History of Baltimore, Maryland, from its founding as a town to the current year, 1729-1898, including its early settlement and development; a description of its historic and interesting localities; political, military, civil, and religious statistcs; biographies of representative citizens, etc., etc, Part 5

Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1344

USA > Maryland > Baltimore County > Baltimore City > History of Baltimore, Maryland, from its founding as a town to the current year, 1729-1898, including its early settlement and development; a description of its historic and interesting localities; political, military, civil, and religious statistcs; biographies of representative citizens, etc., etc > Part 5

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authority in me vested (possessing sufficient force) declare all the ports, harbors, bays, creeks, rivers, inlets, outlets, islands and seacoasts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in a state of strict and rigorous blockade, and I do further declare that I consider the force under my com- mand adequate to maintain strictly, rigor- ously and effectually the said blockade, and I do hereby require the respective officers, whether captains, commanders or com- manding officers under my command, em- ployed or to be employed on the coasts of England, Ireland and Scotland to pay strict attention to this, my proclamation, and I do hereby caution and forbid the ships and vessels of all and every nation in amity and peace with the United States from entering or attempting to enter or from coming or attempting to come out of any of said ports, bays, creeks, rivers, inlets, outlets, islands or seacoasts under any pretense whatso- ever, and that no person may plead ignor- ance of this, my proclamation, I have or- dered the same to be made public in Eng- land.

"Given under my hand on board the 'Chasseur,' day and date as above.

(Signed) THOMAS BOYLE.

"By Command of the Commanding Officer, (Signed) J. S. STANSBURY, Secretary."

The English Government was fully alive to the danger to be apprehended from the splendid Baltimore clippers and early in the year 1813 had sent a squadron under Ad- miral Warren to operate in the Chesapeake Bay and to declare and enforce a blockade, if possible, but as a matter of fact, the Balti- more privateers and their prizes were con-

HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

stantly passing through the so-called block- ading squadrons.

The squadron under Admiral Warren was reinforced in 1813 by another fleet un- der Admiral Cockburn, consisting of four ships of the line and six frigates.

Cockburn directed operations along the unprotected shores of the Chesapeake Bay, especially isolated farm houses and county seats, seizing and destroying private prop- erty. Expeditions were sent against the villages of Frenchtown, Havre-de-Grace, Fredericktown on the eastern shore and Georgetown, which were taken, plundered and burned. Nevertheless these plunder- ing expeditions were not always successful. The sturdy yeomanry oftentimes speedily assembled and drove the marauding bands away.

Whilst the British fleet visited the Patapsco river, they did not deem it pru- dent to attack Baltimore, whose spirited citizens were constantly on the alert.

When the British squadron under Ad- miral Warren entered the Chesapeake Bay, the citizens of Baltimore did not wait for the government at Washington to protect them, but took prompt measures to protect themselves. A fleet of thirteen barges and the schooner "Scorpion" were sent down the bay to watch and harass the British squadron.

The military spirit was rife. The militia were thoroughly organized and like the minute men of 1776 prepared for service on short notice.

As early as October 5th, 1812, a company of infantry, numbering 100 men, command- ed by Capt. Stephen H. Moore, were fitted out in the most substantial manner by the citizens of Baltimore and presented

by the patriotic ladies of the Seventh Ward with an elegant silk flag.

They promptly marched to the Canadian borders and joined Col. Winder's regiment, which a short time thereafter with the American army under Gen. Pike invaded Canada at the capture of York (now known as the city of Toronto, Canada), April 27, 1813. Capt. Moore, of the Baltimore com- pany, was wounded and Lieut. Nicholson killed.

In June, 1813, volunteering for the army by regiments and companies was so active in this city that the superior officers were compelled to suppress it and give prece- dence to the oldest organizations.

The management of military affairs at Baltimore was placed in the hands of Gen. Samuel Smith, of this city, who had dis- tinguished himself during the War of the Revolution.

The infantry regiments and artillery com- panies assembled twice a week, marched to Fort McHenry and other points, manoeu- vred and prepared themselves in every way for active fiel 1 operations, often remaining at the garrison for a week at a time.

Col. Wadsworth, of the United States engineer corps, superintended the erection and completion of the fortifications for the defense of the city.

As an evidence of the alacrity with which the volunteer militia of the city responded to the calls of danger, it appears that on the 5th day of May, 1813, a demonstration of the British fleet in the Patapsco river caused the alarm guns to be fired between II a. m. and 12 m., and within a few minutes up- wards of 5,000 men were under arms and in their proper places and within an hour regi-

HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ment after regiment marched to points of danger in regular order.

