Gazette Of The United States, & Daily Advertiser

BALTIMORE, Nov. 10.

By a gentleman direct from the city of Washington, arrived last evening we have received the following information—that on Saturday evening last, about 7 o'clock, P. M. a fire broke out in the building occupied by the war-office, supposed to have commenced in the chamber of the Secretary himself, and into which fire was scarcely ever admitted. A great portion of the books and papers were destroyed; those of the accountant were saved—the aforementioned building, belonging to Mr. Joseph Hodgson, with one adjoining, belonging to Mr. Jonathan Jackson, were consumed, notwithstanding the exertions of the citizens.

In addition to the above, we have just learnt, by a letter from Washington, that Mr. Dexter's apartment, in which the fire originated, had been locked up for the last two weeks, the Secretary having gone on a journey to the northward for his family. Mr. Wolcott, with one of the clerks who first discovered the smoke issuing from the Secretary's chamber, burst open the door, but they were instantly repelled almost suffocated, and retreated with difficulty from the flames, which instantly spread over every quarter of the building. Mr. Dexter himself arrived at the unhappy moment of conflagration, very much injured by a fall from his carriage, which overturned in that city.