Mortars vs. Guns

When the British attacked in 1814, larger guns of this type were fired from the ramparts and water batteries near the riverbank. They kept British warships from entering Baltimore Harbor, but they could not reach the vessels hurling bombs at the fort. According to the American commander’s report, the British fired more than 1,500 bombs, the famous “bombs bursting in air” of the National Anthem. Many were duds and many missed, so the fort suffered little damage. The gun tubes here are not known to have been at Fort McHenry during the bombardment, but they are authentic pieces from the War of 1812 period.

Baltimore, Maryland · United States