The Committee of Vigilance and Safety met pursuant to adjournment— The proceedings of the forenoon were read—
The Committee received a verbal communication from the Major General requesting, that, two Fire Ships should be prepared and delivered to Commodore Rogers forthwith; that carriages should be sent to bring home the wounded: and that a party be sent to bury the Dead—therefore— Resolved, That Mr. Burke, Mr. Schaffer and Mr. Stevens with Mr. Joseph Smith the Harbour Master, be and they are hereby requested to provide two Fire Ships; say old sloops or schooners filled with light wood, tar and other combustible matter and to deliver them with all possible dispatch to Commodore Rodgers—
Resolved That, the Members of this Committee will immediately press and procure Hacks or other Carriages to bring our wounded men from the battle ground—
Resolved, That Mr. Buchannan, Mr. Payson & Mr. Frisby be appointed a committee, whose duty it shall be, first to provide for the immediate internment of such of our brave fellow citizens as have fallen in the late attack on this city and further to provide for such funeral Honors as becomes the duty of the living to pay to the brave and virtuous Dead—
Ordered, That the foregoing Resolution be published—
Resolved, That Mr. William Wilson and Mr. Frisby be and they are hereby directed and requested to wait on Major Armstead and know of him whether he would require any other ships to be sunk near Fort McHenry—
Resolved, That the Superintendent theretofore appointed to aid in the Fortifications at Camp-look-out be and he is hereby requested to furnish the Engineer tomorrow morning with as many labourers and Carpenters as he may require, and to continue the supply of labour and mechanical aid until the work is completed—
The following letter was read agreed to and ordered to be forwarded—
To the Deputy Commissary of Purchases
Sir— The opportunities which we have had of observing the injury to the public service by the absence of the Deputy Commissary of pur- chases and the public Storekeeper induces us to assume the privilege of recommending that those important officers may not permit their military to interfere with their Staff duties, but on the contrary they remain to discharge the latter—
The Committee then adjourned to 8 O’Clock tomorrow morning—
On September 14, 1814 at 8:00am, the members of the Commitee of Vigilance and Safety met to review a protest by a local resident and a plea from Major George Armistead at Fort McHenry:
Baltimore 14th September 1814
The Committee of Vigilance and Safety met pursuant to adjournment— The proceedings of yesterday were read—
Mr. David Willie came before the committee complained that his waggon and team had been pressed and prayed that it [be] released— The committee took the complaint under consideration and promised relief as soon as possible
The committee received a communication through their chairman from Major Armstead requesting this committee to furnish him with two hundred shovels one hundred Pick axes and five hundred Pieces of Timber eight feet long and one foot square, for the purpose of erecting bomb proof covered ways for the protection of the soldiery stationed at Fort McHenry: therefore—
Resolved, That Mr. Payson be and he is hereby authorised and requested to have one hundred Pick axes and two hundred Shovels collected immediately and sent to Fort McHenry—
Resolved, That Mr. Burke and Mr. Taylor be and they are hereby authorised and directed to procure five hundred pieces of Timber eight feet long and twelve inches square and with all possible dispatch to deliver them to Major Armstead at Fort McHenry—
The Committee then adjourned to 3 O’Clock P. M. of this day—
On September 13, 1814 at 3:00 pm, the members of the Committee of Vigilance and Safety reconvened for an afternoon meeting. Continuing the discussion from their morning meeting, feeding the thousands of troops stationed around the city remained a serious concern.
The Virginia militia in the Sixth Brigade under Brigadier General Hugh Douglas had been called up for the defense of Washington on August 22 but arrived too late to join the forces at Bladensburg. After the burning of Washington, the Virginia militia were ordered to Baltimore where they arrived with little ammunition, none of the equipment they needed to set up camp and no food to eat.
Baltimore 3 O’Clock P. M. 13th September 1814
The Committee of Vigilance and Safety met pursuant to adjournment—The proceedings of the forenoon were read—
The Major General informed the Committee by a verbal communication that, the troops under General Douglas command were in want of provisions: therefore—
Resolved, That Mr. Bond be and he is hereby requested and directed to send provisions immediately to the Troops under General Douglas command—
Resolved, That Mr. Payson be and he is hereby authorised and requested to purchase for the use of the Army, on the best terms he can, of Mr. Robert Barry all the provisions he has on hand—
The Committee then adjourned to 8 O’Clock tomorrow morning—
Henry Payson (1762-1845) was merchant who lived on Hanover Street and representing the city’s Second Ward on the Committee. Peter Bond (d. 1821) was another merchant who lived at 9 Bridge Street (today’s Gay Street) and represented the city’s Sixth Ward on the committee. Robert Barry
On the morning of September 13, 1814, near 8:00am, the members of the Committee of Vigilance and Safety met. With around 15,000 troops in Baltimore one of the most pressing issues is how to keep the militia fed during the fight against the British.
