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Virginia Argus
Richmond, Virginia
What is this article about?
On November 8, 1800, a fire in the Federal City destroyed the War Department office and most revolutionary records, plus the neighboring house. The affected family had lost its head that afternoon, disrupting his planned burial.
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" Last evening, about 8 o'clock, from some accident not yet correctly accounted for, the office of the Department of War was entirely consumed by fire, with all the records from the earliest period of our revolution, except a few boxes of papers and books in the accountant's room and the passage of the office. Very little was to be expected from the exertions of the citizens in a place so thinly inhabited as our infant city : and it is not to be wondered at that the adjoining house was also destroyed.
It is peculiarly fortunate that there were no other buildings contiguous, as they must inevitably have shared the same fate. The loss to our country at large, from this accident, must be immense, as it is morally impossible to repair the loss of the Records. The misery and distress of the family who lived next to the office, must be extreme indeed--- at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the head of this unfortunate family was summoned to the mansion of peace, and his lifeless corpse had nearly been deprived of that respectful interment which his friends intended this afternoon."
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Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Federal City
Event Date
November 8, 1800
Outcome
office of the department of war and adjoining house destroyed; all records from the earliest period of the revolution lost except a few boxes of papers and books; head of neighboring family died at 2 o'clock in the afternoon; burial nearly deprived by the fire
Event Details
Last evening, about 8 o'clock, from some accident not yet correctly accounted for, the office of the Department of War was entirely consumed by fire, with all the records from the earliest period of our revolution, except a few boxes of papers and books in the accountant's room and the passage of the office. The adjoining house was also destroyed. No other buildings contiguous. Loss to the country immense and irrepairable. Misery to the family in the adjoining house extreme, as their head died at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and his burial was intended that afternoon but nearly prevented.