The Man Who Captured Washington: Major General Robert Ross and the War of 1812

Campaigns and Commanders #53

by John McCavitt, Christopher T. George

An Irish officer in the British Army, Major General Robert Ross (1766–1814) was a charismatic leader widely admired for his bravery in battle. Despite a military career that included distinguished service in Europe and North Africa, Ross is better known for his actions than his name: his 1814 campaign in the Chesapeake Bay resulted in the burning of the White House and Capitol and the unsuccessful assault on Baltimore, immortalized in “The Star Spangled Banner.” The Man Who Captured Washington is the first in-depth biography of this important but largely forgotten historical figure.

Drawing from a broad range of sources, both British and American, military historians John McCavitt and Christopher T. George provide new insight into Ross’s career prior to his famous exploits at Washington, D.C. Educated in Dublin, Ross joined the British Army in 1789, earning steady promotion as he gained combat experience. The authors portray him as an ambitious but humane commanding officer who fought bravely against Napoleon’s forces on battlefields in Holland, southern Italy, Egypt, and the Iberian Peninsula. Following the end of the war in Europe, while still recovering from a near-fatal wound, Ross was designated to lead an “enterprise” to America, and in August 1814 he led a small army to victory in the Battle of Bladensburg. From there his forces moved to the city of Washington, where they burned public buildings. In detailing this campaign, McCavitt and George clear up a number of misconceptions, including the claim that the British burned the entire city of Washington. Finally, the authors shed new light on the long-debated circumstances surrounding Ross’s death on the eve of the Battle of North Point at Baltimore.

Ross’s campaign on the shores of the Chesapeake lasted less than a month, but its military and political impact was enormous. Considered an officer and a gentleman by many on both sides of the Atlantic, the general who captured Washington would in time fade in public memory. Yet, as McCavitt and George show, Ross’s strategies and achievements during the final days of his career would shape American defense policy for decades to come.

312 pages, Hardcover

First published February 29, 2016

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

On 24 August 1814, British soldiers commanded by Maj. Gen. Robert Ross occupied the capital of the United States of America, then a scattering of private homes and recently constructed federal buildings abandoned by Pres. James Madison after the Americans' defeat at the Battle of Bladensburg earlier that day. That night Madison could see from his vantage point across the Potomac the red glow of the fires started by the British soldiers, as they systematically burned the edifices housing the young government. When news of the achievement reached London, it burst into celebration and plans were made to triple Ross's forces for further operations against the former colony. But all the toasts and plans were for a man killed two weeks earlier by a militiaman's bullet.

For the rest of my review, click on the link:

http://www.miwsr.com/2021-005.aspx

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balanced and enjoyable work.

As the title suggests, the book itself is more a history of Ross’s role in the Chesapeake campaign than a straight biography. The authors describe Ross’s privileged life, his stellar record as an officer, his successful career in the wars with France, his close ties to the Duke of Wellington, his service during the War of 1812, and the obscurity that shrouded him after his death. From 1799 onwards, Ross was almost continuously deployed, but the authors focus more on his service in America, which takes up most of the book.

The authors do a good job covering his success as an officer; even if the American defense of the Chesapeake region hadn’t been as incompetent as it was, it seems like Ross would still probably have made short work of it. The authors also describe his humane treatment of the citizens left in Washington, and how his troops dealt with the conditions of the campaign, such as the extreme heat.

At one point the authors write of the tension between Ross and Captain Harry Smith, attributing it partly to Smith’s published account of the American campaign. I don’t know what account is being referenced here. Smith did write a memoir, but it was published after Ross’s death.

A solid and well-written biography.

[Jeannette Dilouie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! I bought it as research for an upcoming historical novel, and it was totally worth it! In many parts, it read like a novel itself but with insightful and largely unbiased (it's kind-of impossible to be 100% unbiased) details and commentary. A definite fun read. Major Ross will definitely be a prominent and even sympathetic feature in "Proving America" when I get around to writing it.

[Cathleen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched. Well written.