AH Challenge:American Victory at Bladensburg
- Thread starter danwild6
- Start date
The most immediate possibility would be to replace General Winder with John Stricker or another more competent commander who can hold off the British long enough for reinforcements from Annapolis and Baltimore to arrive. The Brits would likely then be forced from the field by sheer weight of numbers on the American side.
Another alternative too could be Secretary of War John Armstrong vesting his faith in the likelihood of a British attack on Washington (unlike in OTL, where he assumed Britain's only target was Baltimore) and thus preparing a proper defense of the city (more Marines maybe, instead of militia). Of course, such efforts could potentially detract from the mounting defenses around the more strategically important Baltimore, leading to an even more serious defeat for the Americans shortly afterwards.
Another alternative too could be Secretary of War John Armstrong vesting his faith in the likelihood of a British attack on Washington (unlike in OTL, where he assumed Britain's only target was Baltimore) and thus preparing a proper defense of the city (more Marines maybe, instead of militia). Of course, such efforts could potentially detract from the mounting defenses around the more strategically important Baltimore, leading to an even more serious defeat for the Americans shortly afterwards.
Considering that probably the major cause of the defeat lay in the fact that the vast majority of the American army (approximately 6,500 out of 6,900 men) at Bladensburg consisted of raw, unreliable militia, which ran away rather than face the British regulars in a stand-up fight, about the only way would be to somehow substitute those worthless troops with American regulars. Given the realities of that time, however, that was simply impossible. Any POD which would change the course of that battle by providing more American regulars would likely have altered the course of the war so much that the battle would never have occurred in the first place.
The defense in OTL consisted of three lines. The first was weak militia and was soon routed. The second was placed (semi-legitimately) by Secretary of State Monroe, in a bad position, held for a time and also was routed.
The third line consisted of a naval battery and some sailors who had previously been skirting around the Chesapeake, now disgruntled and wanting to face the British heads on. Their position was fairly strong, and it temporarily managed to stem the retreating tide. According to various sources, somewhere along the line someone called for a retreat, and then the whole line gave way - only at this point could it be called the "Bladensburg Races".
For a very small BP, say that a very good commander, as far down as captain, although anything up to John Stricker, comes to the field just as the second line is retreating. This person urges a hard stand along with the naval people, and manages to rally easily 2-3,000 men in a good defensive position. The British did not number more than this, and so by slowly falling back until nightfall Bladensburg will be similar to the land battle for Baltimore.
Also, I dispute that it was the most shameful defeat in US history. Kip's Bay in the Revolutionary war had closer odds but was an even worse defeat.
The third line consisted of a naval battery and some sailors who had previously been skirting around the Chesapeake, now disgruntled and wanting to face the British heads on. Their position was fairly strong, and it temporarily managed to stem the retreating tide. According to various sources, somewhere along the line someone called for a retreat, and then the whole line gave way - only at this point could it be called the "Bladensburg Races".
For a very small BP, say that a very good commander, as far down as captain, although anything up to John Stricker, comes to the field just as the second line is retreating. This person urges a hard stand along with the naval people, and manages to rally easily 2-3,000 men in a good defensive position. The British did not number more than this, and so by slowly falling back until nightfall Bladensburg will be similar to the land battle for Baltimore.
Also, I dispute that it was the most shameful defeat in US history. Kip's Bay in the Revolutionary war had closer odds but was an even worse defeat.