Undaunted In Battle

During the War of 1812, American soldiers, sailors, and Marines fought and died here defending the nation's capital, including Commodore Joshua Barney of the U.S. Navy, who after being wounded by approaching British troops was assisted by Charles Ball, a former slave and U.S. Navy flotillaman, and by a U.S. Marine. Barney and a force of nearly 500 troops refused to retreat until ordered by their commander and stood undaunted in defense of Washington, D.C. On August 19, 1814, about 4500 British troops under Major General Robert Ross landed in Southern Maryland, marched to Upper Marlboro, held a council of war, and advanced toward Washington, arriving in Bladensburg on August 24, 1814. The American force, nearly 6000 strong and made up largely of militia along with U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine regulars, held ground across the river from Bladensburg. At noon the British crossed the bridge and attacked, using Congreve Rockets whose sound and red glare distracted and confused the Americans. American riflemen and artillery inflicted significant casualties as the British crossed, but another British contingent forded the river to the north and outflanked a militia artillery regiment from Baltimore. General William Winder then ordered the Americans to fall back, and the untrained militia dissolved into confusion and full retreat. Although the battle was lost, Barney's men, armed with muskets, boarding pikes, cutlasses, and heavy cannon, fought vigorously and launched several counterattacks. Barney's stand delayed the British and provided valuable time for the evacuation of the nation's capital. While rallying his troops and directing cannon fire, Barney was severely wounded in the right thigh by a musket ball; surrounded and unable to stand, he ordered his troops to withdraw without him and was soon captured. General Ross recognized the valor of Barney and his Marines and flotillamen, accepted his surrender with respect, and immediately paroled him. Ross and Rear Admiral George Cockburn then marched the British into Washington, where many government buildings, including the Capitol and the White House, were burned. As the British returned to their ships, they arrested Dr. William Beanes of Upper Marlboro for capturing and jailing British stragglers. Held aboard ship as the British sailed toward Baltimore, Beanes became the focus of an appeal by Francis Scott Key, a Maryland-born Georgetown attorney, who sought his release. On the night of September 13, 1814, after returning to an American flag of truce ship in Baltimore harbor, Key witnessed the unsuccessful naval bombardment of Fort McHenry and was inspired to write "The Star-Spangled Banner," later the national anthem. Before the bombardment of Fort McHenry, the British had landed at North Point near Baltimore, where General Ross was killed in action during a skirmish. Unable to take Fort McHenry or advance on Baltimore, the British withdrew their forces and eventually left the Chesapeake Bay.

Bladensburg, Maryland · United States