The failed bombardment of Fort McHenry forced the British to abandon their land assault on the crucial port city of Baltimore. This British defeat was a turning point in the War of 1812, leading both sides to reach a peace agreement later that year. United States victory.
What occurred when the British marched to Fort McHenry?
On September 12-14, 1814, the British attacked by land from North Point and by water at Fort McHenry on the Patapsco River. The impressive American defenses and the failure to capture Fort McHenry persuaded the British to withdraw, essentially ending the Chesapeake Campaign of 1814.
Why did the British attack Fort McHenry?
The British hoped the loss of both Washington and Baltimore would cripple the American war effort and force peace.
Did human bodies hold up the flag at Fort McHenry?
Bodies of the dead were not used to hold up the flag pole — a 42 by 30 foot flag has to be on a well-anchored pole, not held up by a few dead bodies stacked around it.
What was the final outcome of the War of 1812?
Ultimately, the War of 1812 ended in a draw on the battlefield, and the peace treaty reflected this. The Treaty of Ghent was signed in modern-day Belgium on December 24, 1814, and went into effect on February 17, 1815, after both sides had ratified it.
Why did the British set their sites in Baltimore for attack?
The British aimed to destroy Fort McHenry so that their ships could sail into Baltimore's inner harbor and support the troops who were attacking the city by land. Courtesy Maryland Historical Society, adapted from a map prepared by the National Park.
Who saw the British attack of Fort McHenry?
Francis Scott KeyWriting of “The Star-Spangled Banner” Francis Scott Key, a successful 35-year old lawyer and amateur poet, witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry from an American ship anchored about eight miles away in the Patapsco River. A Maryland native, Key had a successful law practice in the District of Columbia.
Who was inspired by a British attack on Fort McHenry to write what became the national anthem of the Unites States?
Francis Scott KeyAfter a 25-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry, they failed to penetrate Baltimore's defenses and withdrew. Francis Scott Key, witnessing the bombardment and seeing a huge 30x42-foot American flag over the garrison, was moved to write four stanzas of lyrics to a popular tune of the day.
How was the attack on the fort handled by the British?
Running low on ammunition, the British fleet called off the attack and began to make plans to withdraw. The British land forces had also been retreating and marching back to their landing spot so they could row back to the fleet. Inside Fort McHenry, casualties were surprisingly low.
What was the result of the failed bombardment of Fort McHenry?
The failed bombardment of Fort McHenry forced the British to abandon their land assault on the crucial port city of Baltimore. This British defeat was a turning point in the War of 1812, leading both sides to reach a peace agreement later that year.
Where was Fort McHenry in Baltimore?
The imposing Fort McHenry, at the mouth of the inner harbor, provided the linchpin for the American defenses. Before the Battle. Fort McHenry, a large star fortress built in 1800, guards Baltimore’s inner harbor at a bend in ...
Why was Baltimore important to the British?
Militarily, Baltimore was a far more important city than Washington because of its thriving port and strategic location. The British hoped the loss of both Washington and Baltimore would cripple the American war effort and force peace.
How many cannonballs were fired at the Battle of Brooke?
For the next 27 hours, in driving rain, the warships hammer the fort. More than 1,500 cannonballs, shells, and rockets are fired, but only inflict light damage thanks to fortification efforts completed before the battle. During the night, Cochrane orders a landing party to slip past the fort and attempt to draw troops from the force opposing Brooke, but other than diverting some fire from the fort, this proves unsuccessful.
Why were defensive positions established along North Point?
On land, defensive positions were established along North Point to prevent British troops from advancing. Thanks to these early and exhaustive plans, the British were repulsed at Fort McHenry in 1814 and abandoned their Chesapeake Campaign. 2.
How many men and cannons were in the Philadelphia Road on September 13?
September 13. The Americans assemble 10,000 men and 100 cannon astride the Philadelphia Road, blocking the British advance toward Baltimore. This is a far stronger defense than the British expect; they are outnumbered two to one. Naval support will be required to dislodge the American forces, and Fort McHenry will have to be eliminated.
What was the name of the fortress that guarded Baltimore?
