Had a rather short stay in Baltimore but got a lot more information that I've been looking for.... the reason for the War of 1812. All up the Chesapeake,I've been hearing about the War of 1812. I can't say I remember having any history in school explaining what or why it was or happened. Of course maybe that was because I wasn't paying attention, which was quite often.
Day before yesterday May 17, I met several Loopers, who were docked in Annapolis.... 4 or 5 of them. There were even more that others had seen, which I didn't meet.... 3/4. While we were sitting on one of their boats having "docktails" (the terminology used for a get together to exchange BS and tell lies and drink a cool one). The subject of returning from Canada after we come back to the US, came up. I found out there is a government form one can get from Homeland Security that lets you return, on a boat from a foreign country, without having to go to a border station to check back in.
Some of these Loopers had filled out their paperwork, submitted it, and had an appointment yesterday morning for their personal interview (a requirement to get the approval). I called and asked if I got my paperwork submitted online could I join them for the personnel interview. Very nice lady said of course and to make this long story short.... I got it done! This means people with me, on my boat, don't have to personally appear at an immigration office when they return from outside the country. That includes the Bahamas, the islands, and Cuba if I go. Really a good deal!
Now FORT McHENRY..... a very important part of the history of the Chesapeake. All through my trip up this Bay, I've heard about battles between the Patriots and British. Many of the towns were named after British cities.... Oxford, Cambridge, St Micheal, etc. All towns had strong loyalties to the Crown for quite some time even after the revolution was over.
At the Fort, there was a Park Ranger, who had quite a knowledge of the history and he talked for an hour in the sun and gave an excellent lesson on this part of the War. In a nutshell the War of 1812 was fought between England and America to stop us from trading with the French!
The French and English have always fought about something and during this period Napoleon was running around and he needed our food to feed his troops. The English could never raise enough to feed their people so..... they need the food too. They thought if we were helping the French we should stop and we decided it was to our advantage to have "fair trade", something our country was founded on.
The British sent 50 war ships to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay to blockade ships carrying goods out. Much of the trading and commerce of the time was coming from this region. They were determined to cut off this supply for France.
To challenge this largest show of navel force ever assembled, America being a very young country and not wealthy enough to have raised a large naval force, could count a total of only 14 vessels among their fleet! They immediately enlisted private people with boats to raid any British ship carrying or carrying goods destined for England.
There were 1,500 British troops on these ships to be used to assault and take Baltimore. To do so they would need the help of a naval bombardment from their ships. These troops were landed on the banks of the Northern banks of the Patapsco River. They were carrying 3 days rations to sustain themselves.
The British ships maneuvered into position to bombard Fort McHenry but the amount of fire they took. They soon retreated to a safe distance out of range of the forts 1 and a half mile range guns but within range of their 2 mile bigger guns. For the next 25 hours they pounded the Fort with all they had!
Thinking was eventually the Fort would have to surrender after such an attack but as dawn arose, slowly an American flag rose too, only this time it was THREE TIMES the size of the one from the previous day! Then as was done everyday on military installations, a single cannon fired their gun to signify the beginning of the day and to show they were not giving up! Once Francis Scott Key saw this, he jotted down some verses and began to write, what has become our National Anthem.
Initially the British ground troops encountered heavy resistance from the local militia and, without support from the guns on the ships, they could not advance as predicted and made camp and ate their 1st days rations, with little to show for their efforts.
The second day they made some advances but just outside the city they met fierce resistance from a well dug in militia who had fortified their position and had to make camp and eat their 2nd days rations. Still no help from the ships who could not get close enough to damage Fort McHenry.
The third night the British loaded 500 marine reserves into small boats and, under cover of darkness, sent them around the other side of the Fort in what was to be a surprise attack. American batteries ashore heard them and began shelling them and caused them to eventually retreat without landing.
The regular army made no progress during the 3rd day and because they had run out of rations, had to begin their retreat. Soon all were back on boats headed down the Chesapeake and this was the beginning of the end of the war of 1812. All made possible by the successful defense of Baltimore. Even though it would take a 2 more years for the Treaty of Paris to be signed, for all intent and purpose, it was successful defense of Baltimore, which made that treaty possible.
For me, it was a successful day. I had learned about what the war of 1812 was all about and how the victory was eventually won by the defenders of Baltimore. After spending considerable time walking along the top of the forts ramparts and envisioning the battle taking place, it was even more rewarding next day to sail (under power of course) out the same channel where the British fleet had been anchored and maneuver my boat into the same position and see how the forts guns could have rained shell after shell on them from above.
Very late in the day we returned to the inner harbor in order to see the USS Constitution, old Ironsides, which was anchored there for visitors to tour. By the time we got to the ticket window it was 4:30 and they were closing at 5. Price for two attractions (they had 5 other historical exhibits to see) was $16 and I knew I wouldn't get to experience the full advantage of being there so I opted out until next time I return.
Tomorrow, May 19 is the final day on the Chesapeake as I go all the way up to the Chesapeake & Delaware (D&C) Canal and head East into the mouth of the Delaware River, which flows South into the Delaware Bay. 75 miles later, at the end of the Bay, we round Cape May and enter that portion of my trip which heads out into the Atlantic Ocean. Up to Atlantic City for one overnight, then on to New York, New York and by the Stature of Liberty for what will prove to be one of the highlights of my trip!
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