War of 1812, Part 33: The Battle of Bladensburg

The New Nation
Written By Tom Hand

On the morning of August 24, 1814, a scout brought word to President James Madison that the British were on their way to Bladensburg, ten miles from the nation’s capital. The American commander, General William Winder, ordered General Tobias Stansbury to deploy his brigade of Maryland militiamen just west of Bladensburg. By noon, the American army, some 7,000 men, had assembled on the field. However, shortly after General Stansbury had organized his lines, Secretary of State James Monroe arrived and made several changes without consulting Stansbury. General Robert Ross and lead elements of the British army arrived at Bladensburg early that afternoon. Without waiting for the rest of the army and artillery to arrive, Ross ordered Colonel William Thornton and his 85th Light Infantry regiment to attack and soon one militia unit after another took to its heels.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses the Battle of Bladensburg and why it still matters today.

 

Images courtesy of National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Internet Archive, Naval History and Heritage Command, Smithsonian Institution, Brown University Library, Library of Congress, Wikimedia.

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Tom Hand
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War of 1812, Part 32: Washington in Chaos