John Miller
The most forgotten war in
America's history is the War of 1812. Overshadowed by
the Napoleon’s War in Europe, the War of 1812 today is a
forgotten war. Although the major campaigns were fought
in the Great Lakes and Canadian region, a campaign was
launched by the British that focused on our nations
newly formed capital city of Washington during the late
summer of 1814.
On June 18, 1812 the United States
declared war on Great Britain. The reasons for a war was because
the Royal Navy was boarding US ships and taking back English
escaped sailors. William Cobbet an Englishman said "They seemed to
be wanting just such a war as this to complete the separation of
England from America; and make the latter feel that she had no
safety against the former but in the arms of her free citizens."
During the beginning of the War of 1812, the American territory
was penetrated at three different points, by way of Lake
Champlain, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Mississippi.
The British began an offensive campaign of
capturing Washington in the summer of 1814. With much speculation
of invasion, the Americans began construction of earth works on
Fort McHenry by winter of 1813 to initiated preparations for a
defensive campaign. The final year of the War of 1812 was
distinguished by a greater invasive vigorous British force than
what had earlier distinguished them.
As preparations on the Chesapeake were
carried out, Captains Michael Sluss, Jacob Row, and Privates
Michael C. Adelsberger, James Storm, Felix B. Taney, Jesse
Nusseur, John Wetzel, and Peter Remby were all men from the
Emmitsburg area, who joined the Maryland Militia to help defend
Baltimore and Washington from the threat of a possible British
infringement. Although Emmitsburg was a forgotten footnote in
American history, the Toms Creek area became famous due to one
individual, named Francis Scott Key.
Francis Scott Key (son of General John
Ross Key) was born on August 1, 1779, in western Maryland on the
family estate outside of Tom's Creek called Terra Ruba. He was the
son of an established Maryland family, and attended grammar school
at Annapolis when he was 10 years old. At the age of 17, he
graduated from St. Johns College in Annapolis and moved to
Frederick, Maryland. He became a lawyer in Frederick until he
moved to Georgetown. By 1805 he had established in law practice in
Georgetown, Maryland and became one of the best lawyers in
Washington. Francis Scott Key was a religious man and was involved
in the Episcopal Church. Although opposed to the war, he served
for a brief period with the Georgetown Light Field Artillery.
During the Battle of Bladensburg, Key was
assigned of giving out field positions to the American troops. As
the British began preparations to attack Fort McHenry, Francis
Scott Key was taken into captivity while arranging Dr. Beans'
release and witnessed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in
the Baltimore Harbor. He often wrote poems and the sight of the
American flag still flying over the fort at daybreak inspired him
to write the poem entitled "The Star-Spangled Banner," which he
set to the tune of an old English drinking song called, "To
Anacreon in Heaven.
President James Madison warned his cabinet
that he expected the British to attack Washington. The president
then selected General William Winder to command a newly created
Tenth Military District that covered Maryland, Northern Virginia,
and the District of Columbia.. With much debate with the number of
troops he had in his command, he could not order the defenses of
Washington to be reinforced by additional troops until there was
imminent danger.
August 24, was a day that America would
rather forget. It was this day that Bladensburg was fought and is
when Washington was taken by the British. During the morning, the
British had marched for seven miles to Bladensburg. The British
army still felt the swaying of the sea in their knees and the hot
weather forced some of the soldiers dropped dead in their tracks.
As British approached Bladensburg, the danger became more than
threatening, as they clashed for three hours with a much stronger
American force. The tired soldiers of the British came onto the
field without their Sharpshooters. The Americans thought how
strange for the British to engage without support of their
Sharpshooters. The Americans had thought a quick victory was at
hand.
The defenses on the American right flank
consisted of the Baltimore Artillery, who was entrenched on a
knoll over looking the bridge that the British had to use. The
Secretary of State James Monroe had arrived on the field and
helped changed General Tobias Stansbury's deployments giving the
Americans a chance for victory. General Stansbury's command fired
a massive volley at the on coming British allies under Duke
Wellington, as they began to scatter.