On this day the 5th Maryland Regiment of Infantry, just returned to Baltimore from a week's duty at Fort McHenry (having been relieved by the 6th), made a forced march of fifteen miles to North Point. They were followed by the 39th Regiment and some troops of Cavalry and batteries of Ar- tillery.

The 27th and 5Ist Regiments were kept under arms and in readiness for action.

The defenses of Baltimore were being pushed at Fort McHenry, Patapsco river, the Cove and the Lazaretto.

In the unfortunate battle of Bladensburg, Md., August 24th, 1814, for the defense of the National Capitol, no reflection could possibly be made upon the gallant sailors and marines from Maryland, under Com- modore Barney, and the 5th Maryland In- fantry Regiment who participated in that engagement, and who repulsed the enemy with loss in their own immediate front as long as they had any support, and when the British army and navy flushed with triumph at their success in capturing Washington City and the destruction of the Capitol, &c., advanced up the Patapsco to "occupy Bal- timore for their winter's quarters," in the language of Gen. Ross, the survivors of these gallant Maryland commands were on hand, enthusiastic for the fray.

The combined British fleet, consisting of about fifty sails, arrived at the mouth of the Patapsco river on the 10th day of Septem- ber, 1814; a number of the vessels pro- ceeded up the Patapsco river towards Bal- timore, whilst others proceeded to North Point at the mouth of the Patapsco, about twelve miles from Baltimore, and com-

menced the disembarkation of the troops under Gen. Ross, on the IIth. They landed about 5,000 soldiers, 2,000 sailors and 2,000 marines. The sailors and ma- rines were under the command of Admiral Cockburn. The troops were a part of the Duke of Wellington's army, fresh from their victories over the armies of the great Napoleon in Spain, and styled themselves "Wellington's Invincibles."

To confront this formidable army, we find the Baltimore Brigade, some of the troops of Gen. Winder's army who had been engaged in the battle of Bladensburg, and volunteers from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, with a few regular troops, also a small but splendid body of sailors and marines under Commodore Rogers, Major General Smith being in su- preme command.

The Baltimore Brigade was composed of the 5th, 6th, 27th, 39th and 51st Regiments of Infantry, commanded respectively by Lieutenant Colonels Sterett, McDonald, Long, Fowler and Amy. In the 5th Regi- ment was incorporated a uniformed com- pany of volunteers from York, Pa., under Capt. Spangler, and in the 39th Regiment, Capt. Metzger's company from Hanover, Pa .; Capt. Quantrell's company from Hag- erstown, Md., and in the 6th Regiment Capt. Dixon's company from Marietta, Pa., the whole including Capt. Montgomery's battery of Artillery with six 4-pounders amounting to 3,200 men.

The Baltimore Brigade with the Rifle Corps, Capt. Aisquith, one company of cav- alry and one company of artillery, moved forward to a point eight miles from Balti- more and four miles from North Point.

HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

This column was placed under the com- mand of Gen. Stricker.

The main line of battle of Gen. Smith was formed behind breastworks running along the high ground, now included within the limits of Patterson Park, with other de- tachments at various defences. The naval contingent having small batteries on a line between the Philadelphia Road and Spar- row's Point, on the Sparrow's Point road, and to the right of the Sparrow's Point road a few marines were also in the en- trenchments. This was the disposition of the American forces on the north bank of the Patapsco, confronting the British army.

About I p. m. on the 12th of September, 1813, the British troops under Gen. Ross, who had debarked at North Point and marched four miles on the road to Balti- more, attacked a detachment of Gen. Stricker's brigade, consisting of two com- panies of the 5th Regiment and Capt. Ais- quith's Rifle Corps and one piece of ar- tillery. This detachment retired fighting to the brigade, and the action became general along the whole line. Gen. Stricker had formed his command in three lines, the 5th and 27th Regiments in the front line, the 39th and 5Ist Regiments in the second line and the 6th Regiment in the third line, and as a reserve; a brisk artillery and musketry fire continued for an hour, inflicting severe loss upon the enemy, but their over- whelming numbers soon enabled them to outflank the American forces, who retired in good order; about 1,700 of Gen. Stricker's command were actually engaged.

