From September 1–5, 1814, American forces clashed with British naval vessels along the Potomac River at White House Landing, near Belvoir Neck. Among those who fought was Robert Allison Jr., a native of Alexandria and grandson of the city’s first mayor. During the five-day engagement, Allison was killed in action—one of the few Alexandrians to die defending the region during the War of 1812.
His sacrifice is memorialized in two places: a monumental gravestone in the Presbyterian Cemetery and a plaque on the east wall of the Old Presbyterian Meeting House sanctuary, where his family worshipped. The battle itself, though often overshadowed by larger engagements, delayed British forces on their return from burning Washington and helped buy crucial time for the defense of Baltimore, ultimately contributing to the events that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner.
