In the summer of 1814, in order to divide and confuse the American defenders, the British sent naval squadrons up the Potomac and the Chesapeake Bay and their main force up the Patuxent River. A summer of the British raiding and burning towns and farms along the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers in a campaign of terror ensued. However, the British had their sights on a much larger prize. Unfortunately, the Americans could not figure out where the British intended to attack — were they after Annapolis, Baltimore, or Washington, DC?
In the third week of August 1814 the coordinated British invasion began. From August 19 through the morning of August 20 more than 50 British warships, transports, and boats brought 4370 men, ammunition, and supplies ashore at the small port town of Benedict on the Patuxent River. This site was selected because of the relatively deep water and the access to good roads. Still the question remained for the Americans: were the British headed to Annapolis or Washington, DC?
Sunday, August 21, Captain Sir Peter Parker of the H.M. Menelaus launched a night attack on the Severn River’s Fort Madison with 200 men. The intent of the raid was undoubtedly to capture Annapolis. However, the Severn River demonstrated one of her foremost characteristics — and the bane of many a sailor — her shallow shoals. The raiding party ran aground several times. They eventually gave up and returned to the ship.
On August 22, British vessels chased Commodore Joshua Barney’s small-boat flotilla, the “Mosquito Fleet,” up into the headwaters of the Patuxent River. Under orders of the secretary of the U.S. Navy in order to prevent the British from capturing the boats, once it became apparent that the fleet was trapped and the British were in view, the entire flotilla was destroyed in a massive explosion. Barney and his men then raced to help defend Washington, DC, the now apparent goal of the British.
The British marched uncontested to the edge of the capital city. After a brief and crushing defeat of the American forces at Bladensburg August 24, the British continued into a deserted Washington and captured the city. They burned the White House, the United States Capitol, the Library of Congress, and the Treasury Building. All of the public buildings of the Federal City were destroyed. All appeared to be lost.
The British were not finished. Admiral George Cochrane and Major General Robert Ross were intent on “making a demonstration upon the City of Baltimore.”
Many War of 1812 sites and towns along the Chesapeake Bay will host bicentennial events and commemorations this summer. Check out the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail’s starspangledtrail.net for event details, a map, and information about the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake. See starspangled200.com for information about the larger commemorations associated with the Chesapeake Campaign and the bicentennial of the Star-Spangled Banner.
The author, Heather Ersts, is the partnership and outreach coordinator for the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.
