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A Visit to Bladensburg There is an adventure to finding lost things people don’t seem to care about. The site for the battle of Bladensburg certainly falls into this category. Fought over 200 years ago, it was the final embarrassment to the campaign that ended in the burning of Washington. Still it sits, a heroic example for characters like Joshua Barney and remains the only place in the world where a US president issued military orders as the Commander-in-Chief in the field.
Bladensburg still exists as a town in Maryland today. Driving over Maryland Route 450, you can still cross over the bridge the British used to get over the Anacostia River – because we didn’t burn it. I must admit the river was wider than I imagined it. Significantly wider than is shown on most battle maps. The site’s not easy to find. Between the McDonalds and the Burger King, you need to find 41st Avenue. This will lead you out to a little street called Lawrence Street. The area is now called Cottage City Park. Along Lawrence are three lonely plaques spaced closely together … the only reminder a battle was ever fought here. They are also the only indication you’ve found the right place. There’s a small road past these which leads to a parking lot and a baseball diamond. It reminded me of Delaware Park in Buffalo … the golf course where over 400 American soldiers are interned without much in the way of recognition. In this case, the dead of Bladensburg gets even less notice that those in Buffalo.
The hill that overlooks the crossing, the location of the 3rd American line is still there. Although today a line of trees blocks out the view of the bridge. Here Joshua Barney, at the president’s order, set up his artillery. It was the last position to be overrun by the British. On this hill, Barney himself would be captured. He remained behind wounded to fire off the last canon rounds as his men withdrew. The tree where he was captured under no longer exists, but one can imagine where it stood on that fateful day.
Oddly enough, on the other side of 450, lies Bunker Hill Road. A reminder that even the locals think more about other engagements than the battle which was fought in their own backyard. .
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