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- British military leaders drew up a plan to decisively end the war, crafting a strategy to take control of the New England states and focus an attack on New Orleans, thereby separating north and south by cutting off critical transportation routes in both regions.
www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/bladensburgBladensburg Battle Facts and Summary - American Battlefield Trust
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The burning of Washington went down in history as the only foreign attack on the nation’s capital until the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The embarrassing defeat at Bladensburg, coupled with the destruction of Washington, D.C., depleted American morale.
- Visit Bladensburg Battlefield
A major battle in the War of 1812, the Battle of Bladensburg...
- Bladensburg - August 24, 1814
The Battle of Bladensburg opened the road for the British...
- William Winder
He proved to be a less than effective commander at the...
- Burning of Washington
On August 24, 1814, British forces invaded America's young...
- Battle of Bladensburg | American Battlefield Trust
Historical map of the Battle of Bladensburg. The Battle of...
- Visit Bladensburg Battlefield
The Battle of Bladensburg, also known as the Bladensburg Races, took place during the Chesapeake Campaign, part of the War of 1812, on 24 August 1814, at Bladensburg, Maryland, 8.6 miles (13.8 km) northeast of Washington, D.C.
- August 24, 1814
- British victory(see Aftermath section)
The Battle of Bladensburg, August 24, 1814, ended in defeat for the United States and cleared the way for British troops to invade Washington, DC. © Richard Schlecht. “The enemy are in full march to Washington. Have the materials to destroy the bridges.”.
- Armies & Commanders
- Battle of Bladensburg: Background
- The British Advance
- The American Response
- The American Position
- Fighting Begins
- Americans Routed
- Aftermath
Americans 1. Brigadier General William Winder 2. 6,900 men British 1. Major General Robert Ross 2. Rear Admiral George Cockburn 3. 4,500 men
With the defeat of Napoleon in early 1814, the British were able to turn increasing attention to their war with the United States. A secondary conflict while the wars with France raged, they now began sending additional troops west in an effort to win a swift victory. While General Sir George Prevost, the governor-general of Canada and commander of...
Though Barney considered trying to move his gunboats overland to the South River, Secretary of the Navy William Jones vetoed this plan over concerns that the British might capture them. Maintaining pressure on Barney, Cockburn forced the American commander to scuttle his flotilla on August 22 and retreat overland towards Washington. Marching north ...
Assessing his options, Ross elected to advance on Washington from the east as moving to the south would involve locating a crossing over the Potomac's Eastern Branch (Anacostia River). By moving from the east, the British would advance through Bladensburg where the river was narrower and a bridge existed. In Washington, the Madison Administration c...
Establishing a new position on the west bank, Stansbury's artillery built a fortification which had limited fields of fire and could not adequately cover the bridge. Stansbury was soon joined by Brigadier General Walter Smith of the District of Columbia militia. The new arrival did not confer with Stansbury and formed his men in a second line nearl...
On the morning of August 24, Winder met with President James Madison, Secretary of War John Armstrong, Secretary of State James Monroe, and other members of the Cabinet. When it became clear that Bladensburg was the British target, they moved to the scene. Riding ahead, Monroe arrived at Bladensburg, and though he had no authority to do so, tinkere...
Pressing forward, the British soon came under fire from Smith's men as well as Barney's and Captain George Peter's guns. The 85th attacked again and Thornton was badly wounded with the American line holding. As before, the 44th began moving around the American left and Winder ordered Smith to retreat. These orders failed to reach Barney and his sai...
Later dubbed the "Bladensburg Races" due to the nature of the defeat, the American rout left the road to Washington open for Ross and Cockburn. In the fighting, the British lost 64 killed and 185 wounded, while Winder's army suffered only 10-26 killed, 40-51 wounded, and around 100 captured. Pausing in the intense summer heat, the British resumed t...
The story of the Battle of Bladensburg has many fascinating aspects. The British used this new technology to unnerve the Americans. Colonial Marines. Escaped slaves from the Chesapeake region enlisted with the British and fought with distinction at the battle. Joshua Barney's Bargemen.
Oct 3, 2017 · Robert James. On August 24, the Americans arrived on the field first and began taking up positions just to the west of town facing the Eastern Branch of the Potomac River — today more commonly known as the Anacostia — which was spanned by a small wooden bridge leading into Bladensburg.
Jul 9, 2019 · In 1814 James Madison rode into the Battle of Bladensburg and became the first sitting president to be on a battlefield under fire. It was close to noon on August 24, 1814, when a 4,500-man British army finally marched within sight of Bladensburg, Maryland, nine miles northeast of Washington, D.C.
