Be sure that all the C's are destroyed, so that the rascals cannot any longer abuse my name."

 

Admiral Cockburn accompanied General  Ross and recommended burning the entire city. Ross decided instead to put only public buildings to the torch, including the White House and the United States Capitol, while sparing all privately owned properties.

 Cockburn Personally oversaw the destruction of the National Intelligencer newspaper's offices and printing house by his soldiers. He is reported as saying,   "Be sure that all the C's are destroyed, so that the rascals cannot any longer abuse my name."

Battle of Bladensburg 24 August 1814

Neither side had gained a clear advantage in the first two years of the War of 1812. But that changed in the spring of 1814.  After Napoleon’s defeat in April 1814, British forces could be replenished with thousands of veterans. These soldiers were different than the raw soldiers Americans had faced in Upper Canada; these men had fought against Napoleon and his Imperial Guard and wanted a quick end to this war against a young country.  

British military leaders drew up a plan to end the war.  In addition to destroying American trade, the British also planned to degrade American morale by arranging attacks on coastal cities such as Washington, Baltimore, Charleston and Savannah.  With this in mind, General Robert Ross arrived in Maryland, fresh from the Napoleonic Wars. Ross marched his 4,500 men from Benedict, Maryland towards Washington, D.C. with a goal of weakening American resolve.

American General William Winder organized his forces, believing that Washington, D.C. and Baltimore would need to be defended. Because Bladensburg, just northeast of D.C., was key to both Washington and Baltimore’s defense, Winder deployed across the roads that led into the young nation’s capital. Though Winder had around 6,500 men at his disposal, most of his men at Bladensburg were poorly trained militia and their resolve would crumble in the face of the war-weary British. 

Though Americans positioned themselves well against an attack with artillery covering a bridge over the eastern branch of the Anacostia River, they were overwhelmed when British attacked at noon on August 24th. Fording the river above the bridge and beating back troops who defended the bridge, British General Ross’ 4,500 men steadily advanced against American artillery and rifle fire, gaining control of the west bank. Under heavy British pressure, the left flank of the American line of defense crumbled. As the left flank was enveloped, Americans fled the scene. Their general, Winder, had not prepared a plan for American retreat and his panicked men ran from the battle instead of maneuvering in a controlled retreat to defend Washington D.C. against impending attack. With American forces scattered, the road to America’s capital was now wide open.  One of the few bright spots for the Americans was the stand made by Commodore Barney with his Flotilla men and US Marines.  They held off the British advance long enough to allows Winder's command to escape but at a terrible cost.

Capture of Commodore Barney

Marine's manning artillery at Bladensburg

As the British marched into Washington in 1814, they held in their memory the bitter date of April 27th1813—the day Americans had burned of the Canadian capital, York. They carried vengeful appetites as they entered Washington, D.C. the evening of August 24th 1814.

President Madison and his cabinet had fled the city, Dolly Madison and White House slave Paul Jennings famously saving critical relics of their new republic, among them a portrait of George Washington. It was a good thing that the first lady and Jennings saved these symbols of American democracy as British forces wasted no time in setting the presidential mansion, the Capitol, the Treasury and the War Office ablaze in the evening of August 24th. 

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Colonial Marines in the War of 1812

 

Who were the Colonial Marines in the War of 1812? Thousands of enslaved African Americans fled to join the British forces and, in turn, gained their freedom. Many joined Britain's Corps of Colonial Marines. They participated in the Chesapeake Campaign during the War of 1812, 

  When the British arrived in the Chesapeake Bay in 1813, many slaves gained their freedom by rowing or swimming out to British boats. The British targeted Chesapeake Bay, using the waterways with access to Baltimore and Washington. They planned to use slaves' desire for freedom to employ their knowledge of the region's waterways and geography and to weaken the American economy. In total, about 4,000 freedom-seeking African American men, women, and children gained their freedom by joining the British. Many of these newly freed slaves were given shelter on the British base at Tangier Island. About 200 of these men were trained, issued arms and uniforms, and fought with British troops as a Colonial Corps of Marines. They participated in many raids on the Chesapeake, which included the Battles of Bladensburg, North Point, and Fort McHenry, as well as the burning of Washington.  Members of the Corps assisted the British in planning these actions, often having firsthand knowledge of the waterways, roads, and paths. Meanwhile, many of the wives, children, and other relatives of the Colonial Marines remained in British protection on Tangier Island until the end of the war.

