"Battles That Saved America: North Point and Baltimore 1814" Topic

"These few words—the opening line of the United States' national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner"—are some of the most recognizable in American history and move the heart all that hear them. Nearly every school child in America knows that Francis Scott Key wrote the anthem as a poem after observing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor throughout the night of 13 September and into the morning of 14 September 1814. From his vantage point on a British ship he watched through the rainy night as British guns pummeled the fort. As dawn broke, Key saw a massive American flag defiantly flying over the fort signaling that the British attack had failed. Had the British captured and burned Baltimore, as they had Washington the month before, Philadelphia and New York City would have been the next likely targets.

This story is well known but only tells a small part of what are known as the Battles of North Point and Baltimore, depending on which part of the engagement is being discussed. In truth these are just part of the same combined arms effort undertaken by the British on land and sea against Baltimore in September 1814. Fort McHenry is important and the most famous aspect of the battle, but there is much more to the events of 13 and 14 September 1814. This article will discuss some of those important and little known aspects of the battle…"
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Amicalement
Armand

1814 was not a good year for the British.

They lost on the Niagara frontier at the Battle of Chippawa and at the siege of Fort Erie. And they were fought to a bloody draw at Lundy's Lane although they outnumbered the Americans. The Americans did withdraw from the peninsula to Buffalo, but they intended to return in 1815.

The British also lost at Plattsburg at the Battle of Lake Champlain which forced the invasion army to withdraw.

They also lost at Baltimore and the Maryland Volunteer Militia fought a successful delaying action at North Point, inflicting more casualties on the British than they incurred.

And the British were defeated badly in their invasion of Louisiana.

Thanks Kevin!

Amicalement
Armand

And the British were defeated badly in their invasion of Louisiana.

Which technically was 1815, and more importantly on my birthday. Interesting to speculate on what would have happened in 1815 if the war continued.

The campaign began and the first battle occurred in late 1814.

The artillery battle and the main fighting occurred on 1 and 8 January 1815 respectively.