This year marks the 210th anniversary of The Battle of Bladensburg during the War of 1812. It was the first in a series of major engagements between U.S. and British forces during the Chesapeake Campaign of 1814. The result was a decisive victory for Great Britain and an embarrassing defeat for the United States, resulting in the raiding and burning of the nation’s capital. Although the “Bladensburg Races” remains an infamous moment in U.S. military history, it was a defeat from which Americans quickly learned several weeks later during the Battle of Baltimore.
The Battle of Bladensburg remains embedded in the DNA of the District of Columbia National Guard. Citizen Soldiers serving in the 1st and 2nd District of Columbia Militia Regiments defended the city. They were artisans, shopkeepers, printers, teamsters, dock workers, lawyers, clerks, teachers, and doctors who served valiantly before, during, and after the events of August 24. Dozens of these individuals who fought are interred at Historic Congressional Cemetery.
On Aug. 24, we hope that you will join Historic Congressional Cemetery in collaboration with the District of Columbia National Guard for a Battle of Bladensburg wreath ceremony at 11:15 a.m. honoring the dozens of D.C. Militia members buried there who fought in the Battle of Bladensburg. The ceremony will feature remarks from various speakers followed by a wreath laying at the grave of Captain Peter Lenox, a DC Militia veteran.
Please note that this event is running concurrently with the Congressional Cemetery Speaker Series event on the Battle of Bladensburg.
RSVP
The ceremony is free to attend but we ask that you please RSVP here.
The event is rain or shine. Smoking is prohibited and dogs are not allowed to attend the event unless they are a service animal.
We highly recommend dressing for the elements. Please also wear appropriate footwear due to the uneven ground in the cemetery.
Getting Here
We strongly encourage public transportation to get to Congressional Cemetery. The closest metro station to Congressional Cemetery is Stadium Armory, located on the Orange/Blue/Silver lines. Bikes may be locked inside the cemetery. There is limited street parking, but we advise visitors to closely read parking signs before finding a spot
To learn more about the Cemetery Speaker Series, check out our main page HERE.
