What Actually Happened During the Battle of Baltimore in 1814?

American forces and militia defended Baltimore against a combined British army and naval assault in September 1814, ultimately forcing the British to withdraw after a 25-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry. The British failed to capture the city's harbor defenses, and the successful defense boosted American morale during the War of 1812. The sight of the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry after the night bombardment inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The Sequence of Events

The British invasion force arrived in the Patapsco River on September 12, 1814, after burning Washington, D.C. just two weeks earlier. Major General Samuel Smith commanded Baltimore's defenses, which included regular Army troops, militia from Maryland and neighboring states, and enslaved laborers who had been conscripted to dig entrenchments. The British landed at North Point, east of the city, on the morning of September 12 and advanced toward Baltimore.

The militia encountered the British column at North Point and delayed its progress long enough for Smith to strengthen the city's perimeter. General Robert Ross, the senior British commander, was killed during this skirmish. The British reorganized and advanced to the Loudenschlager Line, an earthwork fortification that Smith had constructed around the city's eastern edge. Unable to break through the American defenses, the British shifted their strategy to a naval assault.

The Royal Navy attacked Fort McHenry, the five-sided brick fortress that guarded the inner harbor, on the night of September 13-14. British ships lobbed an estimated 1,500 to 1,800 shells and rockets at the fort over 25 hours. The fort's garrison of about 1,000 soldiers endured the bombardment but sustained only 4 killed and 24 wounded. The British naval attack failed to reduce the fort or open a passage into the harbor.

With their assault unsuccessful, the British commanders ordered a withdrawal on September 15. The entire force reembarked and sailed away. American losses totaled roughly 24 killed in combat and 75 wounded; British casualties were higher, including Ross's death and approximately 250 other soldiers killed or wounded.

Why the British Failed

The British underestimated Baltimore's preparedness. General Smith had spent months organizing the city's defenses and assembling a force of approximately 15,000 defenders. The British army that attacked numbered fewer than 4,500 troops. Unlike Washington, which fell with minimal resistance, Baltimore presented a fortified obstacle that required overwhelming force to overcome.

The American artillery at Fort McHenry proved more effective than the British anticipated. Commandant Major George Armistead positioned his guns to maximize their range against the British ships, which had to anchor at a distance because of the fort's defensive positioning. The British could not maneuver close enough to silence the American guns decisively.

The Flag and the National Anthem

Francis Scott Key, a lawyer and amateur poet from Maryland, witnessed the bombardment from a British ship where he had been negotiating the release of a prisoner. At dawn on September 14, he saw the American flag still flying above Fort McHenry. He wrote a four-stanza poem called "Defence of Fort McHenry" and later set it to the tune of a popular British song. The poem was published in Baltimore newspapers within weeks and gradually became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Key's original manuscript is held by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., not in Baltimore. However, visitors can see the actual fort where the bombardment occurred and view the restored flag that inspired the poem at Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine, located at 2400 E. Fort Avenue in Baltimore's Canton neighborhood. General admission is $15 for adults; the site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The flag on display is a reproduction; the original 30-by-34-foot wool flag that Armistead's soldiers raised over the fort remains in conservation storage at the Smithsonian.

Historical Significance Within the War

The Battle of Baltimore confirmed that American forces could stand against professional British soldiers. The victory came after a string of American defeats and the burning of the capital, so the successful defense had outsized psychological value. British public opinion about the war in North America began to shift toward negotiation.

The battle occurred just weeks before the Treaty of Ghent was signed in December 1814, which ended the war without either side decisively defeating the other. The American victory at Baltimore strengthened the U.S. negotiating position. Americans celebrated the battle as a triumph even though the war itself reached a stalemate.

Related Questions

Where can I see Fort McHenry in person? Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine is located at 2400 E. Fort Avenue in Canton and is open to the public daily; visitors can tour the restored fort, view exhibits about the 1814 battle, and see the flag that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Did the British attack Baltimore again after 1814? No, the British did not attempt another assault on Baltimore during the War of 1812, which ended a few months later with the Treaty of Ghent.