The battle of bladensburg

The Battle of Bladensburg occurred on August 24, 1814 when 5,000 British Regulars under the leadership of Admiral Sir George Cockburn and Major General Robert Ross encountered 5,100 troops and 500 marines lead by General William Winder and Commodore Joshua Barney in Bladensburg.  The battle was termed "the greatest disgrace ever dealt to American arms" and "the most humiliating episode in American history".[38] The American militia actually fled through the streets of Washington. President James Madison and most of the rest of the federal government had been present at the battle and had nearly been captured. They too fled the capital and scattered through Maryland and Virginia. That same night the British entered Washington unopposed and set fire to many of the government buildings in what became known as the Burning of Washington.

President James Madison sent Secretary of State James Monroe out to reconnoiter, and on August 23rd, Madison received a frightening dispatch from Monroe… “The enemy are in full March to Washington, Have the materials prepared to destroy the bridges, PS – You had better remove the records.” To the later regrets of President Madison and his advisers, Monroe’s reports were ignored. Incorrect deductions were drawn on the fact that the British troops maneuvered to give the Americans the impression that Baltimore was their destination, and General Armstrong could not be convinced that Washington would be the target of the invasion and not Baltimore, an important center of commerce. As a precaution, two bridges across the Anacostia River were destroyed to protect the Capital, thus leaving a route through Bladensburg as the logical approach. General Winder sent troops to Marlborough to intercept the British, but they hurried back when they learned the enemy was already entering Bladensburg. Finally, several regiments of the Maryland Militia were called from Baltimore to defend the Capital. 

The strongest repulse against the British was made by Commodore Joshua Barney and his almost 600 seasoned Marines and sailors. They were valiant fighters, however, the authorities in Washington “forgot” Barney for several days. Without orders they were tardy arrivals on the field of contest. Had they been supplied with sufficient ammunition and supporting infantry, the course of the battle could have been changed.

Even though the Americans numbered about 7,000, they were poorly trained, equipped and deployed. The determined sweep of the British was so strong that a general route began which swept the defenders back to Washington. By four o’clock the battle was over, and the Americans were defeated due to delay, indifference, and indecision. 

The British then moved on toward the Capital. By the end of the same day, the Capitol building, the President’s Mansion, and many other public buildings were in flames. The following day more buildings were burned. At about noon a tremendous storm of hurricane force descended upon the city halting further destruction. 

With their mission accomplished, the British feared the Americans would reassemble their forces and attack while they were in the vulnerable position of being a long distance from their fleet. The men were miserable in the 98-degree temperatures. They were tired, ill, and wounded. At dusk the troops quietly withdrew from the city. The troops were so exhausted that many died of fatigue on the four-day march back to the ships, several deserted, but the body of men marched on. Four days later August 30th, they re-embarked at Benedict. Three weeks later the British assaulted Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor.