When Washington Burned

Chapter 8

In vexation Grant mounted his horse. Such arrogance from a man Grant so admired, to not even hear his reasoning, but insist on the accuracy of Secretary Armstrong, whom by all accounts had been neglecting his post. Add to it, the displeasure of meeting Mr. Gibson and the disquiet he garnered for Miss Rutherford. Though it should be none of his concern, he could not help but feel an uneasiness for her.

Grant sat on his horse a beat, deciding his next move. Naturally the precarious situation was slowly coming to fruition in Bladensburg, with General Winder's army anxiously awaiting the arrival of General Ross. Whether Rutherford was willing to print Grant's warnings to the scarcely protected people of Washington City or not, Grant took it upon himself to alert those most at danger and with quick word of mouth, Grant was satisfied to see actions being taken to help shore up the city and its people.

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It was late evening by the time Grant, exhausted and over-heated, eventually returned to Bladensburg and General Stansbury's Company. He was quite surprised to find them no longer positioned at Lowndes Hill, but a mile further in at a brickyard. Lowndes Hill was at the intersection of all incoming roads, whilst the brickyard may have offered more defensive protection, it gave them very little tactical advantages.

Upon observing the current situation Grant noted many faults with their defensive plan. Stansbury chose a defensible position, though hardly the best one available, on the west side of the Eastern Branch of the Potomac opposite the town of Bladensburg. The artillery was posted in an earthwork hastily erected to the north of the bridge. However, these artillery cannons were not of the strength to properly defend the bridge from being seized. Further the Maryland militia infantry regiments were posted in a line of battle south of the earthwork, too far away to protect the artillery that would be exposed to British fire.

Behind Stansbury's troops and to his right was a brigade of District of Columbia militia, but they had not conferred with Stansbury before deploying their brigade, and there was a gap of a mile between them. The militia would be unable to support Stansbury, and if Stansbury were overcome, their left flank would be open to attack.

Grant was relieved to see the arrival of Secretary of State James Monroe, hoping it meant the powers that be were beginning to be anticipate the possibility of an invasion on the Capital city. Unfortunately, Monroe made little improvement to what Grant saw as a tactical mess in opposing the incoming British forces.

Grant stood at the entrance of Stansbury's tent. Stansbury stood at the head of a war table surrounded by Secretary Monroe and Generals Winder and Beall. Through his time covering the war with the British, Grant had made himself known to these men. Mostly as a persistent pest, though a pest Grant hoped they respected. Today though they seemed unlikely to give him the time of day, answering his questions.

None of the men acknowledged his presence and from Grant's silent observation it appeared that they were not entirely sure on General Ross and the British Army's plans nor destination. Much like Grant and his mentor some argued a march on Washington was all but certain, while others contended that Baltimore was certainly the plan. This partially explained the American's haphazard positioning and indecisive actions.

"He's planning on Washington," Grant interrupted, making his presence known.

The men looked up to him at once as he stood assuredly at the entrance, but without a welcome began entering the tent to share his knowledge.

"And how can you be so certain?" Stansbury questioned.

"As much time as I spend here, I also spend there, listening, observing- I hear things."

"And Ross told you they were planning to march on Washington?"

"Not exactly-"

To this response one of men scoffed, while others responded with silence before returning to the discussion amongst themselves.

Grant attempted to lead in with more questions, but they had already dismissed him.

Grant was feeling powerless in his distress. His warnings about the inevitable attack on Washington city, leaving a city improperly defended and its people at the enemy's mercy. Add to now observing a poor tactical defense as it was being laid out. Leaving battalions and militias spread far and wide, incapable of properly defending each other or rendering proper aid. Abandoning the road to Washington DC and the bridge to the scarce defended capital vulnerable.

***

By the next day a patchwork of militias and battalions gathered half-heartedly to prevent the British from further marching on the young country's growing capital city. Grant sensed that Stansbury's troops were tired from two days' constant alarms and redeployments, and Smith's and Beall's men were equally exhausted from having force-marched to the battlefield through a hot and humid summer day, with many diversions and unnecessary panics. Grant could feel it in himself as well.

An anxious anticipation lay heavy on the Americans by mid-morning as it was announced the British were less than a half day's march away. The lines of the battalions were drawn and redrawn, but none defensively satisfactory in Grant's opinion.

The humidity settled on the men as they readied themselves for the impending onslaught of the British troops. Grant had toiled through heat like this and knew it could be just as deadly as the slugs and bayonets themselves. Near noon the familiar sound of Corps of Drums could be heard as the British army neared. While Grant always felt a sense of anxious anticipation when they were heard and action was near, a feeling of dread that stirred wildly inside of him.

Adding to the misfortune was the surprise appearance of President Madison himself. Due to the infective emplacement of the American troops, his safety was now also in jeopardy. The weak defensive positions were increasingly apparent but with the sound of the British drums in the near distance it was too late to correct.

Time seemed to slow as the British marched over the horizon led by General Ross. Stansbury's tactical errors quickly became apparent. Had he held Lowndes Hill, Stansbury could have made the British approach a costly one. Here, in the brick structures of Bladensburg, which were ready-made mini fortresses, his troops may be better covered, but because the bridge had not been burned, it had to be defended. Leaving the battalion spread thin and posted too far from the river's edge to contest a crossing effectively.

As both armies stood facing each other, the drumming stopped, the silence deafening as time stopped. Grant's heart pounded in his ears, his thoughts ceasing only coming back to him when "fire" was called, and shots began to fly.

Initially the lines held, but with both flanks spread thin, the British quickly overtook them. General Winder found his brigade needing to retreat and as those men began to run in retreat, it caused a ripple effect and soon without order or command the rest of the men followed suit. There had been no plan upon retreat, so some seemed to run in direction of Washington, perhaps in hopes of regrouping, while others ran with no knowable destination.

President Madison and Secretary Monroe soon retreated on horseback to avoid capture and with that only one battalion stood valiantly against the thousands of British coming their way. Grant did not suspect they'd be able to hold them off for long and with the bridge still being intact the enemy would easily be on their way to Washington.

Grant positive now that the British were indeed on their way to seize the capital, fear for his country and those in the city (forced) him to flee towards Washington to warn anyone who had remained.