Seeing the British approach and the
deployment of their artillery the Baltimore artillery held off the
British. As the British began to charge the bridge, Colonel
Thornton gave the order to his command to charge. The Baltimore
artillery had no chance to fire the oncoming British as Colonel
Thornton's early charge did not allow them time to weaken the
army. The British seeing the American advance, the red coats
hurried as they placed their three cannon and began to fire at the
defenses of the Americans. As the British engaged Colonel
Thornton's small army, they began to break through.
The British soon advanced on Colonel
Wadsworth's Baltimore Artillery, seeing the British charge,
Wadsworth gave the command "load" as the Americans mistakenly
placed the wadding in the barrel of the cannon, before placing the
charge of powder, and this left the Americans fleeing, leaving
both cannon behind. The 5th regiment was ordered to support the
Baltimore Artillery; soon they were repulsed as rockets flew in
the air. The British with three cannon and the Congreve Rocket
petrified the militia as they broke and fled after a few volleys
were fired. The right of the American army began to splinter, as
General Winder pleaded with these men not to retreat and advance
the British. The whole right flank of the American army started to
retreat. Out of 1350 men the Americans had only fifty stayed and
fought before they to retreated. The Americans were breaking
giving the National Turnpike to the British, as the militia was in
full flight as they were insufficiently trained to withdraw in
good order. At this point private Henry Fulford quoted "Our main
objective was to flee from the British and head to a near by
swamp.”
The Americans received reinforcements from
Commodore Joshua Barney and 400 sailors and marines who arrived at
Bladensburg and formed the third line of battle. The sailors and
the marines held as long as they could while the Americans
retreated. The only defense of the Americans had to slow the
British advance on Washington, was a battery of five naval cannon.
Only the sailors and marines held firm, but the British eventually
maneuvered around them. Commodore Joshua Barney and his battalion
were the only Americans to gain credit for the day. President
Madison was tracking down the Secretary of War to find out what
steps were in the works to meet the final British assault, he was
shocked and disheartened to find out there was no plan. By 4:00
P.M. the Battle of Bladensburg was over, it had lasted three
hours.
The position of American troops at
Bladensburg was improperly coordinated. General Winder himself
contributed to the defeat by ordering the militiamen to retire
before they were properly deployed. The battle of Blandensburg
became known as "The Bladenburg Races." After a few hours rest the
British formed up and continued on toward Washington.
By dusk, the British approached the heart
of Washington bearing a flag of truce and demanded surrender.
Suddenly from a house window the flag of truce is fired upon. The
British troops rushed into the house where the shots had been
fired from, and put all who were found in the house to the sword
and then reduced the house to ashes. They went onto burn and
destroy every building connected to the government. This was a
major embarrassment to our nation, which resulted disastrously to
the Americans as important historical landmarks and official
government documents were destroyed. The British stayed in
Washington for two nights as the city laid in agony. The weather
had turned for the worst, as a storm made landfall. Not knowing
when the broken American army would try and retake Washington, the
British to abandon Washington the next night.
Early September, after their success in
Washington, the British decided to follow up with an attack on
Baltimore. This city was an attractive target not only because it
was a large commercial center and an important base for privateers
but also because it was such a hotbed of algophobia. On the
afternoon of September 11, General John Stricker of the American
army marches out of Baltimore toward North Point with 3,200 men.
That evening he encamped seven miles from the city near the
Methodist-meeting house. The next morning a British force of 5,000
landed at North Point under the command of General Robert Ross and
Admiral George Cockburn.
At 7 A.M. on September 12, General
Stricker receives word of the British landing and orders all
baggage to the rear, while he arranges his brigade into three
defense lines at the narrowest point between the Patapsco and Back
Rivers. At noon the two forces met and a brief skirmish erupts.
During the skirmish, British General Ross was killed. The command
was then given to Colonel Arthur Brooke. Colonel Brooke brings up
the Light Infantry and Rocket Batteries and encounters General
Stricker's 3rd Brigade. Unable to hold his left flank against a
British flanking assault, he orders an orderly fallback to the
defenses of Baltimore City on Hampstead Hill. By 4 p.m. General
Sticker the burning of a large ropewalk (a long, low building used
for manufacturing rope for ships), creating "a very brilliant
light" that temporarily causes panic in Baltimore. British
warships began to sail up the river to take position two miles
from Fort McHenry.
