General Winder went on to become a Maryland state senator. While he was not wounded physically, he died only about eight years after the battle at age 48. Most said that week in August 1814 ruined him.
President Madison had enough of the presidency. He retired with Dolley to a more quiet life at their estate in western Virginia called Montpelier. He and fellow Virginia estate master Thomas Jefferson continued their friendship.
Dolley Madison became the first First Lady to be photographed. In 1840 she was in Washington and had a "Daguerrotype" (pretty much the same as later photographs) done of her. She was a "former" First Lady, but still the first. The president at the time, John Quincy Adams was also photographed.
General Robert Ross was killed by American snipers during the Battle of Baltimore, never to see his wife Marie again. It was unusual for such a high-ranking officer to meet such a fate. His body was placed in a liquor cask to be preserved for the long trip back to Ireland where he was then buried. The town was later named Rosstrevor. Ross is portrayed by an English actor in the "Sharpe's Rifles" film series based on fiction by Cornwall. Your author highly recommends these "movies", especially since there is little else of that period to watch.
The ubiquitous Admiral Cockburn survived and thrived. He had the honor of escorting Napoleon to his second and final exile on the island of St. Helen's.
The tall and dashing James Monroe was never reprimanded for meddling with the troops' locations at Bladensburg. Instead, the Secretary of State and scout-without-telescope was made the next President of the United States. His well publicised disagreement with former president George Washington now far behind him, one wonders if he ever came to see the other side of that issue.
General Walter Smith continued on. He likely often rode by the Bladensburg fields. Once, about the time of the Civil War, he was accompanied by writer Benjamin Lossing to reminisce about the event. Lossing wrote a "Field Guide" on the War of 1812.
One lieutenant in the British invasion force, a George Robert Gleig, went on to write about his adventures and is a cherished source of information on the subject to this day. Lossing, mentioned above, corresponded with Glieg in writing his guide.
Aide Francis Scott Key became famous by writing "The Star Spangled Banner" as described in another page of this work.