The enemy followed up slowly the re- treating column to a point within two miles of the American entrenchments. Gen. Smith immediately made disposition to at-

tack the British flank as soon as they at- tacked the American front; upon the dis- covery of these movements, together with the discouragement occasioned by the news of the failure of the naval attack at Ft. Mc- Henry and the attempt to land in the rear of this fort, and the death of their leader, Gen. Ross, who was killed by two young men of the Baltimore Rifle Corps, Messrs. Wells and McComas, they deemed it pru- dent to retire under the cover of night to North Point.

The operation of the enemy's naval con- tingent in the Patapsco was both active and earnest, and in unison with the movements and attack of the enemy on the north bank. Their frigates, bomb ketches and small ves- sels ascended the river and arranged them- selves in a formidable line to bombard Ft. McHenry and the city. The attack on Ft. McHenry, which was garrisoned by the command of Col. Armistead, was severe and magnificent, if not effective. The enemy's vessels in a half circle opened a bombardment at a safe distance from the guns of the fort and the batteries at Lazaretto Point, opposite their range, be- ing superior to that of the American guns, and kept it up continuously from 6 a. m. all day and night until I a. m. of the follow- ing day, once or twice venturing within range of the American guns, when they were speedily driven off; failing to make any impression on Ft. McHenry, they sent a force of 1,200 men, under the escort of rocket and bomb vessels, up the Patapsco river, passed Ft. McHenry under cover of night, and attempted a landing in rear of the fort. The defenses of Locust Point be- tween Ft. McHenry and the city of that day consisted of Ft. Covington, located

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HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

within the present limits of Riverside Park, and batteries at Ferry Branch.

The naval contingents were under the command of Lieuts. Webster and New- comb. This attack met with a most disastrous defeat. The six-gun battery of Webster especially did frightful execution amongst the enemy's barges, and the whole force retreated rapidly with severe loss un- der the fire of every gun that could be brought to bear upon them in their retreat, including the guns from Ft. McHenry and the Lazaretto.

After the repulse the enemy's long guns resumed the bombardment of Ft. McHenry, but daylight found the old flag still floating proudly over the fort. It was the sight of this that inspired Francis Scott Key, of Maryland, then a prisoner on board of the British frigate "Surprise," to compose the American national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner."

The entire British forces both of the army and navy speedily retired from their ill-fated attempt to capture Baltimore, whose forti- fications were to have been destroyed in two hours and then terms offered to the city.

The "Wellington Invincibles" had fallen back before the despised citizen soldiers of the Republic; the enemy's prisoners and de- serters stating "that they had never before experienced so destructive a fire."

The 21st Regiment (British) who landed 500 men, alone reported a loss of 171 in killed, wounded and missing.

The total loss to the army of Gen. Ross was estimated at 700, including Maj. Gen. Ross, then Commander-in-Chief.

The loss to the American forces was

twenty killed, ninety wounded and forty- seven missing in action and prisoners.

This was the last demonstration by the British against Baltimore during the war. Her privateers continued active, until the definite conclusion of peace between Great Britain and the United States, February 15th, 1815.

The splendid record made by Baltimore in its military and naval history, has been happily appreciated by all patriotic Balti- moreans as a priceless heritage to posterity. The Wells and McComas and Battle monu- ments attest this fact.

Our splendid 5th Regiment, National Guards of Maryland of the present, recol- lect with patriotic pride the gallant acts of their predecessors, if not their progeni- tors, of an earlier date; but the pride with which other patriotic Americans regard the contribution of Baltimore to the common cause in the War of 1812-15 has been most effectively described by a northern writer of that date, who said, "When I call to mind the spirit and acts of the Baltimoreans dur- ing the war with England, I am inspired with a feeling of esteem and veneration for them as a brave and patriotic people, that will endure with me to the end of my exist- ence. During the whole struggle against an inveterate foe, they did all they could to aid and strengthen the hands of the gen- eral government, and generally took the lead in fitting out efficient privateers and letters of marque to annoy and distress the enemy and even to beard the old lion in his den, for it is well known that their pri- vateers captured many English vessels at the very mouth of their own ports, in the British Channel. When their own beauti- ful city was attacked by a powerful fleet and

HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

army, how nobly did they defend them- selves against the hand of the spoiler.

"The whole venom of the modern Goths seemed concentrated against the Balti- moreans, for no other reason but that they had too much spirit to submit to insult and tyrannical oppression. Many of the east- ern people made a great mistake in count- ing on the magnanimity of the British na- tion to do them justice by mild and persua- sive arguments.

"In making the remarks in praise of Bal- timore I do not mean to disparage the noble patriotism of many other cities of this glori- ous Union, but I do mean to say that if the same spirit that fired the hearts and souls of the Baltimoreans had evinced itself throughout our entire country, it would have saved every American heart much pain and mortification, and would, in my opinion, have shortened the war."