Baltimore 13th September 1814
The Committee of Vigilance and Safety met pursuant to adjournment– The committee received a verbal communication from the Major General, requesting that, they would have the provisions of our fellow citizens in arms cooked every day for them during the actual investment of our city by the Enemy; therefore—
Resolved, That the several members of this Committee be and they are hereby requested to have as much of the provisions for our army cooked in his own Family and also by others, every day, as he possibly can during the present emergency—
The committee then adjourned to 3 O’Clock of this day—
While the committee met, British bombs continued to fall on Fort McHenry with as many as four or five bombs in the air at once. Two-thirds of the guns at the fort could not even reach the British bomb ships. Around 9:30am, George Armistead gave the order to cease firing. He had fifty-seven cannons at Fort McHenry but none of them had the range to reach the British ships.
On the evening of September 12, General Stricker and the Maryland militiamen ended their march back from the Battle of North Point at Worthington’s Mill, positioned at the edge of the long line of earthworks centered on Hampstead Hill in today’s Patterson Park. Historian Neil H. Swanson captured the scene in The Perilous Fight writing:
Courtesy Maryland Historical Society.
Towards sunset, Stricker began a deliberate retreat. He left behind at intervals, details of axmen to fell trees across the road…
By midnight the campfires of his regiments were blazing in the fields around Worthington’s mill. Behind them and to their right the work on Loudenslager’s hill drew a long arc of redly winking light… To the left flared the watchfires of General Winder’s brigade, Douglass’s Virginia militia….
The rain came a little after midnight, without wind or thunder but in drenching torrents. It beat with a low, unbroken roaring on the fields and roads. Fires sputtered and went out. The trenches became flooded ditches, the militia garrisons stood ankle deep in muck.
On the evening of September 12, 1814, Vice Admiral Alexander Cochran wrote to Colonel Arthur Brooke with the news that General Robert Ross was struck and killed at the Battle of North Point:
1/2 past Seven Monday Evening [12 September 1814]
Dear Sir
The Sad Accounts of the death of General Ross has Just reached Me— I had written him a few Minutes before by the boats in Bear Creek with a Bird’s Eye View of the fortifications of Baltimore and the New entrenchments I saw them throwing up to the NNE.—of the Town, upon Which a Good Many people are Engaged— It Struck Me that this entrenched Camp may be turned.
Since writing the before going my letter to my poor departed friend is returned. I therefore Send it to you in its Original form—
It is proper for me to Mention to You, that a System of Retaliation was to be proceeded Upon—in Consequence of the Barbarities Committed in Canada—and that if Genl. Ross had Seen the Second letter from Sir George Prevost—he would have destroyed Washington and George Town— Their Nature are perfectly known to Rear Admiral Cockburn and I believe Mr. Evans— In them a kind of Latitude is given for raising Contribution instead of destruction but in this public property Cannot be Compromised.
You will best be able to Judge what can be attempted—but let me know your determination as Soon as possible that I may Act Accordingly
Ever my dear Sir
Yours Sincerely
Alexr Cochrane
The transcript of this letter is re-posted from the Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum and Blog of 1812.
On September 12, 1814, Herman Cope, a merchant at 76 Sharp Street, wrote to his Uncle in Philadelphia and shared the news that his family had fled the city:
As our friends in Philada may feel anxious to hear from us at a moment when all is threatened I avail myself of a few moments before the mail closes to inform thee that all our families have been so fortunate as to meet a conveyance some few miles in the country where I am in hopes they will be safe – our store goods and some household articles are sent out – The British came into the River yesterday – their forces variously … from 30 to 60 sail – the wind … away they anchored about 10 miles … the fort – where they have been landing their men all this morning- the lands force not known. It is supposed an attack will be made by land and water and the fate of the city decided In 24 hours – all the militia have marched.
In haste [then] &c.
Herman Cope
In January, Herman Cope had hoped for peace with Britain in time to import dry-goods to sell in the fall. Clearly his hopes had not been realized.
Rec. information that the British have several Ships coming up the Bay, and during the day upwards of 30 arriv’d at the mouth of our River, went to Town, din’d at Mrs. Wests in great haste, for the alarm Guns were Fir’d at one O’Clock, and the whole Brigade was immediately under Arms, and March’d towards North Point, my Troop was order’d to attend Gen Smith —
From the journal of Captain Henry Thompson, September 11, 1814. Courtesy the Friends of Clifton.
11th Sunday – Rode to see W. Bowly who continues unwell –
From the journal of Captain Henry Thompson, September 10, 1814. Courtesy the Friends of Clifton.
