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92 HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
manned with about sixty seamen, attacked and annoyed the rear of the
enemy's squadron. Commodore Porter, assisted by Captain Creighton, and
other naval officers, with a detachment of sailors and marines, erected a
battery at the " White House" on the west bank of the Potomac, for the
purpose of destroying the enemy's ships on their passage down the river. He
was also assisted by General Hungerford's brigade of Virginia militia, and
Captain George W. Humphrey's rifle company, General Young, Captain
Gena's company of infantry, Captain Grayson, of the marines, Captain
Spencer, of the United States artillery, and Captain Griffith of the Alexandria
artillery; Commodore Perry, assisted by Lieutenant Reed, of the United States
navy, established a battery on the east side of the Potomac at a place called
Indian Head. In his official report he says:
" The field pieces (six-pounders) under the direction of that excellent officer, Major
Peter, of the Georgetown, and Captain Burch, of the Washington volunteers, and Captain
Lewis, of General Stuart's brigade, kept up a very spirited fire. These officers, together
with Captains Stull and Davidson, and their brave men, behaved in the handsomest
minner, and rendered all the assistance their limited means afforded.
" The ammunition of the eighteen-pounder and of several of the sixes being expended
and the fire of the enemy from two frigates, two sloops-of-war, two bombs, one
rocket ship, and several smaller vessels, being very heavy, it was thought advisable by
General Stuart, Major Peter and myself, to retire a short distance in the rear. This was
done in good order, after sustaining their fire for more than an hour. General Stuart and
Colonel Beall were much exposed during the whole time of the cannonading. It would
be presumption in me to speak in commendation of these veterans; I cannot, however,
■avoid expressing admiration of their conduct." *
The amount of damage done to the enemy on his passage down the
Potomac is not known, but a deserter from the British frigate Euryalus,
stated that on board that vessel five were killed and seven were wounded in
passing the batteries. The Americans losff several
killed and wounded. Sir Peter Parker, Bart., (the
first cousin of Lord Byron,) who had been sent with
the frigate Menelaus, of thirty-eight guns, and several
small vessels, by Admiral Cochrane to threaten Baltimore, while Cockburn and Ross attacked Washington, was not so fortunate. On the 20th of
August, Sir Peter Parker, sailing up the Chesapeake,
hove in sight of Rock Hall, and from his flagship
organized a series of marauding parties extremely vexatious to the inhabitants residing on the Eastern
sir peter parker.2 Shore. On Sunday, the 28th, after bombarding
Worten, a detachment landed and burned the dwelling, barn, outhouses,
granaries, and wheat-stacks of Mr. Henry Waller. On Tuesday, the 30th, they
landed at Fairlee, and repeated the same devastations on the farm of Mr. Richard
Frisby, and carried off four of his colored men. Near midnight, " after they
1 Niles' Register, vii., pp. 33, 34, .35. the son of Rear Admiral Christopher Parker,
2 Sir Peter Parker, taronet, born in 1786, was who, by his gallantry in West India, was made
| 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 | 00000119 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 92 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. manned with about sixty seamen, attacked and annoyed the rear of the enemy's squadron. Commodore Porter, assisted by Captain Creighton, and other naval officers, with a detachment of sailors and marines, erected a battery at the " White House" on the west bank of the Potomac, for the purpose of destroying the enemy's ships on their passage down the river. He was also assisted by General Hungerford's brigade of Virginia militia, and Captain George W. Humphrey's rifle company, General Young, Captain Gena's company of infantry, Captain Grayson, of the marines, Captain Spencer, of the United States artillery, and Captain Griffith of the Alexandria artillery; Commodore Perry, assisted by Lieutenant Reed, of the United States navy, established a battery on the east side of the Potomac at a place called Indian Head. In his official report he says: " The field pieces (six-pounders) under the direction of that excellent officer, Major Peter, of the Georgetown, and Captain Burch, of the Washington volunteers, and Captain Lewis, of General Stuart's brigade, kept up a very spirited fire. These officers, together with Captains Stull and Davidson, and their brave men, behaved in the handsomest minner, and rendered all the assistance their limited means afforded. " The ammunition of the eighteen-pounder and of several of the sixes being expended and the fire of the enemy from two frigates, two sloops-of-war, two bombs, one rocket ship, and several smaller vessels, being very heavy, it was thought advisable by General Stuart, Major Peter and myself, to retire a short distance in the rear. This was done in good order, after sustaining their fire for more than an hour. General Stuart and Colonel Beall were much exposed during the whole time of the cannonading. It would be presumption in me to speak in commendation of these veterans; I cannot, however, ■avoid expressing admiration of their conduct." * The amount of damage done to the enemy on his passage down the Potomac is not known, but a deserter from the British frigate Euryalus, stated that on board that vessel five were killed and seven were wounded in passing the batteries. The Americans losff several killed and wounded. Sir Peter Parker, Bart., (the first cousin of Lord Byron,) who had been sent with the frigate Menelaus, of thirty-eight guns, and several small vessels, by Admiral Cochrane to threaten Baltimore, while Cockburn and Ross attacked Washington, was not so fortunate. On the 20th of August, Sir Peter Parker, sailing up the Chesapeake, hove in sight of Rock Hall, and from his flagship organized a series of marauding parties extremely vexatious to the inhabitants residing on the Eastern sir peter parker.2 Shore. On Sunday, the 28th, after bombarding Worten, a detachment landed and burned the dwelling, barn, outhouses, granaries, and wheat-stacks of Mr. Henry Waller. On Tuesday, the 30th, they landed at Fairlee, and repeated the same devastations on the farm of Mr. Richard Frisby, and carried off four of his colored men. Near midnight, " after they 1 Niles' Register, vii., pp. 33, 34, .35. the son of Rear Admiral Christopher Parker, 2 Sir Peter Parker, taronet, born in 1786, was who, by his gallantry in West India, was made |
