The Battle of Baltimore: Behind the Scenes
Jaime Lee Fritze
History 111
Community College of Baltimore County
November 15, 2014
The Forgotten War
The War of 1812 is often a footnote in American History. The Battle for Baltimore is a whisper in the minds of most Americans and then because the Star Spangled Banner was written about the British attack on Fort McHenry. The Battle of North Point coincided with the bombardment of Fort McHenry and is even lesser known. Occurring in a farming community outside of the city, this battle served to successfully delay the coinciding British land attack of Baltimore. Citizens of the city and the surrounding country side responded to the call for support without hesitation …show more content…
Forty miles north of Washington, D.C., it was the third largest city in the US. The city was a hub of commercial activity and the most important port in the Chesapeake region. It was also center for ship building and the home of the Baltimore Clipper, a schooner known for its speed and visual appeal. Additionally, Baltimore was staunchly pro-war and anti-British sentiment raged in the hearts of its citizens. To the shock of the nation, a two day riot occurred in Baltimore just weeks after the declaration of war. An inflammatory Baltimore based newspaper, the Federal Republican, was vocal in its criticism of the Republican Party and the declaration of war. The editor had little concern for any backlash from the articles printed in his paper, which was evidenced by his decision to return to Baltimore after having been run out of town. An angry mob attacked the paper and the turmoil that followed left a veteran of the Revolutionary War dead and the father of General Robert E. Lee, also a Revolutionary War hero, gravely injured. This event surely came to the attention of the British and caused at least some concern. A nest of vipers in their midst wasn’t something that should be …show more content…
An astonishing fifty-eight privateer vessels, many of them the aforementioned Baltimore Clippers, operated out of Baltimore, capturing British merchant ships and harassing the Royal Navy. These ships were the scourge of the high seas and their actions were little more than legitimized piracy, but the US government was more than happy to support their efforts if it meant causing trouble for the British Empire. Although the Royal Navy had the US Navy trapped, it wasn’t able to do much about the clipper ships that could easily outrun their ships. Baltimore earned the ire of Britain and Admiral Cockburn and Admiral Cochrane were “eager to make a lesson out of Baltimore.” The plan was to sack the city and possibly even reduce it to ashes, believing that the destruction of such an important city would bring the Americans to heel and the British to
Jaime Lee Fritze
History 111
Community College of Baltimore County
November 15, 2014
The Forgotten War
The War of 1812 is often a footnote in American History. The Battle for Baltimore is a whisper in the minds of most Americans and then because the Star Spangled Banner was written about the British attack on Fort McHenry. The Battle of North Point coincided with the bombardment of Fort McHenry and is even lesser known. Occurring in a farming community outside of the city, this battle served to successfully delay the coinciding British land attack of Baltimore. Citizens of the city and the surrounding country side responded to the call for support without hesitation …show more content…
Forty miles north of Washington, D.C., it was the third largest city in the US. The city was a hub of commercial activity and the most important port in the Chesapeake region. It was also center for ship building and the home of the Baltimore Clipper, a schooner known for its speed and visual appeal. Additionally, Baltimore was staunchly pro-war and anti-British sentiment raged in the hearts of its citizens. To the shock of the nation, a two day riot occurred in Baltimore just weeks after the declaration of war. An inflammatory Baltimore based newspaper, the Federal Republican, was vocal in its criticism of the Republican Party and the declaration of war. The editor had little concern for any backlash from the articles printed in his paper, which was evidenced by his decision to return to Baltimore after having been run out of town. An angry mob attacked the paper and the turmoil that followed left a veteran of the Revolutionary War dead and the father of General Robert E. Lee, also a Revolutionary War hero, gravely injured. This event surely came to the attention of the British and caused at least some concern. A nest of vipers in their midst wasn’t something that should be …show more content…
An astonishing fifty-eight privateer vessels, many of them the aforementioned Baltimore Clippers, operated out of Baltimore, capturing British merchant ships and harassing the Royal Navy. These ships were the scourge of the high seas and their actions were little more than legitimized piracy, but the US government was more than happy to support their efforts if it meant causing trouble for the British Empire. Although the Royal Navy had the US Navy trapped, it wasn’t able to do much about the clipper ships that could easily outrun their ships. Baltimore earned the ire of Britain and Admiral Cockburn and Admiral Cochrane were “eager to make a lesson out of Baltimore.” The plan was to sack the city and possibly even reduce it to ashes, believing that the destruction of such an important city would bring the Americans to heel and the British to