Existing comment:
Upper Marlboro:
Upper Marlborough was established in 1706 by Act of the Maryland General Assembly and has served as the Prince George's County seat since 1721. The town was named in honor of John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough. As there is another Marlborough town down the Patuxent River, they are distinguished as Upper and Lower.
The American commander Brig. Gen. William Winder stayed in Upper Marlborough on the night of August 8, 1814 while he was scouting for encampment sites for his troops. (He decided upon Long Old Fields and the Woodyard sites.) He was also in Upper Marlborough when he learned the British fleet was advancing up the Patuxent River on August 15, 1814. Commodore Joshua Barney and about 400 of his men passed through Upper Marlborough on August 22, 1814 after scuttling their fleet and while on their way to join the American forces at Long Old Fields.
On the same day, August 22, 1814, Admiral Cockburn and his 400 men, who had landed at Mount Calvert, joined Major Ross and his 4,370 men as they marched up from Benedict. They camped at Upper Marlborough that night.
On their return from Washington, on August 26, 1814, the British again camped at Upper Marlborough.
The Maryland State records had been moved to Upper Marlboro from Annapolis earlier in the war for safekeeping. When it was feared Upper Marlborough would be occupied, the records were moved to Mount Lubentia plantation. |