   After the war, Great Britain resettled the former enslaved people mostly in the Canadian Maritime Provinces or in Trinidad. One community in Nova Scotia settled in what they called Africville. Descendants in Trinidad call themselves 'Merikans.'

Washington District Army August 1814

 

U.S. Washington DC District Brig. Gen. Winder commanding

District Columbia Division  BG. Walter Smith

1st Infantry

2nd Infantry

Georgetown Light Artillery  (6 pounder)

Washington Irish Light Artillery (6 pounder)

Rifles

2nd Alexandrian Brigade  BG Young

1st Infantry

Alexandrian Artillery (6 pounder)

Alexandrian Light Dragoons

Regular U.S. Army Brigade.  Lt. Col. William Scott

36th/38th/12th US Infantry

2nd US Light Dragoons

U.S. Naval/Marine Brigade.  Commodore J. Barney

Chesapeake Flotilla Sailors

Chesapeake Flotilla Gunners (18 pounder)

Washington Naval Yard Rifles

Washington Naval Yard Marines

Washington Naval Yard Marine Gunners (12 pounder)

Maryland Division. BG Stansbury

1st Maryland Infantry

2nd Maryland Infantry

5th Maryland. Infantry

Baltimore Artillery (6 pounder)

Maryland Cavalry Division. Lt.Col. Tilghman

1st District Dragoons

2nd District Dragoons

5th District Dragoons

Baltimore Light Dragoons

Virginia Brigade. Lt.Col. Minor

60th Virginia Infantry

Virginia Militia Dragoons.

Washington DC August 1814

 

18 - 19 August 1814 General Robert Ross and Admiral George Cockburn landed unopposed at Benedict, Maryland, on August 19, beginning the march that led to the burning of Washington.  

British order of battle for General Ross' army on march towards Washington August 1814

Major General Ross commanding

1st Light Brigade Lt. Col. Thornton commanding

85th Light Infantry Regiment

Light Infantry companies ( 4th,21st,44th, 2/RM, CM)

Rocket Troop

2nd Brigade Col. Brooke

4th Regiment  (Kings Own)

44th Regiment. (East Essex)

3rd Brigade  !t.Col. Patterson

21st Royal North British Fusiliers

2nd Royal Marines

Royal Navy Contingent Read Admiral Cockburn

Sailor battalion

Colonial Marines

Royal Artillery  Captain Mitchell

6 pound field gun

Total strength about 4,500 men

Fort Griswold

 Fort Griswold.  Part of the American Heritage bicentennial series by Troiani.  Note the 40th Regiment of Foot Grenadiers in their white caps.

Guilford Courthouse

Guilford Courthouse from the series in American Heritage magazine.  

Brandywine

 Battle of Brandywine.  Part of the American Heritage bicentennial series by Troiani.

Black Smoke and Sails

A new set of American Civil War Naval rules are out.  I talked with the author at his stand at Historicon.  He explained the rules and advised they were easy to play but realistic.   Having not played them I cannot comment but the rule sets sold out very fast and I missed getting a copy.

What I did get was a number of his excellent models.  These look really nice and have plenty of detail.  I believe they are 3D printed in resin but with some metal parts.  I picked up the USS Kearsarge and the CSS Alabama for my talk in May 2026.  When I returned next day most of the model kits were sold out.  So if nothing else these were very popular.  The models are in 1/450 scale so they are good sized.  Because of there size you will need a good size table to have room to move.  Most ships were about $24 each.

