Another General Ross was my first commander.
Posted on 08/25/2014 2:05:27 PM PDT by the scotsman
'Sunday marks the 200th anniversary of the Burning of Washington, and the instrumental role played by a County Down man.
British Army Maj Gen Robert Ross, from Rostrevor, will forever be remembered as the man who burned down the White House.
The Burning of Washington took place in 1814, during the War of 1812 between British forces and the United States of America.
The major general led the troops who set alight public buildings including the Capitol, Washington Navy Yard and, most infamously, the President's Mansion.
One eyewitness testified to Ross personally being involved in the piling up of furniture and kindling for the White House, preparing to destroy the landmark.'
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Another General Ross was my first commander.
He was shot and killed the next day.
He lived the dream.
Well, yes. Quite the retribution for some wild US militia in Canada.
I prefer to remember the infant USN v. RN frigate actions, (Uh, minus the HMS Shannon v. USS Chesapeake of course).
Say, since you lads did a number on Washington DC two hundred years ago, and know the lay of the land, could you consider a repeat? Just kidding of course.
Good to hear.
If your going to go then you might as well be preserved this way.
“His remains were shipped to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and embalmed in a cask of rum before being laid in the Old Burying Ground.”
I misread the history.
He was killed 2 weeks later...
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ross_%28British_Army_officer%29
-
..on the morning of 12 September 1814, en route to the Battle of North Point, General Ross rode forward and was shot through the right arm into the chest. Two American riflemen, Daniel Wells, 18, and Henry McComas, 19, were credited with the shot. Ross died while being transported back to the fleet.
After his death, Ross’s body was preserved in a barrel of 129 gallons of Jamaican rum aboard HMS Tonnant. When the Tonnant was diverted to New Orleans, his body was shipped on the British ship HMS Royal Oak to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where his body was interred on 29 September 1814 in the Old Burying Ground.
And I thought a worm in a bottle of tequila was yucky.
What a waste of 129 gallons of Jamaican rum!
Yeah, but what’s his family done for us recently. ;)
At least he arrived home in good spirits!
LOL
I could never even attempt to top that one.
Actually 3 weeks later on march to Baltimore at Battle of North Point
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_North_Point
IIRC, the US troops burned the capital (York, now Toronto?), and this was supposed to be retribution for that.
They only tell us one side of these stories in US history...
1 day; 2 weeks; 3 weeks...whatever...
it is the complete waste of over 100 gallons of perfectly good rum that is important
What does NI stand for?
North Irishman
The BBC article is quite interesting as it points out that Francis Scott Key was detained by Ross
pending a naval bombardment and it was during this bombardment that Key wrote the " Star Spangled Banner".
More interesting and historical facts are found in this article.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.