Military
4
Sailors formed the backbone of Baltimore’s defense during the War of 1812. A strong detachment of U.S. Navy seamen defended trenches on the outskirts of the city, while members of the U.S. Chesapeake Flotilla served Fort McHenry’s largest cannons in the Water Battery. There, eighteen men loaded, aimed, and fired each of the 12,000 pound cannons as enemy bombs and rockets burst overhead. The 471 men of the U.S. Chesapeake Bay Flotilla had protected residents of the Chesapeake Bay region and fought numerous battles with the Royal Navy before coming to Baltimore, and their combat experience and teamwork proved vital in repulsing the British ships.
Hear stories like this as you drive
ExploreHere reads historical markers out loud as you pass them: over 325,000 stories across the US. No account needed.
4.7 · 800+ ratings · Free
FIND IT
Baltimore, Maryland · United States
