Battle of Bladensburg
| Battle of Bladensburg | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Chesapeake campaign | |||||||
The Final Stand at Bladensburg, Maryland, 24 August 1814 Charles Waterhouse, 1985 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| United Kingdom | United States | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
George Cockburn Robert Ross |
William Winder Joshua Barney (WIA) | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
4,370–4,500 60 rockets | Over 6,000–7,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
64 killed 185 wounded |
10–26 killed 40–51 wounded 100–120 captured | ||||||
Bladensburg Location within Maryland Bladensburg Bladensburg (the United States) | |||||||
The Battle of Bladensburg, also known as the Bladensburg Races, took place on August 24, 1814, during the Chesapeake campaign of the War of 1812 at Bladensburg, Maryland. It has been described as "the greatest disgrace ever dealt to American arms". A British force of army regulars and Royal Marines routed a combined U.S. force of Regular Army and state militia troops. The American defeat resulted in the British capture and burning of the national capital of Washington, the only time that the city has fallen to a foreign invader.