The Bladensburg Game; OOB, Scenario and Timeline

Background

Vice-Admiral Cochrane's fleet landed the British Army under the command of Major-General Ross at Benedict on the Patuxent River on 19 August 1814. This landing was necessary as larger ships carrying the army could sail no further due to the shallow waters.  Rear-Admiral Cockburn's smaller vessels continued up the Patuxent in search of Commodore Barney's American gunboats. 

For several months Barney's gunboats had been causing havoc against the Royal Navy's raiding forces culminating in the Battle of St Leonard's Creek. In coordination with American regular and militia forces on land, Barney's flotilla broke out the RN's blockade of St Leonard's Creek and sailed up the Patuxent. Barney hoped that the larger British ships would not be able to follow his shallow draft gunboats in the headwaters of the Patuxent River.

Cockburn was determined to destroy Barney's flotilla. While Cockburn chased Barney's gunboats, the British army shadowed the British sailors via a land route that paralleled Cockburn's river route. 

The British Army proceeded from its camp at Nottingham on 21 August to a camp Upper Marlboro on the next day. Meanwhile Cockburn's sailors and marines trapped the American flotilla at Pig's Point. Barney scuttled his fleet of gunboats and proceeded on foot to Washington.

Now that the navy had accomplished its mission, Ross prepared to march his army back to Benedict to reembark with the fleet. However, after much persuasion Rear-Admiral Cockburn convinced  Ross to attack Washington.

Game Orders of Battle.

Scenario, Objectives, Restraints and Options.

Timeline for the Arrival of Reinforcements