking at the cities. Baltimore, Washington, Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans were all marked for capture or destruction. A powerful British fleet was sent to the Bermudas, and a large number of veteran troops transported thither, and the commanders on our coasts were directed to draw thence such forces as they might need for their expeditions. That Washington was likely to be the object of a hostile demonstration of some kind, was known to the Administration for months, but no efficient {275}measures were taken to meet it. President Madison and General Armstrong, Secretary of War, did not like each other, and neither man was large enough not to let his personal feelings stand in the way of the country's interests. When the President urged that something should be done to avert the danger that threatened the capital, General Armstrong opposed the proposition with such abstruse reasons as that "militia were always most effective when first called out."