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Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
Fleeing the Executive Mansion
On August 24, 1814, President James Madison rode out to Bladensburg, Maryland, to observe the state of the American troops defending the nation's capital. U.S. General William Winder, now sure of the direction of the British approach, marched his troops to confront them at Bladensburg. Meanwhile at the White House, the First Lady ordered dinner for 3 pm, when she expected the president's return. But instead of the president, a messenger arrived who ordered everyone to flee. The British had easily won the Battle of Bladensburg and were on their way to claim their prize: Washington, DC.
Saving Washington's Portrait:
Before leaving, Dolley Madison ordered servants to save the large Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington. This iconic portrait is displayed today in the White House as one of America's most cherished paintings. Many of Gilbert Stuart's portraits of presidents and eminent Washingtonians can be viewed at the National Portrait Gallery.
"And now, dear sister, I must leave this house, or the retreating army will make me a prisoner in it ... When I shall again write you, or where I shall be tomorrow, I cannot tell!"
-- Dolley Madison to her sister.
In the summer of 1814 the United States had been at war with Great Britain for two years. Battlefronts had erupted from the Great lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. On August 24, following their victory over the Americans at the Battle of Bladensburg. Maryland. British troops marched on Washington with devastating results.
The Star-Spangled Banner National History Trail reveals sites of the War of 1812 in Washington. DC. Virginia. and Maryland. Visit ChesapeakeExplore,App.com or download the Chesapeake Explorer app. |