No it was a last ditch attempt to force the surrender of the city after the failed assault at North Point.
The British won at NP and continued to advance. However, this force was not meant to be the main attack. The British forces advanced to just shy of the US works, then demonstrated there, while the RN bombarded Ft McHenry. With McHenry still in US hands, there was little point in 4,000 British Infantry attacking 15,000 entrenched US militia.
No Scott's 1300 men were attacked by the 100th foot(900-950 men), the 1st battalion of the 1st Royal Regiment of Foot(450-500 men)supported by the 8th king's own regiment of foot(900-950 men). Bear in mind that these units had arrived from Europe after being refitted so were at or near full strength while Scott's units weren't even at half strength.
None of these were from Europe.
The 1/1st had been in the West Indies since 1801, and was sent to Quebec to recruit back to strength in 1811.
The 1/8th King's (no "Own") had been in British North America since 1808, and had suffered major losses during a period of garrison duty in the West Indies before moving to Nova Scotia to recruit some strength back.
The 100th has raised in 1804 and sent to BNA in 1805, with half the regiment (271 men) drowning en route when their ship floundered.
All three were low priority garrison units on establishment of ca 500 men before the war, and were considerably down on that strength. They'd recruited some strength back in BNA by enlisting Canadians (and Americans, concepts of nationalism were different then).
The 1/1st (one wing) and 100th totalled 950 men (including attached artillery etc.), while Scott's 1st brigade had 1,700 men (again, including attached artillery etc.). The 1/8th and Canadian Embodied Militia totalled about 900 men and faced the 3rd Bde. The US 2nd Bde was unengaged in the fighting.
Yeah after Pakenham was killed after the battle was lost. Sorry man but you're not making your point.
No, the next man simply steps up. This wasn't a feudal warrior culture. The next man in this case was Lambert. Ross was killed at North Point, but the next in line of command stepped up and continued the advance.
Right, word hadn't even reached New York at that time, but even so that was after he had already after he withdrew his forces form the American battery on the west bank of the Mississippi and was no longer threatening the American position from that quarter.
However, it did reach NO, via a RN sloop. Such is the vagueries of wind powered sail...
I don't know American frigates have an unmatched track record during the War of 1812. I'm sure you've heard of the USS Constitution.
With 28" heavy sidewalls? Yes, and I'm aware how difficult it was to build and arm her. There's a huge difference between the well built Constitution (3 years to build) and a piece of rubbish thrown together in a month.
Constitution and her ilk were really 4th Rates, rather than "frigates". However, there was a huge variation in the size and capabilities of vessels called frigates.
I don't know about that as the British had to construct HMS Confiance at Ile aux Noix.
She's a very heavy warship though, a "36" with 24pdrs, the very top end of the 5th Rate. Nothing that heavy could make it down the Richelieu, 6th rates or sloops probably could.