Lieutenant Colonel Philip Reed and his Maryland militia allegedly tried to fool British troops at anchor off the Chester River by directing his small force of cavalry to ferry back and forth between the mainland and Eastern Neck Island, hoping British lookouts would think the American force was larger than it actually was. Sir Peter Parker landed on the Eastern Shore on August 28, 1814, to lead a series of raids in which the British destroyed property and routed some cavalry who were “smashingly dressed in Blue and long…feathers in their hats.” In a report to Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane on August 29, 1814, British Captain Sir Peter Parker wrote that while running down the Eastern Shore of Maryland on August 27, he was surprised to observe the enemy’s regular troops and militia in motion along the whole coast.