Town Ravaged Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail - Lower Marlboro, MD - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

Town Ravaged Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail-War 1812

A British force of about 160 Royal Marines and 30 Colonial Marines (former slaves) took Lower Marlboro on June 15, 1814, without and resistance. Occupying the town overnight, they burned warehouses full of tobacco, stole a schooner, livestock, and poultry, and captured a civilian named J. W. Reynolds. Thirteen slaves escaped with them.
“They opened all the feather beds…broke the doors and windows out and so tore the houses to pieces inside as to render them of very little value”
Baltimore American & Commercial Daily Advertizer, June 20, 1814.
Battle Worn
Charles Ball, a former slave born in Calvert County, may have lived in Lower Marlboro. He was a cook with the U.S. Chesapeake Flotilla during both battles of St. Leonard Creek. Present at the Battle of Bladensburg, Ball later noted that the militia “ran like sheep being chased by dogs.”
(Inscription below the image in the lower right)
Characterization of Charles Ball by Keith Rocco.

Group that erected the marker: National Park Service Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Lower Marlboro Road. Owings, MD United States 20736 URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   08/30/2022 Don.Morfe visited it