Enemy Camp

More than 4,000 British troops camped in this valley and the surrounding hills on August 19, 1814, after leaving their ships anchored at Benedict and heading north on August 20. Over the next ten days they marched through grueling heat and storms, defeated American forces at Bladensburg, occupied the U.S. capital, and then returned to their ships. British Lt. George Robert Gleig recalled a valley cultivated for some way and intersected with orchards, at the further extremity of which the advanced piquets took their ground. This farm was called the Dorsey Place, and Clement Dorsey had warned British officers of an alleged poisoning attempt while they occupied Benedict on June 15, 1814, when at least one barrel of arsenic-infused whiskey was apparently set out for the enemy raiders.

Maryland · United States