General Robert Ross

Robert Ross was the British major general who commanded the army during its capture of Washington City in the War of 1812. After President Madison and his wife fled, Ross and his officers occupied the presidential mansion, ate the abandoned meal, and burned the building along with other government landmarks. When Lucy begged him to stop, he dismissed the mansion as merely a building. Ross later arrested Dr. William Beans for detaining British stragglers, though sworn testimony about the doctor's humane conduct persuaded him to allow a release. He then held the negotiators aboard the fleet because they knew Baltimore was the next target. His actions helped Lucy understand how buildings and flags can embody the beliefs of a people.