 Originally a fishing village along the Patuxent River in the southern Province of Maryland in the late 17th century, it was named Benedict-Leonardtown for Benedict Leonard Calvert, (1700-1732), 15th Proprietary Governor of Maryland, serving under his older brother, Charles Calvert, 5th Baron and Lord Baltimore, (1699-1751).In the War of 1812, Benedict was the location where the British Army led by General Robert Ross landed on August 18, 1814, after having fought fierce naval battles with American naval forces in the Patuxent.From Benedict, the British began their march to Washington, D.C., routing a larger American force at the Battle of Bladensburg before ultimately burning the capital.