In 1814, about 4,500 British troops marched from North Point toward Baltimore, and roughly 3,200 Americans under Brigadier General John Stricker moved to impede them. Stricker placed his men across a road at a narrow neck of land midway between North Point and Baltimore. The Battle of North Point took place on September 12, and although the Americans eventually retreated, they inflicted many British casualties, including the death of Major General Robert Ross. Though technically a British victory, the strong American defense surprised the British, who did not pursue, allowing the Americans to join the forces on Hampstead Hill prepared to repel an expected attack. During the War of 1812, the United States fought Great Britain from 1812 to 1815 to protect its rights and economic independence, and the Chesapeake Bay region, blockaded and raided, became crucial to the war’s outcome as the United States preserved its democracy and emerged with greater stature in the world.