Sketch Of The Action Fought Near Bladensberg

Source

Sketch of the action fought near Bladensberg [i.e. Bladensburg], August 24th, 1814

Ormsby, Thos.

Created / Published [1816]

Notes

-  Oriented with north to the right.

-  Pen-and-ink and watercolor.

-  Available also through the Library of Congress Web site...

-  Imperfect: Tears, stains, mounted on cloth.

Battle Statistics

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Bladensburg

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Campaigns of the war of 1812-15:

Bladensburg, which has given its name to the disgraceful action fought August 24, 1814, is a small village on the left bank of the Eastern Branch of the Potomac River, connected by a bridge (about 100 feet long) with the right bank, upon which in hot haste our army was drawn up in three nearly straight lines, none of which were flanked or protected by a cross-fire of our 26 pieces, mostly light artillery. 

General Tobias Stansbury

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The General at Bladensburg:

General Stansbury arrived at Bladensburg on the 22d of the month and the Fifth Baltimore Regiment, together with the rifle corps and artillery, in the evening of the 23d. At twelve o'clock that night Colonel Monroe advised General Stansbury to fall upon the rear of the enemy forthwith, as it was understood that he was in motion for the city of Washington. General Stansbury, having been ordered to post himself at Bladensburg, did not consider himself at liberty to leave the place, and besides the fatigue of the troops under Colonel Sterret rendered it impracticable. [Source]

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Landing On Cumberland Island

As seen at the Cumberland NPS Museum exhibit:

A battery on Point Peter was established in 1796 to protect the mouth of the St. Mary's River and the adjacent islands from unwelcome ships.  Cumberland Island was an attractive landing spot, offering easy access from the ocean, and the nearby town of St. Mary's had amenities such as fresh food and supplies.  After a period of vacancy, a blockhouse was built and the battery was garrisoned for protection during the War of 1812.

It was not until [January 10] 1815 that Point Peter was tested.  Official military correspondence tells the story of Rear Admiral George Cockburn and the British fleet landing on Cumberland Island soon after their attacks on Washington and Baltimore.

Bladensburg Archaeology....

...on a site found here (affiliated with the University of Maryland).

Source Of Bladensburg, Maryland, Battle Map

From the Bladensburg Archaeology blog:

"At the moment there are no excavations being conducted in Bladensburg. The analysis and results from the 2008-2010 excavations are nearly complete."

From one of my earlier posts, Excavation At Bladensburg.

More at the National Park Service:

"...Bladensburg, Maryland...a seemingly ordinary suburban community located approximately two miles to the northeast of the Washington, DC border, has a rich and varied history that stretches back 250 years."

Photos.

PBS has a Digging into the War of 1812 at Bladensburg, MD, here.

Rodger's Bastion, Baltimore

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From the Friends Of Patterson Park website:

On Hampstead Hill, the ridge where the Pagoda now stands, Baltimoreans rallied on September 12, 1814 to protect the city from the threat of a British invasion. By water, British troops entered the Patapsco River and bombarded Fort McHenry. By land, they amassed forces at North Point. As they marched on to Baltimore and looked up to Hampstead Hill they saw Rodger’s Bastion – including 100 cannons and 20,000 troops. This sight led the British to return to their ships and leave the Port of Baltimore.

This blog has a nice map on the post entitled "The British Route from Washington to Baltimore in 1814," including Hampstead Hill.

Captain Gordon's Potomac Raid

Portrait of Captain Gordon - Source

The Canadian site War of 1812, a biography of naval commander Captain James Alexander Gordon (1782 - 1869), and included the following:

"In 1814, Gordon’s talents helped the British naval effort against the Americans during the War of 1812. He led a daring and successful expedition up the Potomac River from August to September. His raid on Alexandria and attack on Fort Washington were meant to divert American eyes away from General Robert Ross’s attack on Washington."

"Of the many expeditions up the bays and rivers of the United States during the late war, none equaled in brilliancy of execution that up the Potomac to Alexandria. This service was intrusted to Captain James Alexander Gordon, of the 38-gun frigate, Seahorse...". "On the 17th [August] at 9 h l5 m A.M., the squadron got under way from the anchorage at the entrance of the Potomac, and, without the aid of pilots, began ascending the intricate channel of the river leading to the capital of the United States." [Source]

Barney's Spring

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The flight of Stansbury's troops left [Commodore] Barney unsupported in that direction, while a heavy column was hurled against Beale and his militia, on the right, with such force as to disperse them. The British light troops soon gained position on each flank, and Barney himself was severely wounded near a living fountain of water on the present estate of Mr. Rives, which is still known as Barney's Spring. [Source]

Commodore Barney was taken as a POW, but was immediately paroled by British General Ross.

William Pinkney

Pre-War:  Pinkney and James Monroe made a futile attempt to devise a treaty between the United States and Great Britain.

Source

William Pinkney "served as a major in the Maryland militia during the War of 1812 and was wounded at the Battle of Bladensburg, Md., in August 1814; elected to the Fourteenth Congress... ."

There is a biography of Mr. Pinkney written by his nephew.

Excavation At Bladensburg

From the Washington, D.C. War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the Bladensburg excavation photo gallery.

Attempting To Protect Washington From The British - The Map

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