History of Washington, D.C. problems, and plans for further construction to reach the Ohio River were abandoned. During the War of 1812, British forces conducted an expedition between August 19 and 29, 1814, that took and burned the capital city. On August 24, the British routed an American militia, which had gathered at Bladensburg, Maryland to protect the capital (see Battle of Bladensburg). The militia then abandoned Washington without a fight. President James Madison and the remainder of the U.S. government fled the capital shortly before the British arrived. The British then entered and burned the capital during the most notably destructive raid of
Potton (1814 ship) Potton (1814 ship) Potton was launched in 1814 and shortly thereafter made one of two voyages under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). Between voyages for the EIC and after she was a general trader until she foundered in 1829. "Potton" enters the "Register of Shipping" in 1815 with Fairburn, master, changing to Welbank. Her trade was Hull—London, changing to Hull—Bengal. EIC voyage #1 (1815-1816): (1) 1814/5 Bengal. Captain Thomas Wellbank sailed from the Downs on 22 May 1815. "Potton" left Calcutta on 8 May 1816 and on 25 May was at Saugor. She reached the Cape of