On the morning of May 3, 1813, British forces came ashore at several points at Havre de Grace and plundered and burned the town. They used Congreve rockets, whose horrible whizzing and popping sounds created chaos and terror. The British confiscated belongings, destroyed anything they did not take, and set fire to buildings in town. Although initial reports said that every building in Havre de Grace was burned except one, later reports stated that 20 to 40 of the approximate 60 dwellings were lost.
