place record
Maryland · Washington approaches
Bladensburg
Battlefield opening the road to the capital
Poorly coordinated American lines collapsed here on August 24, 1814, though Barney’s sailors and marines resisted fiercely.
Why this record matters
Bladensburg was not simply national farce; it was a command failure with direct consequences for a city and its people.
Follow the evidence
Evidence behind this record
- Chesapeake FlotillaNaval History and Heritage Command · archaeology and naval history
Joshua Barney's flotilla and the Washington campaign.