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Greenbelt in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Time of Horror

Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail

 
 
Time of Horror Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By F. Robby, September 10, 2013
1. Time of Horror Marker
Inscription. Sounds of battle could be heard here from Bladensburg, six miles away, on August 24, 1814. Victorious British troops then moved into Washington, D.C. The sky was already aglow above the city; Americans has torched the Washington Navy Yard to keep it from enemy hands. As the British burned the U.S. Capitol and other public buildings that night, the glow could be seen for miles - striking fear and indignation throughout the region.

Expecting Baltimore to be the next target, bedraggled American troops made their way north. Instead of pursuing, the British returned to their ships at Benedict. By the time they attacked Baltimore three weeks later, the Americans were ready.

Places to explore the War of 1812 in the Baltimore-Washington area:

Riversdale House Museum - Home of witness to Battle of Bladensburg; house museum; annual 1812 reenactment event.

Oxon Cove Park - 1812-era home; part of National Park Service living-history farm.

Bladensburg Waterfront Park - Start at visitor center for tour of battlefield sites.

Baltimore - Visitor center in Inner Harbor; information on Fort McHenry and other War of 1812 sites.

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Capitol, White House, National Museum of American History, National Museum of the
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U.S. Navy.

[Side 2]

O! say can you see..."

The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail traces the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake. Along the trail you'll encounter tangible evidence of the war and stories that bring the people and events to life. Discover the far-reaching impacts of the war on this county and the world.

[Side 3]

War in the Chesapeake

During the War of 1812 the young United States was embroiled in conflict with Great Britain. From 1812 to 1815 Americans fought to protect their rights and economic independence. They faced superior enemy forces on the homefront and the high seas.

The stategically important Chesapeake Bay region felt the brunt of the war, choked by shipping blockades and ravaged by enemy raids. The events in this region were crucial to the outcome of the war.

Though there was no clear victor at the end of the war, the United States protected its democracy and emerged with heightened stature on the world stage.
 
Erected by National Parks Service.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War of 1812. In addition, it is included in the Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1814.
 
Location. 38° 
Time of Horror Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By F. Robby, September 10, 2013
2. Time of Horror Marker
59.63′ N, 76° 53.682′ W. Marker is in Greenbelt, Maryland, in Prince George's County. Marker can be reached from Greenbelt Road (Maryland Route 193) 0.7 miles west of Southway, on the left when traveling west. Marker is in Greenbelt Park, inside the center loop. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Greenbelt MD 20770, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Greenbelt: A Bold Experiment (here, next to this marker); Greenbelt Park (here, next to this marker); Toaping Castle (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Greenbelt Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); Edmonston Road (approx. 0.6 miles away); Town of Berwyn Heights (approx. 0.7 miles away); Greenbelt Lake (approx. ¾ mile away); Carrington Avenue (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenbelt.
 
Time of Horror Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By F. Robby, September 10, 2013
3. Time of Horror Marker
Burning of the White House image. Click for full size.
Photographed By F. Robby, September 10, 2013
4. Burning of the White House
"The spectators stood in awful silence, the city was light and the heavens redden'd with the blaze!" - Eyewitness account, Margaret Bayard Smith, August 1814. The glow of the burning buildings in Washington, D.C., 12 miles away, could be seen from here the night of British occupation.
Time of Horror Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By F. Robby, September 10, 2013
5. Time of Horror Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2013, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 668 times since then and 3 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 10, 2013, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland.

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Mar. 29, 2024