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BOMBARDMENT OF 1IAVRE-DE-GRACE. 41
being too late on duty; no party but to repel the enemy. This generous feeling went
through all ranks of society. We have perfect harmony, (if such a thing can be) and the
din of arms has not disturbed the quiet of the citizen. The place is profoundly tranquil.
The marching of the volunteers occasions no bustle. All things are done in decency and
order.' On the evening of that day they captured two packets from Baltimore bound to
•Queenstown. The packet boat Patapsco was captured by the enemy's small boats off
JSTorth Point, with the mail, a large number of passengers, and over $2,000 in specie. The
passengers were detained over night, under guard, and on the following day were put on
board of an old boat, with scarcely any provisions and no water, to make the best of their
way to Queenstown with ' a permit from the admiral.' "
After plundering Sharp's, Poole's, Tilghman's and Poplar Islands, in the
.latter part of April, Rear Admiral Cockburn made expeditions for the
destruction of the towns and villages at the head of the bay. On the 29th
of April, thirteen British barges, manned by about four hundred armed men
under the command of Lieutenant Westphall, of the Marlborough, made an
attack on Frenchtown nearly opposite Elkton in Cecil County.1 The only
defenders were some stage-drivers and wagoners and a few militia from
Elkton. The fortifications consisted of a small redoubt, upon which were
mounted four small four-pounders that had been used in the Revolution. The
garrison fought manfully, but after repulsing the enemy twice, they were
compelled to retire before overwhelming numbers. The wharf, fishery and
warehouses, with goods estimated at from $20,000 to $30,000, were plundered
and burnt, but no dwellings were injured. On the water, they destroyed five
.small trading vessels. They then landed at White Hail and marched over to
the opposite battery, erected at Elk Landing, where, after the exchange of a
few shots, they "retired and embarked immediately." The next scene of
plunder and devastation, was at Havre-de-Grace, in Harford County, on the
west side of the Susquehannah, about two miles from the head of the bay.
It was a thriving town, and contained about fifty houses, built mostly of
"wood. For some time the enemy were expected, and upon the high bank just
below the town, a battery was erected, on which one nine-pounder and two
•six-pounders were mounted. This was called the " Potato Battery." On the
lower or Concord Point, where the light house now stands, was a small
battery. On the morning of the 3d of May, while the great body of the
inhabitants were yet in their beds, nineteen barges from the enemy's squadron
suddenly appeared before the place, and, without a moment's notice, opened
-d tremendous fire of shot, shells and rockets. The guns on higher Point
Comfort, manned by a few militia, opened upon them, and these were returned
by grapeshot from the enemy's vessels. A lady, eye witness, writing to her
brother in Philadelphia in a letter dated May 7th, gives the following account
of the destruction that followed the bombardment:
1 The place, though called a town contained being the "stopping place" of the "land and
only a few warehouses, a tavern, two or three water line of stages between Philadelphia and
dwelling houses, with a few stables and out- Baltimore."
houses; deriving its whole importance from
| Title | History of Maryland - 3 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000066 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | BOMBARDMENT OF 1IAVRE-DE-GRACE. 41 being too late on duty; no party but to repel the enemy. This generous feeling went through all ranks of society. We have perfect harmony, (if such a thing can be) and the din of arms has not disturbed the quiet of the citizen. The place is profoundly tranquil. The marching of the volunteers occasions no bustle. All things are done in decency and order.' On the evening of that day they captured two packets from Baltimore bound to •Queenstown. The packet boat Patapsco was captured by the enemy's small boats off JSTorth Point, with the mail, a large number of passengers, and over $2,000 in specie. The passengers were detained over night, under guard, and on the following day were put on board of an old boat, with scarcely any provisions and no water, to make the best of their way to Queenstown with ' a permit from the admiral.' " After plundering Sharp's, Poole's, Tilghman's and Poplar Islands, in the .latter part of April, Rear Admiral Cockburn made expeditions for the destruction of the towns and villages at the head of the bay. On the 29th of April, thirteen British barges, manned by about four hundred armed men under the command of Lieutenant Westphall, of the Marlborough, made an attack on Frenchtown nearly opposite Elkton in Cecil County.1 The only defenders were some stage-drivers and wagoners and a few militia from Elkton. The fortifications consisted of a small redoubt, upon which were mounted four small four-pounders that had been used in the Revolution. The garrison fought manfully, but after repulsing the enemy twice, they were compelled to retire before overwhelming numbers. The wharf, fishery and warehouses, with goods estimated at from $20,000 to $30,000, were plundered and burnt, but no dwellings were injured. On the water, they destroyed five .small trading vessels. They then landed at White Hail and marched over to the opposite battery, erected at Elk Landing, where, after the exchange of a few shots, they "retired and embarked immediately." The next scene of plunder and devastation, was at Havre-de-Grace, in Harford County, on the west side of the Susquehannah, about two miles from the head of the bay. It was a thriving town, and contained about fifty houses, built mostly of "wood. For some time the enemy were expected, and upon the high bank just below the town, a battery was erected, on which one nine-pounder and two •six-pounders were mounted. This was called the " Potato Battery." On the lower or Concord Point, where the light house now stands, was a small battery. On the morning of the 3d of May, while the great body of the inhabitants were yet in their beds, nineteen barges from the enemy's squadron suddenly appeared before the place, and, without a moment's notice, opened -d tremendous fire of shot, shells and rockets. The guns on higher Point Comfort, manned by a few militia, opened upon them, and these were returned by grapeshot from the enemy's vessels. A lady, eye witness, writing to her brother in Philadelphia in a letter dated May 7th, gives the following account of the destruction that followed the bombardment: 1 The place, though called a town contained being the "stopping place" of the "land and only a few warehouses, a tavern, two or three water line of stages between Philadelphia and dwelling houses, with a few stables and out- Baltimore." houses; deriving its whole importance from |
