DISTRACTION OF THE AMERICANS. the order of the Secretary of the Navy, to prevent their capture by Cockburn's vessels.* Instead of marching at daybreak of August 23 either to Baltimore or Washington, Ross passed the next day in idleness at Marlboro. He finally decided to attack Washington, and accordingly, on the afternoon of the 23d, put his troops in motion. Nothing happened until 5 o'clock, when, having gone within ten miles of Washington, Ross struck the American outposts and saw a force posted on high ground about a mile in their front at Old Fields. The British then formed to attack; but the American force promptly dispersed, and that night the invaders camped within nine miles of the capital. † Meanwhile, on August 18, news arrived at Washington that the British fleet had appeared in the Patuxent. The President immediately sent out requisitions to the neighboring States, Monroe rushed off to play the scout along the Patuxent,‡ while Armstrong merely offered advice. Winder was nearly distracted by the letters, consultations, orders and demands which crowded upon him from morning till night, and though extremely busy, he * Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., p. 136; Armstrong, Notices of the War of 1812, vol. ii., pp. 225-226; James, Military Occurrences, vol. ii., 277 et seq. † Gleig, Campaigns, pp. 109-111, 118; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 136-137; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 127-131. American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 536. 25 did nothing, according to his own account.* Armstrong neither furnished troops, means to repel invasion nor military intelligence to carry out orders. The citizens seem to have been the only ones to take prompt and intelligent action. At a public meeting they resolved to erect works at Bladensburg at their own expense. Winder promptly accepted their offer, and by the following night the first signs of defence appeared.† At 9 o'clock on the night of August 22 Monroe sent a note to Madison saying that the enemy was in full march toward Washington; that Winder proposed to retire until the troops could be collected; that preparations should be made to destroy the bridges; and that the official papers of the government should be moved to a place of safety. On the same night a brigade of Maryland militia under General Tobias E. Stansbury arrived at Bladensburg, after a very fatiguing march, and was joined the next evening by the 5th Baltimore Regiment under Colonel Joseph Sterett and a rifle battalion under Major William Pinkney. Secretary Monroe arrived at Stansbury's quarters about midnight and, informing him of the British advance, advised him to fall on the British rear immediately. But as * Ibid, p. 554. Ibid, vol. i., p. 539; Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, p. 158. Ingraham, Events Preceding the Capture of Washington, p. 23; Lossing, War of 1812, p. 924; Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, p. 137. 26 MARCH OF THE ARMIES TOWARD BLADENSBURG. Stansbury's troops were greatly fatigued by their recent march, he declined and remained at his post during the night. Early the next morning, having heard of Winder's retreat, he crossed the bridge over the eastern branch of the Potomac and, after securing his rear, halted a few hours.† Later in the morning he again moved forward with a view of taking possession of some ground for defence, when orders were received from General Winder to give battle to the enemy at Bladensburg in case they came that way.‡ Winder was satisfied as early as noon of Monday, August 22, that the British were going to Bladensburg. But, instead of retreating there, he ordered his troops to fall back to Old Fields, about five miles in the rear of the Wood Yard and about seven miles from the navy yard. With this force (3,200 men) at his command, Winder ought to have attacked Ross, but he spent Tuesday afternoon, August 23, in scouting. Convinced that the British would not march that day, he rode off about noon for Bladensburg, leaving the army to itself. Hardly had he gone from camp when Ross resumed his march and made directly for Old Fields. Some resistance * American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., pp. 528, 536, 560; Ingraham, p. 24. American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 572. Ibid., vol. i., pp. 561, 568, 572. || Lossing, War of 1812, p. 923. § American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., pp. 556, 563. might have been made by the Americans, had not Winder been summoned to return. On his arrival on the field at 5 o'clock he ordered a retreat.* But, instead of going to Bladensburg, as every military reason required, he fell back to Washington by way of the bridge over the eastern branch of the Potomac, and camped in the navy yard.† Thus Winder carefully guarded a bridge a quarter of a mile long over an impassable river, defended by the guns of the war vessels and the navy yard, but left open the Bladensburg road leading directly to the capital and the White House. Accordingly the British broke camp early on the morning of the 24th and started for Bladensburg. Winder had been uncertain as to what to do and wrote to Armstrong asking the advice of the Cabinet. The members of the Cabinet repaired to headquarters, but hardly had they arrived when information was received that the British were marching toward Bladensburg.§ Camp was instantly broken and in less than an hour the President, Secretaries, generals, regulars, militia, volunteers and sailors were on the way to Bladensburg.