By 5:30 A.M. on September 13, the British
warships commence the bombardment of Fort McHenry, their artillery
quickly replied. British warships then move and anchor out of
range from the fort's cannon. While on land at north Point, the
British push forward and try to out flank the American right, but
is countered. As the British return to their former position east
of Hampstead Hill, Colonel Brooke considers a frontal assault at
midnight upon the American left flank. If he would pursue this
plan, he would need the British navy to distract the Americans. As
the British continued to attack Fort McHenry, a British mortar
shell make a direct hit on Bastion Number 3 dismounting a 24-pound
cannon and killing Lt. Levi Claggett and Sergeant John Clemm of
the Baltimore Fencibles.
The British, believing they had executed
severe damage, moved nearer to the fort. With the British ships
now within range of the fort's guns, the American defenders
respond with all available guns, scoring several hits. As the land
battle of North Point was underway, Colonel Brooke receives a
message from the Vice Admiral that the ships cannot lend support
to his assault because sunken vessels and the extensive American
shore batteries block the channel. The British intend to engage
the western shore batteries and create a diversion in hopes of
pulling the Americans from Hampstead Hill to support the threat on
Fort McHenry and the backdoor of their defenses, favoring an
assault by Brook's forces on Hampstead Hill.
The British continued their march to
Baltimore. After getting within sight of the cities defenses, the
British decided to turn back because they could not lure the
Americans out from their defensive works. Meanwhile Cohchrane had
brought up his bomb and rocket ships to attack Fort McHenry. Major
George Armistead stood with 1000 men to defend the fort. Cohcrane
wanted to silence the guns of the fort so that he could bring in
the smaller ships and then weaken the American lines.
As midnight approached the British
flotilla proceeds with its diversionary plan up the Ferry Branch,
Colonel Brooke has already decided to withdraw the Army and return
to their shipping at North Point. Brooke's decision would not
reach the Navy in time to cancel the Ferry Branch offensive. The
American defenders at Forts Covington and Babcock discover the
British flotilla offshore and open crossfire on the barges. Two
barges are sunk. After the bombardment, Fort McHenry ceases its
fire against the British ships. By 7 a.m. the next morning, the
British cease-fire and begin to withdraw. As the last British ship
sails down river, Fort McHenry raises the Star-Spangled Banner
over the ramparts. That evening, a small cartel vessel passes Fort
McHenry and docks at Fells Point and on board is Francis Scott
Key.
The British bombardment of Fort McHenry
began at 5:00 a.m. on the morning of September 13, as a young
lawyer named Francis Scott Key watched the red glare of the
British rockets, the bombs bursting in air over the Fort and wrote
a poem about the flag that was still flying over the fort after a
siege of three days and nights. The British gave up the siege and
retreated, the Americans had held out, it was a heartening victory
and a version of Key's poem would become our National Anthem.
After the War of 1812 Francis Scott Key
continued practicing law. He was the district attorney in
Washington, D.C. until his death on January 11, 1843. He is buried
at Mount Olive Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland. "The Star-Spangled
Banner," which Francis Scott Key wrote became our country's
national anthem in 1931.
Today, Tera Ruba (Latin for Red Earth)
stands as a monument in honor of Francis Scott Key outside of Toms
Creek in the small town of Keysville. The only monuments for their
brave acts during the War of 1812 are the tombstones in which
these soldiers of Emmitsburg sleep. In James Helman's 1906 book A
History of Emmitsburg history he lists those who are buried in the
Cemeteries around the Toms Creek area and they are as follows:
- Michael C. Adelsberger
- Jesse Nusseur
- Paxton Peter Remby
- Capt. Jacob Row
- Capt. Michael Sluss
- James Storm
- Felix B. Taney
- John Wetzel
A personal note: While researching this
article, I ran into two of my ancestors who fought in the War of
1812. Private Miller Junkins, died December 1, 1814 and Private
John Durst who served in the First Rifle Battalion Maryland
Militia. My mother has always told me Francis Scott Key is a
relation in my family heritage.
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