Second Line Falls

The second of three defensive lines blocking the British advance on Washington stretched along the first set of hills overlooking the river. American militia, unprepared to face seasoned war veterans, held firm against the initial assault at the bridge but gave way when the British rushed again and pushed through the first two lines, leaving only the third. British Lieutenant George Robert Gleig, an eyewitness, wrote that the American troops were drawn up in three lines, like so many regiments upon a gala parade, with guns used as connecting links to a chain. Many Americans later blamed the perceived rout at Bladensburg on poor leadership in the field. During a congressional inquiry, Brigadier General William Winder was said to be unfit for any important command, and an anonymous 1816 poem, Bladensburg Races, also faulted President Madison and Secretary James Monroe for ineffective leadership.

Colmar Manor, Maryland · United States