Fort McHenry, a large star fortress built in 1800, guards Baltimore’s inner harbor at a bend in the Patapsco River. The British plan to land troops on the eastern side of the city while the navy reduces the fort, allowing for naval support of the ground troops when they attack the city’s defenders. The British land a combined force ...
Why did Fort McHenry point towards the water?
When Civil War broke out in 1861, Fort McHenry’s defensive role was once again prominent, with its large cannons not only pointed towards the water to defend the city from coastal attack, but also pointed towards the center of Baltimore to intimidate its pro-secession population into remaining in the Union.
What was Fort McHenry named after?
The new fort was dubbed Fort McHenry, named after George Washington’s Secretary of War, and Baltimore native, James McHenry. Artist's depiction of the bombardment of Fort McHenry. NPS.
What was the name of the fort that was attacked during the American Revolution?
History of Fort McHenry. The bombardment of Fort McHenry. During the American Revolution a small earthen star fort known as Fort Whetstone was constructed at the end of the peninsula that led to the entrance of the Baltimore harbor. Although the fort was never attacked during the American Revolution, military experts saw the importance ...
How many British soldiers landed in Baltimore?
In September of 1814 5,000 British soldiers landed North-East of the city and halted outside of hastily constructed earthworks. The British Navy was needed to come into the Baltimore harbor to support the attack, standing in its way was Fort McHenry and its 1,000 defenders.
When was Fort McHenry re-designated?
In 1939 the site was re-designated as a National Monument and Historic Shrine, the first and only of its kind. Fort McHenry was briefly called back into service in the Second World War as a training site for the United States Coast Guard. Following the conclusion of the war in 1945 the site returned to the NPS.
Who wrote the poem "The Defense of Fort McHenry"?
A lawyer by the name of Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment and was so inspired that he wrote a poem called “The Defense of Fort McHenry” which was later put the music and renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner.”. An image depicting Fort McHenry's appearance during the Civil War. Library of Congress.
What was the War of 1812?
After its completion in 1803 Fort McHenry had a brief period peace which allowed the fort to be an outpost for the small standing army of the United States, and the country’s first light artillery unit was organized there.
What happened at Fort McHenry?
From the early morning hours on September 14, Fort McHenry had withstood a sustained attack by the British fleet, commanded by Admiral Cochrane. Despite attempts to fire back, the British ships were just out of range of the Fort’s cannons, and so by 11:00 a.m., General Armistead gave orders to slow things down to save ammunition. For the next two hours the British bombs and rockets kept up the firing on the fort with little effective fire returned by the fort.
What happened at the Ferry Branch?
At about 2:00 p.m., one bomb exploded over bastion three, overlooking the Ferry Branch, the western most point of the fort. The explosion dismounted a cannon, killing Lt. Levi Claggett of the Baltimore Fencibles. Within a minute another bomb burst above the bastion.
How many men did Napier have in the Ferry Branch?
About 30 minutes after starting, Napier noticed that half of his force was missing. He waited for a while, then with only nine barges and 128 men, he continued past Fort McHenry into the Ferry Branch.
What time did Brooke send out the order for his men to march back to the fleet?
By 3:00 a.m., realizing there would be no naval support, Brooke sent out the order for his men to march back to the fleet. To their surprise, and with mixed emotions, the men retreated from Baltimore. As Napier’s barges returned to the fleet, they remained within range of the guns at Fort McHenry for close to an hour.
What was Brooke's plan for Hampstead Hill?
His plan was to stage an attack on the smaller forts along the Ferry Branch of the Patapsco, to the west of Fort McHenry, and possibly an attack on the fort itself.
What was the significance of the blue light on September 14?
It was a signal to the British soldiers at the defenses on Hampstead Hill that a diversion was under way. Since it was raining heavily, the British east of the city might not have seen it. At Battery Babcock, the six-gun earthwork about a mile and half west of Fort McHenry, Sailing Master John Webster was trying to get a quick nap during an interlude in the firing from the British ships. An experienced sailor, Webster thought he heard some strange sounds over the bombardment of the fort and a heavy thunderstorm,. Listening closer, he recognized the sounds of muffled oars. Looking out across the Ferry Branch, probably with the help of lightning, he saw shapes of small boats in the darkness.