¶ Monroe with some Maryland militia * Ibid., pp. 528, 556, 564. See also Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, p. 176 et seq. Lossing, War of 1812, p. 925. James, Military Occurrences, vol. ii., p. 283. American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 548. § Ibid, vol. i., pp. 564, 574. See also Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, chap. x. Lossing, War of 1812, p. 926. THE BATTLE OF BLADENSBURG. was the first to reach the field and upon his arrival there found the ground already ocupied by General Stansbury and the Baltimore troops. General Winder arrived at noon and rode about the field. At the same time the British light brigade made its appearance about a mile away.* The eastern branch of the Potomac, which was broad and deep near the navy yard, was narrow and shallow at Bladensburg and was spanned by a bridge over which the road to Washington passed. In a ravine near the eastern bank of this stream was the little village of Bladensburg. The western bank was hilly and on these hills Stansbury had drawn up his Maryland troops. On the western side of the stream the Washington road was crossed at an acute angle by the road to Georgetown, and in the triangular field formed by these two roads Stansbury posted his troops. On a little eminence about 1,000 feet from the bridge was a barbette earthwork behind which were the artillery companies from Baltimore, 150 strong with 6 6-pounders under Myers and Magruder. On the right of the battery near the junction of the roads. were Pinkney's riflemen. In the rear of the left of the battery, near a barn and the Georgetown road, were two militia companies under Captains Ducher and Gorsuch. About 50 yards in the rear of Pinkney's riflemen were * American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 557. 27 Joseph Sterett's 5th Baltimore volunteers, and the regiments of Ragan and Schutz were drawn up en eschelon commanding the Georgetown road, their right on the left of the companies of Ducher and Gorsuch.* Upon his arrival, however, Monroe made a change without consulting Stansbury, moving the commands of Sterett, Ragan and Schutz about a quarter mile to the rear of the artillery and rifle. men, with their right resting on the Washington road. In the meantime Winder arrived on the field and posted a third line in the crown of the hill, about a mile from the Bladensburg bridge. Colonel E. D. Beall's Maryland militia was stationed on the extreme right; Barney with his sailors and 2 18-pounders formed the centre; and Colonel Magruder's District militia, the regulars and militia, and the battery under George Peter formed the left. Magruder was immediately on the left of Barney's battery, his right resting on the Washington road. To the left of Magruder in order were Major Waring with a battalion of Maryland militia, Colonel Brent with the 2d Regiment of General Samuel Smith's brigade, the regulars under Colonel William Scott, and the companies of Captain John Davidson and Stull. * Ibid, vol. i., p. 529. Ibid, pp. 536-537. Ibid, p. 561; Ingraham, Events Preceding the Capture of Washington, pp. 30-31; Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 926-928; Brackenridge, History of the Late War, p. 258. THE BATTLE OF BLADENSBURG. Meanwhile Barney and his sailors had been left at the navy yard with orders to destroy the bridge in case of defeat, though this could have been done as easily by five men. But Barney remonstrated to Secretary Jones and was finally allowed to march toward Bladensburg.† On beholding the rout of the American army, Barney halted on the hillside about a mile. from Bladensburg, placed his guns in position to sweep the main road and calmly waited for the enemy to attack. He reserved his fire until the enemy approached, when he ordered his 18pounder to be fired, which completely * American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., pp. 529, 548, 558, 565, 570-571, 573, 584, 586; Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washington, chap. xii.; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 137-142; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 139140; Brackenridge, History of the Late War, p. 259; Ingraham, Events Preceding the Capture of Washington, p. 32. American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 576. The naval defence and the service of the sailors at Bladensburg is noted in Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, p. 317; Mrs. Barney, Biographical Memoir of Commodore Barney, chap. xvii. VOL, VI-3 29 cleared the road.* A second and third attempt were made by the enemy to come forward, but both attempts were repulsed. They then crossed into an open field and attempted to flank Barney's right, but were met there by three 12-pounders and utterly cut up. Such a battle, however, could not continue long, since there were but 400 men against 4,000. The British finally entered a ravine, filed off by the right and left and attacked Barney on both flanks. The troops under Beall stationed on Barney's right were expected to render Barney efficient aid, but they were quickly dispersed by the British, who soon began the attack on the sailors from the rear. Even then they stood their ground, serving the guns with such quickness and precision that for half an hour every effort of the British to take the position was frustrated. At last, however, Barney fell seriously wounded, and as many of the gunners had been killed or severely wounded, and as the ammunition wagons had gone off in the disorder,§ the sailors retreated, leaving their guns and their leader with the British.T *American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., p. 529. Ibid, pp. 529, 579. Ibid, p. 530; Lossing, War of 1812, p. 930. Williams, Invasion and Capture of Washing: ton, p. 233 et seq.; Lossing, War of 1812, p. 931. § American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. i., pp. 530, 580. Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., pp. 136-137; Ingraham, Events Preceding the Capture of Washington, p. 33; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 142–144; McMaster, vol. iv., p. 140. |
