Surrender of Alexandria

On August 29th 1814, The City Council of Alexandria passed the following resolution half-heartedly capitulating to the British.

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    Resolved, That the Common Council of Alexandria, in assenting to the conditions offered by the commander of the British squadron, now off the town, has acted from the impulse of irresistible necessity, and solely from a regard to the welfare of the town; that it considers the assent by it given as only formal, inasmuch as the enemy had it already in their power to enforce a compliance with their' demand by a seizure of the property required from us; and believing the safety of the persons of the inhabitants, of their dwellings, and of such property as is not comprehended within the requisition, to depend entirely on the observance of the terms of it, the Common Council recommends to the inhabitants an acquiescence, at the same time that it does expressly disclaim the power of doing any act on its part to enforce compliance, its authority, in this particular, being limited to recommendation only.

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This resolution was the answer to Gordon's previously delivered terms.

—American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive of the Congress of the United States, Part 5, Volume 1, Page 591.