How far did the bomb ships go from the fort?
The bomb ships were only about 102 feet from bow to stern. When the mortars were fired the force of the recoil sent the ship downward into the water two feet.
What was the attack force on Fort McHenry?
As a result, his attack force consisted of five bomb ketches, 10 smaller warships, and the rocket vessel HMS Erebus. By 6:30 AM they were in position and opened fire on Fort McHenry. Remaining out of range of Armistead's guns, the British ships struck the fort with heavy mortar shells (bombs) and Congreve rockets from Erebus .
What was the significance of the Battle of Fort McHenry?
As the British had recently captured and burned Washington, DC, the victory proved critical in halting their advance in the Chesapeake. Coupled with successes elsewhere, the victory strengthened the hand of American negotiators at the Ghent peace talks. Francis Scott Key saw the fighting from a British ship where he was held prisoner and was inspired to write the "Star-Spangled Banner" based on what he had witnessed.
How many men were in Fort McHenry?
At Fort McHenry, the garrison commander, Major George Armistead possessed a composite force of around 1,000 men.
What buildings did the Cochrane and Ross destroy?
Taking possession of the city, they burned the Capitol, President's House, and Treasury Building before encamping. Additional destruction ensued the next day before they departed to rejoin the fleet. Following their successful campaign against Washington DC, Cochrane and Ross advanced up the Chesapeake Bay to attack Baltimore, MD.
How many people died in the Battle of Fort McHenry?
The attack on Fort McHenry cost Armistead's garrison 4 killed and 24 wounded. British losses were around 330 killed, wounded, and captured, most of which occurred during the ill-fated attempt to move up the Middle Branch. The successful defense of Baltimore coupled with victory at the Battle of Plattsburgh aided in restoring American pride after the burning of Washington DC and bolstered the nation's bargaining position at the Ghent peace talks.
Why was the Battle of Minden important?
The battle is best remembered for inspiring Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner. Detained aboard the ship Minden, Key had gone to meet with the British to secure the release of Dr. William Beanes who had been arrested during the attack on Washington. Having overhead the British attack plans, Key was forced to remain with the fleet for the duration of the battle.
What was the significance of the victory of the British in the Chesapeake?
As the British had recently captured and burned Washington, DC, the victory proved critical in halting their advance in the Chesapeake . Coupled with successes elsewhere, the victory strengthened the hand of American negotiators at the Ghent peace talks.
What city did the British take in the Battle of Fort McHenry?
Battle of Fort McHenry. Encouraged by their victory at Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, and subsequent burning of Washington, D.C., the British turned north, intent on capturing the major port city of Baltimore, Maryland.
Who was in command of Fort McHenry?
In command of Fort McHenry was a young major, George Armistead, uncle of the famous Confederate Civil War General Lewis Armistead , and a thousand men. Early on the morning of September 13, the British warships began their bombardment. Because of the shallow water, Admiral Cochrane was unable to use his heavy warships, ...
Why was Baltimore important to the British?
The British hoped the loss of both Washington and Baltimore would cripple the American war effort and force peace. Initially, the British strategy during the War of 1812 had been defensive.
What ships did Admiral Cochrane attack?
Because of the shallow water, Admiral Cochrane was unable to use his heavy warships, and instead attacked with the bomb vessels HMS Terror, Volcano, Meteor, Devastation, and Aetna. These ships fired exploding mortar shells at high angles into the fort.
How many cannonballs were fired at the Fort?
Over 1,500 cannonballs, shells, and rockets were fired at the fort, but only inflicted light damage thanks to fortification efforts before the battle. During the night, Cochrane ordered a landing party to slip past the fort and try to draw troops from the force opposing Brooke.
How many warships were in Baltimore?
The fleet of nineteen warships, also made available by the defeat of Napoleon, was under the command of Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane. Baltimore, unlike Washington, contained formidable defenses, especially around the harbor. Central to this defense was the large star fort built in 1800, Fort McHenry, which guarded the inner harbor ...
What happened on April 6, 1814?
Because of this, they had been content to defend their territory from American invasions without launching any of their own. This changed on April 6, 1814, with the defeat and abdication of Napoleon, which freed up a large number of veteran troops for a more aggressive strategy.