▁march ed ▁on ward ▁in ▁dan cing ▁p umps . ▁ ▁The ▁war ▁was , ▁however , ▁serious , ▁and ▁Kennedy ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁dis astr ous ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bl ad ens burg ▁as ▁the ▁British ▁threatened ▁the ▁new ▁national ▁capit ol , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁James ▁Mon roe ▁ordered ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁ 5 th ▁to ▁move ▁back ▁from ▁the ▁left ▁of ▁the ▁forward ▁line ▁to ▁an ▁exposed ▁position ▁a ▁quarter - mile ▁away . ▁After ▁the ▁British ▁forces ▁crossed ▁a ▁bridge , ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁moved ▁forward . ▁The ▁fighting ▁was ▁inten se : ▁nearly ▁every ▁British ▁officer ▁among ▁the ▁adv ancing ▁troops ▁was ▁hit , ▁but ▁then ▁the ▁British ▁fired ▁Cong re ve ▁rock ets . ▁At ▁first ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁stood ▁firm , ▁but ▁when ▁the ▁two ▁reg iments ▁to ▁the ▁right ▁ran ▁away , ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁also ▁broke . ▁Kennedy ▁threw ▁away ▁his ▁mus ket , ▁and ▁carried ▁a ▁wounded ▁fellow - s old ier ▁( James ▁W . ▁McC ul lo h ) ▁to ▁safety . ▁Kennedy ▁later ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁North ▁Point , ▁which ▁saved ▁Baltimore ▁from ▁burning ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁capit ol ' s . ▁Another ▁w art ime ▁contact ▁who ▁proved ▁cru cial ▁in ▁Kennedy ' s ▁later ▁political ▁and ▁business ▁career ▁was ▁George ▁Pe ab ody , ▁who ▁later ▁helped ▁fin ance ▁the ▁B & O ▁Rail road ▁and ▁founded ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Morgan , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Pe ab ody