The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-06-02

sailing vessels ahoat had set forth from beside
its parapets. Eluding the frigates that once i'm
pressed American seamen, these light-armed clip
per ships pursued and captured enemy merchant.
men by the hundred, prisoners by he thousands,
and booty that ran into millions.
To the enemy the waters of the Chesapeake
had now become little better than a NEST of pri-
vateers and pirates" 1t was clear to them that
the Chesapeake must be rid of these pests, the
federal capital captured, and Baltimore forced to
pay for damage done and be made the point Of
n wedge to drive the North and South apart. Then
Fredericksburg and Richmond could be threatened
or captured on the south, Philadelphia and New
York on the north.
The British were driving south from Canada
and were at Plattsburg. They proposed to sweep
down and make a junction with the 5000 troops
q%uartered on the fleet in the Chesapeake. Then
by uniting their forces from Lake Champaign and
the Chesapeake and having neutralized New Eng
land, they would coerce and subjugate America
once again.
Washington had fallen easily, a body of our reg
ulars and militia had been defeated at Bladens-
burg, and the Chesapeake coast line was at the
mercy OF the 'redcoats"-all but that section pro-
tected by the guns Of Fort McHenry and troops
gathered in the vicinity. To be pitted against our
soldiers were continental veterans fresh from
their victories on the continent of Europe. In the
Chesapeake were not only Wellington's Invincibles
but Nelson's marines, distinguished at Trafalgar
and the battle Of the Nile.
The invading fleet numbered some fifty sail
a large proportion Of them classed as men-of-war
and frigates Of the line. Against this armada
with its troop transports, America could oppose
nothing afiOat.
The hope of the Middle Atlantic seaboard and
perhaps the Union itself lay in the city Of Balti.
more. and the hope of Baltimore lay in the garri-
son and guns Of Fort McHenry and such nm.
trained troops as could be mustered for other land
defenses.
No wonder that Gen. Sir Robert Ross. who COM
nanded the British troops, declared that he
would "eat his supper in Baltimore" subsequent
to his first day on land. Nothing seemed to him
more certain even If, as he said, ut rains militia"
Baltimore was picked to be his winter headouar.
ters and a logical base for further operations
north, south or west.
Early on Sunday morning, September II, the
alarm was sounded through the streets of Balti.
more. The British fleet had entered the Patapsco
river. The cannon doomed on the courthouse
plaza, summoning the militia to arms.
The defensive force and equipment of Fort Nc
Henry were supplied largely by the citizens Of the
beleaguered port. Regardless Of a blazing sun.
men and women tOiled with pick and shovel TO
throw up breastworks at every approach to the
city and it's chief reliance, Fort McHenry. Mai
Gen. Samuel Smith was in command Of the mi.
litia, and under him was Brigadier General
Stricken. Sailors, lacking ships to go to sea, were
converted into land forces under the brilliant Com.
mOdore John Rogers.
Before dawn had streaked the sky on the 10Th
Of September the British were astir, and boat after
boat carried men and arms to North Point. where
now stands Fort Howard. General Ross. who had
won his laurels in Holland, Egypt and the PENN.
sula, took command AT his side was Rear AID.
miral COckburn, who was hated for his plunderine
OF defenseless villages. Admiral Sir Alexander
COchrane, successor of Admiral Warren as com.
mander in chief Of the British forces in America.
remained on his flagship and in person supervised
the plans for the attack by water.
The American commanders sent forward out.
posts TO engage the British, and scarcely were
the latter assembled on shore when General Ross
fell. Tradition has it that two youths, perched in
q tree, shot him when he passed within range Of
their rifles. AS he was carried to the rear, he de-
manded that he be covered, for fear the knowledge
of his fall would reach his men and dismay
them. Shortly after giving these directions he
lost consciousness, and died in the arms of his
aid, Sir Duncan McDougall.
The encounter at North Point was that phase of
the engagements which in their entirety might be
called the Battle Of Baltimore, the attack upon