On E Street in the capital, the Washington Infirmary, now a military hospital, burns to the ground

The Washington Infirmary had been opened on E Street, in Washington D.C. in 1843 as a teaching institution for the George Washington University Medical School and was the first general hospital in the capital.  When war broke out, the government reclaimed the building and used it as a military hospital.  In the early morning hours of November 4, 1861, fire was discovered and very quickly the entire building was in flames.  Around a hundred patients were hastily evacuated.  Remarkably, no serious injuries were reported. (By John Osborne)