Major General Robert Ross
Of Bladensberg
"The War of 1812"
June 18th, 1812 to February 18, 1815
August 24, 1814 Ross led the British forces into Washington. The White House and other buildings were burned. If you really read the details of this history, Ross actually curtailed the British forces from burning Washington city to the ground.
Only days later on September 12, 1814, Ross will be sniper shot and die at Bladensberg, Maryland.
This is a very brief account but there is much more if your a history buff and interested. Right now the Smithsonian's Nation Gallery has an exhibit of the above portrait on display for the 1814 anniversary rememberance of this. The link just below will take you to it
http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/1812/pop-ups/06-11.html
O.K. that's neat but what's it got to do with my Scriven family?
Major Ross was married to Elizabeth Catherine Glascock, and her Mother was Elizabeth Scriven Glascock.
A lot of writing would be soooooooo confusing, so I will say Jane Bury Scriven Evans & her husband, Edward Kentish Evans, were both 2nd cousins of Elizabeth Scriven Glascock. By their Scriven GrandMothers.
Jane and Edward both were born after Robert Ross dies in 1814, but grew up knowing their Aunt, Mrs. Major General Robert Ross of Bladensberg. Mrs. Ross dies in 1845, the same year as her Aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Scriven Evans/Crawford.
In London there is wonderful statue to General Ross at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, England. link below
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Ross_monument,_St_Paul's_Cathedral.jpg
At Rostrevor, Ireland were the Ross family lived on Carlingford Lough there is a beautiful monument to him, link below
http://www.themanwhocapturedwashington.com/rm.html
PHew! That's a lot of history
In England, Ross was hailed as a hero and rewarded by the Crown with the title "Ross of Bladensburg".
If you were an Irish family coming to the United States almost 50 years after 1814, would you tell anyone you were related to the 'Man Who Burned Washington'? I don't think so
So today we remember the day Washington, D.C. burned, August 24.
Altho' the true anniversary is 2 years away in 2014. I'd expect to see a larger rememberance of it then, even over in England and Ireland.
Happy Trails, Katie
Poor General Ross. I have always wondered about him, thinking he was a brave man, possibly ill-used.
ReplyDeleteFrom County Down (Scots-Irish), son of a Major in the Seven Years War. Served with distinction all through the long Napoleonic Wars. Finally got to be a Major General, and repeatedly distinguished and wounded -- the last time at Orthez in early 1814, where he was shot in the neck. Elizabeth went thru Spain and over the Pyrennes in mid-winter to nurse him.
Never knighted. Got the hard jobs. Sent off to American to command troops in a war that was very definitely a side show. Promised Elizabeth it would be his last campaign. Then, they'd go back to Rostrevor (County Down) and build their dream house.
Well, it sure was his last campaign. Shot on the road to Baltimore in a skirmish. Then they put him in a cask of Jamaica Rum. Shuffled him around from ship to ship, till they finally buried him in Nova Scotia. His body didn't even go home. Elizabeth lived another 31 years.
His successor, General Sir Edward Packenham, killed at New Orleans, got a state funeral in London, at which the Duke of Wellington gave the eulogy.
I guess Packenham had the connections. Just sticks a bit. I'm an American, and Ross was on the other side...but he seems like a brave man, ill used.
Hi El Jefe, Wow you really are familiar with Ross! There actually is a large statuary to General Ross in London. I just tried the link I put up to Wiki and it doesn't work - I wonder if they don't like links and took it down? Wouldn't surprise me. I tried several times to add information about the Scriven family to Joseph Medlicott Scriven's there but they wouldn't accept anything I tried to share.
DeleteI'm curious about your 'Crest'. Are the birds on it Geese? and what does it all represent?
Best Wishes, Katie
HI there, I was just wondering what the reference to Crawford is in the name Elizabeth Scriven Evans/Crawford - was that her maiden name? If so who were her parents please, as I may be connected.
ReplyDeleteHello FC,
DeleteSorry I have been otherwise busy & am trying to relearn my blog. It wouldn't let me in for awhile. ANYWHO If you can find the book by John O'Hart "The Origin & Stem of the Irish Nation" Vol 2. Go to Google books - enter this title and on page 141 is the information. This single page is a treasure chest.
My Elizabeth was one of many children of Edward Scriven of Ireland - a lawyer. She wed John Evans - also a lawyer & he died. She remarried to Alexander Fitzgerald Crawford.
My G....grandfather Rev. John Evans of Rostrevor was her only Evans child.
If you have more questions, please ask & I will try to answer. The Crawfords are well documented in O'Harts book & you may find something there to help also.