Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Historical look: 200-year anniversary of Battle of Bladensburg By Bill Boehm
                National Guard Bureau
 ARLINGTON, Va. - On Aug. 24, 1814, the Battle of Bladensburg (Maryland) took place.  This campaign of the War of 1812 directly preceded the advance of the British army into Washington, D.C., that evening, where advancing forces burned the Capitol building, the White House and the Library of Congress. Hurricane-force rains the following day helped extinguish the blazes around the nation’s capital.  Prior to the British incursion, State Department officials helped spirit documents of the Founding Fathers into hiding in Virginia. The burning of Washington proved a humbling defeat, and the Bladensburg episode became synonymous with the failure of the American forces to hold back the British. Ultimately, poor leadership and battlefield preparation stood at the core of the American defeat at Bladensburg. Yet deeper scrutiny of events before and during the battle lends support that it should not be viewed as an abject failure on all levels.  This conflict demonstrated how the militia system could muster troops from multiple community and state-organized military forces under the pressures of a battle campaign. Section 1 of the Militia Act of 1792 expressed that the ability of the president of the United States to call forth “state or states... as [may be judged] as sufficient,” particularly with the threat of the national capital being threatened by  British forces.  So militia forces from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania assembled according to this statute. Two active National Guard units received battle participation credit in the Battle of Bladensburg, among 12 existing units in the Army National Guard.  Maryland’s Fifth Regiment, lineal predecessors of  today’s 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment, Maryland National Guard, and the First Brigade of the Columbian Division, today’s 372nd Military Police Battalion, District of Columbia National Guard, fought among the first and second lines of defense respectively. Maryland realized that its militia forces offered the best hope to defend the port city of Baltimore.  By engaging in an active defense, the Maryland militia was later able to harass the British advance during the Battle of North Point.  This delaying engagement and the Battle of Baltimore that lasted through Sept. 14, 1814, marked the turning point of the war. The state of Maryland is commemorating bicentennial of the Battle of Baltimore and the composition of “The Star Spangled Banner” in September 2014.  All this pageantry would not be taking place had the city of Baltimore fallen to British forces 200 years ago.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 New Hampshire Guard Medevacs Injured Hiker to Safety
 By National Guard Bureau
  Connecticut World War I Soldier Awarded Purple Heart
 By Timothy Koster,
  US, Central American Partners Reaffirm Security Commitment
 By Sgt. Maj. Tanya Lumbard,
  More
 New Hampshire Guard Medevacs Injured Hiker to Safety Guard News • 19 hours ago
 New York’s 109th Airlift Wing Begins 2024 Greenland Missions Guard News • yesterday
 Vermont Air Guard Tests Weapon Systems in Florida Exercises Guard News • yesterday
 New England Civil Engineers Strengthen Skills During Training Exercise Guard News • 5 days ago
 Idaho Guardsmen Train with Canadian and Polish Allies Guard News • 5 days ago
 2024 (163)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil