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
USS Jefferson (1814) USS Jefferson (1814) USS "Jefferson" was a brig in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. She was named for Thomas Jefferson. "Jefferson" was built at Sackett's Harbor, New York, for service in Commodore Isaac Chauncey's fleet on Lake Ontario and launched 7 April 1814. She was manned by a crew from sloop of war which had been laid up at Baltimore because of the British blockade of Chesapeake Bay. Comdr. Charles G. Ridgeley was her captain. Most of the guns for the new American ships had not reached Sackett's Harbor by 19 May when the British fleet