Aug. 26th
Commences fresh Breezes & cloudy. At 2 PM boarded a Swedish Brig from Cadiz bound to Hamburg, cargo Sugar & cotton. At 4 PM saw a large fleet steering on a wind to the Eastward, several men of war in company. At 8 PM hove to. At 2 AM wove ship and stood to the Eastward. At 5 AM saw a sail from the Masthead. Made sail in chase. At 10 came up with & captured the British Brig Sir [?] Popham Clements master from Lisbon bound to London, cargo Oranges & Lemons & Onions. Took a few of them out, and as she belonged totally to the Master of her gave her up to him.
From the Schooner Mammoth Logs, 1814. MS 3082, H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Maryland Historical Society.
August 25
The first of these 24 hours commences with fresh Breezes and thick Weather. At 3 PM saw a sail standing to the N & Eastward. At 6 PM saw two more sail standing to the N & Eastward but it being nearly dark and blowing very fresh could not see what they were.
Middle and latter part fresh Breezes and hazy weather. At 10 AM saw a sail standing to the N & Eastward. Made sail in chase
From the Schooner Mammoth Logs, 1814. MS 3082, H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Maryland Historical Society.
View of Baltimore from Chapel Hill (1802-1803), Francis Guy. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of George Dobbin Brown, 41.624.
On the evening of August 24, 1814, residents of Baltimore noticed an unusual glow in the sky to the south. Historian Neil H. Swanson captured the scene in The Perilous Fight, an exceptional account of the Battle of Baltimore:
“The first stain of fire crept up into the sky along toward half past nine. It was no brighter, then, than an afterglow of the hot summer sunset. There were arguments about it. Nine and a half o’clock was late for afterglow, but what else could it be? There’s nothing over there put the Patapsco River; you can’t burn river. All it means that tomorrow will be another scorcher.
The glare increased. The arguments died down. By half past eleven there was no doubt left. A wave of fire more furious than those before it surged into the sky. It beat against the piled-up storm clouds the clouds right as if the wind was in them. From the Bal’more rooftops or even from John Eager Howard’s hilltop beyond the north end of town, a man couldn’t tell for certain which part was smoking which was thunderheads.”
Letters from Bladensburg had started to arrive in the afternoon. Riders from Captain Henry Thompson’s First Baltimore Horse Artillery operated a horse-telegraph line along the Washington and Baltimore turnpike, with relay riders racing letters north to General John Stricker in Baltimore. James Carroll, Jr., a member of the Maryland militia, and resident of Mt. Clare in today’s Carroll Park arrived at McCoy’s tavern just after midnight with a confirmation of the terrible news:
Aug. 25th. 1814
McCoys Tavern ½ after 12 o’Clock
Thursday Morning.
I left Vanhorns about 8 o’clock when on the Road to McCoys Tavern an hour after I heard two or three heavy Explosions, it was considered by the Company with me as a Renewal of the Engagement but in a little Time a Light appeared in the Horizon in the Direction of the City of Washington which encreased until the Smoke and Flame were distinctly seen this Light continues to encrease to the present Hour & I have no doubt but that the British are burning the public Buildings at Washington.
James Carroll
From the report of several Horseman come in during the night who left our party after the defeat at Bladensburg, it seems they fled mostly on the Montgomery road some stragglers of our army are progressing this way.
R. Patterson
12 ½ o’Clock
Brig. Gen. Stricker, Baltimore
Courtesy NPS/In Full Glory Reflected.
August 24th
The first part of these 24 hours commences with moderate weather. at 4 PM saw a sail to windward. Made sail in chase. at 4:30 saw a sail on the lee Bow. at 5 made her out to be a man of war Brig, who immediately gave chase. At 8 had run her out of sight. At 7 AM saw a sail from the Masthead bearing WSW. Made sail in chase. At 8 made her out to be a ship standing to the Eastward, at 10 AM wove ship & stood [?] for him and hoisted English Colors, when he hoisted the Bourbon Flag. The sea so heavy could not board him. Wove ship to the Westward.
From the Schooner Mammoth Logs, 1814. MS 3082, H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Maryland Historical Society.
23rd – Very pleasant day, went to Town, din’d at S. Steretts & afterwards exercis’d my Men in Riding School. Being order’d to Washington on Duty intend setting off early tomorrow
From the journal of Captain Henry Thompson, August 23, 1814. Courtesy the Friends of Clifton.
August 23
These 24 hours commences with fresh Gales, and thick rainy Weather. At 4 PM more clear could not see anything of the Brigs. At 8 PM let one reef out of the Foretopsail, and set the Main topsail.
Middle and latter part, fresh Breezes and clear Weather, accompanied with light Squalls. Watch employed, getting things to rights.
From the Schooner Mammoth Logs, 1814. MS 3082, H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Maryland Historical Society.
