To defend Baltimore by land there had been assembled more than thirteen thousand troops under command of General Samuel Smith.

The tragical farce of Bladensburg, however, had taught him no lesson, and to oppose the five thousand toughened regulars of General Ross he sent out only three thousand green militia most of whom had never been under fire.

They put up a wonderfully good fight and deserved praise for it, but wretched leadership left them drawn up in an open field, with both flanks unprotected, and they were soon driven back.

Next morning--the 13th of September--the British advanced but found the roads so blocked by fallen trees and entanglements that progress was slow and laborious.

The intrenchments which crowned the hills of Baltimore appeared so formidable that the British decided to await action by the fleet and attempt a night assault.
General Ross was killed during the advance, and this loss caused confusion of council.