ROSS, Robert, British soldier, born in Ross Trevor, Devonshire. England, about 1770; died in North Point, Maryland. 12 September, 1814. He was graduated at Trinity college, Dublin, became an officer in the 20th foot, served in Holland, Egypt, and the peninsula, and was selected by the Duke of Wellington to command the corps that was sent to this country in 1814. He arrived in Chesapeake bay with 3,500 men from Wellington's army, and was re-enforced by 1,000 marines from Sir George Cockburn's blockading squadron. The entire force landed at Benedict, on the Patuxent, near Washington. Ross advanced with caution, and, joining Cockburn, marched to Bladensburg, where he defeated the American army, consisting mostly of undisciplined militia, on 24 August, 1814, and burned and sacked Washington. He was killed while leading the advance toward Baltimore, Maryland