CSS Savannah

Part of the  stand at Historicon

CSS Alabama in the center

CSS Atlanta

USS Weehawken

USS Kearsarge

USS Sassacus and the CSS Albemarle, May 1864

 

USS Indianapolis, July 30, 1945

 

July 30, 1945, the Japanese submarine I-58 torpedoed and sank the USS Indianapolis.The ship sank in about12 minutes, with about 300 men trapped inside,  900 men went into the water. No distress signal could be sent.   Survivors endured exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks. After four days four days a routine patrol plane spotted them.  Only 316 crew members survived the ordeal 

Most  know the story through this monologue in the movie Jaws.  Just brilliant acting from all three men;  Unforgettable.

Brody: "What's that one?"

Quint: "What?"

Brody: "That one, there, on your arm."

Quint: "Oh, uh, that's a tattoo, I got that removed."

Hooper: "Don't tell me, don't tell me...'Mother.'" [he roars with laughter]  "What is it..."

Quint solemnly clamps a hand on Hooper's arm: "Mr. Hooper, that's the USS Indianapolis."

Hooper immediately stops laughing: "You were on the Indianapolis?"

Brody: "What happened?"

Quint: "Japanese submarine slammed two torpedoes into our side, Chief. We was comin' back from the island of Tinian to Leyte, just delivered the bomb. The Hiroshima bomb. Eleven hundred men went into the water. Vessel went down in twelve minutes. Didn't see the first shark for about a half an hour. Tiger. Thirteen-footer. You know how you know that when you're in the water, Chief? You tell by lookin' from the dorsal to the tail. What we didn't know... was our bomb mission had been so secret, no distress signal had been sent. Heh." [he pauses and takes a drink]  "They didn't even list us overdue for a week. Very first light, Chief, sharks come cruisin'. So we formed ourselves into tight groups. Y'know, it's... kinda like ol' squares in a battle like, uh, you see in a calendar, like the Battle of Waterloo, and the idea was, shark comes to the nearest man and that man, he'd start poundin' and hollerin' and screamin', and sometimes the shark'd go away... sometimes he wouldn't go away. Sometimes that shark, he looks right into ya. Right into your eyes. Y'know the thing about a shark, he's got... lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be livin'... until he bites ya. And those black eyes roll over white, and then... oh, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screamin', the ocean turns red, and spite of all the poundin' and the hollerin', they all come in and they... rip you to pieces." [he pauses] "Y'know, by the end of that first dawn... lost a hundred men. I dunno how many sharks. Maybe a thousand. I dunno how many men, they averaged six an hour. On Thursday mornin', Chief, I bumped into a friend of mine, Herbie Robinson from Cleveland- baseball player, boatswain's mate. I thought he was asleep, reached over to wake him up... bobbed up and down in the water just like a kinda top. Upended. Well... he'd been bitten in half below the waist. Noon the fifth day, Mr. Hooper, a Lockheed Ventura saw us, he swung in low and he saw us. Young pilot, a lot younger than Mr. Hooper. Anyway, he saw us and come in low and three hours later, a big fat PBY comes down and start to pick us up. Y'know, that was the time I was most frightened, waitin' for my turn. I'll never put on a life jacket again. So, eleven hundred men went into the water, three hundred sixteen men come out, and the sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945." [he pauses, smiles, and raises his glass]  "Anyway... we delivered the bomb."

- "Jaws" (1975)

Battle of Kings Mountain

 

The Battle of  Kiings Mountain.  Another super looking game.  While I have very little interest in the actual battle I was amazed at the terrain.  I was detailed to an event in the 1980's at the park so I am very familiar with the terrain.  They captured the look and feel of the battlefield perfectly.  Outstanding job guys!

Battle of White Plains

 

Since the Battle of White Plains was the very first reenactment I took part in (October 1972) I have always had a interest in the actual battle.   This game captured the terrain perfectly.  In addition Doug and Maria were great people and just really fun to talk to.  Both were very knowledgeable about the battles and she grew up in a house on the field of battle.

Fort Mifflin

 

Outstanding game based on von Donop's Hessian Grenadiers attacking Fort Mifflin 1777.  

The fort and terrain were some of the best reconstruction I had seen.  The gun boats in the river were a very nice touch.