EPOCH IV. The Mexican War, 1845-1848.

The annexation of the State of Texas by the United States gave great umbrage to our neighboring Republic of Mexico, al- though as a matter of fact the gallant Tex- ans had declared their independence of Mexico and made that declaration good in one of the most successful and glorious struggles in which a people contending for freedom had ever engaged; moreover, their independence had been acknowledged by other powers besides the United States as a separate and independent State.

The Republic of Texas applied for and was duly incorporated in the United States of America, and a small army of Americans had been sent into Texas to protect its bor-

ders and for garrison duty. Their presence upon the banks of the Rio Grande was re- garded by Mexico as an act of war and a Mexican army invaded the territory of the United States and attacked the American troops April 25th, 1846, under Gen. Zachary Taylor. The American forces not only defeated the Mexicans at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaco de la Palmer, May 8-9, 1846, but promptly crossed the Rio Grande and carried the war into Mexico.

On the 13th day of May, 1846, in pursu- ance of a call for a meeting of the citizens of Baltimore favorable to the raising of volunteers to reinforce Gen. Taylor, an im- mense concourse of citizens assembled in Monument Square and were addressed by Coleman Yellott, Esq .; Hon. Francis Gal- lagher (afterwards a captain in Cole's Cav- alry, Maryland Volunteers, Civil War, 1861-65), and Wm. P. Preston, Esq. Steps were immediately taken to raise and equip volunteers for the war and on the 4th day of June, 1846, a company known as "Balti- more's Own" left this city for Washington. They were mustered into a regiment known as the Baltimore and Washington Battalion. The officers of the command were as fol- lows: Capt. John R. Kenly, subsequently promoted major (and during the Civil War from 1861-65, the colonel of the Ist Mary- land Infantry-Federal-and major gen- eral United States Volunteers); F. B. Schaeffer, Ist lieutenant; Oden Bowie, 2nd lieutenant. (Lieut. Bowie afterwards be- came Governor of Maryland.)

This command with other Baltimoreans who had enlisted in both the regular army and navy, speedily departed for the seat of war in Mexico. Three other companies, making four in all, were subsequently

HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

raised and assigned to the Baltimore and Washington Battalion, under the command of Lieut. Col. Watson. They served with the army of Gen. Taylor in its attack upon and capture of Monterey, Mex., Sept. 21, 1846, where they charged in the most gal- lant manner on a battery under a galling fire and were amongst the first to enter the enemy's city, exposed during the attack to a destructive fire from several batteries. Lieut. Col. Watson was killed whilst lead- ing his battalion, with nine of his gallant comrades, when the command devolved on Capt. Kenly, who handled it bravely during the remainder of the day.

The battalion was subsequently trans- ferred from the army of Gen. Taylor in Northern Mexico to the army of invasion under Gen. Winfield Scott, then advancing from Vera Cruz to the capitol city of Mex- ico. The Baltimore Battalion distinguished itself in many hard-fought battles, and gained a name worthy of the State of Mary- land and the city of Baltimore. They were mustered out of service on the expiration of their term of enlistment at Tampico, Mex., May 30th, 1847.

In a letter dated Tampico, Mex., May 3Ist, 1847, written by Maj. Robert C. Buchanan, 4th U. S. Infantry (a gallant son of Baltimore), addressed to the Hon. Jacob C. Davies, Mayor of Baltimore, we find the following:

"The term of service of the Baltimore Battalion having expired, it becomes neces- sary to make a suitable disposition of the flag under whose folds it so gallantly fought and so faithfully sustained the toils and privations incident to the last twelve months' campaign. The officers of the Battalion desire that it should be presented

to the corporation of the city, to be kept in the City Hall as a memorial of their re- gard for Baltimore; it therefore became my agreeable duty to forward the flag to you, the Chief Magistrate of the city, with the request that it may be disposed of in accord- ance with the wishes of the donors. By our fellow-citizens it may well be regarded with feeling of pride as having been the standard of a body of their friends which for good discipline, soldierly deportment and efficiency, for hard service, stood in a most enviable position. The Rio Grande, Monterey, Victoria and Tampico will all bear witness to the service of the Battalion. Sergt. Maj. Wm. T. Lennox, who carried the flag in the battle of Monterey, after Hart was wounded, and who has been the color bearer since that time, will be in- structed with the duty of delivering it to you."

