The afternoon of August 24, 1814, President James Madison was on the field of battle at Bladensburg, Maryland, when British troops overran American militia forces. Receiving word that General William Winder had called a retreat, he made his way back to the President's House. After assessing the situation, getting a fresh horse and packing a few items, he escaped from the city taking the Georgetown Ferry to Mason's Island and crossed over the Causeway into Virginia. He traveled the Georgetown Road to the Alexandria & Leesburg Road, where he headed west, stopping at Wren's Tavern in Falls Church. He later rode up to Minor's Hill, but did not stay there long because it was filled with refugees from Alexandria; it is thought that he spent the night the British burned the nation’s capital city at Salona (McLean). President Madison was back in Falls Church the following day.

Captain George Graham provided two guards and the president traveled on to Salona expecting to find Mrs. Madison, but discovered that she had already left. The president's flight inward down the Little Falls Road (Chain Bridge Road) was stopped by a ferocious storm. He found shelter at a location simply known as the crossroads; this is probably the area of today’s Tysons Corner. After the storm, he continued on to Wiley's Tavern on the Alexandria & Leesburg Road, and met the first lady who was already there. After a few hours rest, Madison, intent on joining Winder's troops gathering at Montgomery Court House (Rockville) in Maryland, set out for Conn's Ferry, located in what now is Riverbend Park. A hurricane-force storm made the Potomac impassable, but after it passed he was ferried over to Maryland the afternoon of August 26. After a brief stop at Montgomery Courthouse, where he learned the American troops had already moved on toward Baltimore, he continued further, ending the day at Brookeville, Maryland.