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HISTORY

September 13, 1814
Bombardment of Fort McHenry

The center piece for the defense of Baltimore was Ft. McHenry. The city had raised 1,000 men to defend it and 600 to service its 36 guns. 600 regulars manned the moat outside the fort to meet the British should they decide to land.

The HMS Volcano began a bombardment of the fort at 6:30AM. Maj. Armistead returned fire and forced the British to move out of the fort's range, but the bombardment continued . . . without the fort being able to respond. (Armistead had asked the War department for longer range guns earlier in the war, but had been turned down by Secretary of War Armstrong.)

The rate of fire approached one per minute, with one shot actually penetrating the magazine. Fortunately it failed to go off. After this, Armistead had the garrison move the gunpowder behind the rear walls of the fort. One writer described the affair for the defenders as being "like pigeons tied by the legs to be shot at."

British fire at this distance had no result. The HMS Volcano's commander requested permission to close in, but he was refused. The defenders suffered 24 wounded and 4 dead to one British sailor wounded.