All posts by Baltimore Heritage

On February 14, 1814, John Merryman died in Baltimore at age 77. Born on February 16, 1736 on the 1000-acre “Hereford Farm,” Merryman moved to Baltimore Town around 1763 and built a home on Calvert Street just south of Baltimore Street.

In 1774, he helped to found the “Baltimore Town Committee of Observation,” one of many citizen groups organized around the beginning of the American Revolution to challenge the weakening authority of the British Colonial government. Merryman was commissioned as a Justice for Baltimore County in 1778 and served as a judge for the Orphan’s Court of Baltimore County in 1784. He survived by his wife Sarah Rogers Smith and four children.

Source: Browne, William Hand, and Louis Henry Dielman. 1915. Maryland Historical Magazine. Maryland Historical Society. p. 286-287.

February 13th
Latitude 12, 49, Longitude 57, 35, captured, after a chase of 5 hours, the British schooner Miranda, from Cork to Guadalope, laden with dry goods, flour, butter, soap, beef, etc; took out the dry goods and some other articles necessary for ship’s use, and burnt the balance.

From the journal of the Chasseur, excerpted in Baltimore American, June 2, 1814. Maryland Historical Society.

February 12th
At half past 1 p.m. saw 3 sail from mast head, bearing n. e. immediately in light sails and hauled by the wind in chase, soon made them out to be three ships standing to the westward. At half past 2 the headmost ship fired a gun, hoisted her English ensign with the private signals, which was immediately answered by the other frigate in chase. We now discovered the headmost ship to be a frigate, the other two merchantmen, made all sail off, the two frigates under a press of sail in chase, the former in our wake, the latter to windward about 3 and a half miles, soon found we had the advantage in sailing. At 10. p.m. lost sight of the frigates.

From the journal of the Chasseur, excerpted in Baltimore American, June 2, 1814. Maryland Historical Society.

On February 12, 1814, the French army under Emperor Napoleon I won the Battle of Château-Thierry against a Prussian army under Marshal von Blücher. Learn more.

February 11th
Latitude 12, 46, Longitude 57, 7, at half past 5 P.M. discovered a sail from the mast head, made sail in chase, at 7 wore ship and shortened sail to keep the chase in sight, made her out to be a large ship. At 8, jibed ship and stood from the chase, a few minutes after we fired a gun over us. Brailed our foresail up, backed our maintopsail and returned the fire; during the night she kept up an incessant firing; we occasionally returned it. In the morning, being about one and a half miles to windward, made her out to be a frigate. At half past 7 wore ship and stood of N. by W. The chase immediately tacked and stood after us, under a crowd of sail.

From the journal of the Chasseur, excerpted in Baltimore American, June 2, 1814. Maryland Historical Society.