Defenders Day traces back to the Battle of Baltimore, which began on Sept. 12 during the War of 1812. British forces failed to take Baltimore by land or water, and the city held after the bombardment of Fort McHenry.
American forces had spotted British Royal Navy warships near the mouth of the Patapsco River on Sept. 10. The fleet had 55 ships, and Baltimore was America’s third-biggest city at the time.
North Point and Fort McHenry
On Sept. 12, the 3rd Brigade of the Maryland militia met the British near North Point. The American troops lost the Battle of North Point, but they delayed the British long enough to slow the advance on Baltimore.
Major General Robert Ross died during an initial skirmish at North Point, and around 24 Americans lost their lives as that battle concluded. In the early morning of Sept. 13, the British fleet got into position outside Fort McHenry and began firing mortar shells at the fort.
Francis Scott Key and NPS.gov
American forces fired at the British fleet from Fort McHenry, but they struggled to hit the ships while they were out of range. When the British moved closer, the Americans landed multiple blows, and Francis Scott Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner after watching the bombardment.
Michael Caruso wrote the account and directed readers to NPS.gov for more information. For Baltimore, the sequence ended with the British ordered to pull away from Fort McHenry, Admiral Cochrane devising a final effort against the Ferry Branch, and American troops spotting the rowers as they approached.
Battle of Bladensburg and Washington, D.C.
The fight at Baltimore came after the British victory at the Battle of Bladensburg, which allowed enemy forces to burn key buildings in Washington, D.C., including the White House. That earlier loss made Baltimore a larger target, but the British still retreated after failing to capture the city.
The hard edge of Defenders Day is that the American troops lost at North Point and still helped protect Baltimore. The city survived, and the bombardment left the conditions that produced The Star-Spangled Banner.