After the muster-out of the Baltimore Battalion, another battalion was recruited in Baltimore and Washington, known as the Maryland and District of Columbia Regiment. Its commander was Lieut. Col. Geo. W. Hughes, and Capt. John R. Kenly was made major. Three companies of Baltimoreans formed a part of this regi- ment; they returned to the seat of war and left Mexico with the American army June 22, 1848.

Whilst Baltimore did not have any other distinctive organizations that took part in the war with Mexico, its citizens volun- teered freely and did splendid duty in both the army and navy during this war.

The Legislature of Maryland adopted resolutions expressive of the losses the State sustained in the death of Col. Wat- son, of Baltimore, as well as those other

HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

gallant Marylanders, viz: Col. Truman Cross, Maj. Samuel Ringold, Maj. Wm. Lear, Capt. Randolph Ridgley and Passed Midshipman John R. Hynson, all of whom fell in the war with Mexico.

The peace that was proclaimed in 1848 saw an empire added to the United States of America, out of which many States have been erected. In the acquisition of this splendid addition to American territory, the sons of Baltimore performed a noble part.

EPOCH V. The Civil War, 1860-1865.

The long contest coexistent with the United States of America and the adoption of its Constitution relative to the status, ex- istence, legality and protection of African slavery within the borders thereof, cul- minated in November, 1860, upon the elec- tion of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States by the Republican party, upon a platform "pledged to a policy cir- cumscribing the limits of slavery" within the bounds of what were then known as the Southern or Slave States.

Although nearly every one of the original thirteen States that established the Ameri- can Union had recognized the legality of African slavery within their respective lim- its, or were engaged in the African slave trade itself, more especially with the South- ern States, nevertheless they had seen fit to abolish slavery. The Constitution of the United States had abolished the African slave trade and subsequent legislation by the United States declared it piracy; and although the principle of gradual emanci- pation had made headway, as both a moral and economic measure, even in some of the Southern States, more especially in Mary-

land, which had at the time of the opening of the Civil War more free colored people than slaves within her borders, and had es- tablished the largest and most prosperous State in the Colony of Freemen at Liberia, Africa, yet the slavery question had become a political one, the pro-slavery party had proclaimed "that the slavery question was a paramount issue" and threatened to with- draw or secede from the Union unless they were not only guaranteed and assured of protection to slavery within their limits, but granted the same rights as to their property in slavery within the new territories of the United States until such a time as the new States should decide whether or not they would legalize slavery.

The election of Mr. Lincoln was looked upon by many in the Southern States as the acme of an irrepressible conflict, and some of the Southern States attempted to secede from the Union and establish an- other Confederacy, which in the language of the Hon. Alexander Stevens, of Georgia, who was elected their vice-president, "should have slavery as its corner-stone."

Commissioners were sent to Maryland from some of the Southern States to in- duce the State to "go and do likewise," but although Maryland's business and social re- lations were to a large extent connected with her sister States of the South, never- theless she had a large business connection with the free States of the North and West.

Her slave-holding interest was small in comparison with the other Southern Sates, and it was self-evident to a majority of her people that it would be suicidal policy to link their fortunes with the Southern cause.

The divided sentiment in Baltimore and Maryland caused many of her sons to take

HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

prompt individual action in the premises, and hundreds and thousands of her citizens upon the establishment of a government and army in the Southern States, which styled themselves "The Confederate States of America," bid farewell to their old neigh- bors and friends, oftentimes to father, or son, or brother, who not only adhered to but signified their intention "to fight for the maintenance of the Federal Union," and went South to enlist in the Confederate army and navy.

Meetings had been held in Baltimore in behalf of the Union and also in behalf of the Southern Confederacy; collisions be- tween Union men and Southern sympa- thizers had occurred, in one of which a se- cession flag was torn down on Federal Hill and a cannon engaged in saluting it pitched into the harbor. Excitement was intense when, on the 19th day of April, 1861, the 6th Massachusetts Regiment of Infantry was attacked in the streets of Baltimore whilst on their way to defend the National Capitol. The railroad tracks on Pratt street were blockaded (and most singular to report) in part by the volunteer efforts of colored people. The attack was not pre- meditated or organized, and the local au- thorities tried to preserve the peace. This was the first blood shed in the Civil War, four soldiers and twelve citizens were killed besides a large number wounded on both sides. The result was that the Southern sympathizers pushed to the front and con- trolled matters in Baltimore for a few days subsequent to the affair, shaping the con- duct of the civil authorities, &c.

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Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1344

Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1344