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106
HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
The command of the whole military force of the city devolved upon Major
General Samuel Smith. General William H. Winder arrived in Baltimore on
September 10th, and assumed command of a division. We have thus mentioned the more important preparations made for
the reception of the enemy; designated the fortified
lines of defence, and given the relative positions of
the troops. As we have already stated, intelligence
reached the city of the arrival of the enemy's fleet,
which was announced to the people on Sunday
afternoon, September 11th, 1814, by the fire of
three cannon from the court-house green. This
signal threw the city into the most intense excitement. The churches were at once dismissed; the
congregations flocked homeward; the drums beat
general smith.1 to arms; men on horseback rapidly galloped to and
fro through the streets rousing the people, and all hastened to their mustering
places. Each man was supplied with one day's provisions and thirty-six
rounds of ammunition.
1 General Samuel Smith, brother of the distinguished Robert Smith, was born in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, July 27th, 1752. His father,
John Smith, who removed to Baltimore in 1760,
was several years a member of the Legislature of
Maryland, and member of the Maryland Constitutional Convention of 1776. Samuel received
the rudiments of his education at Carlisle, Pa.;
then attended school in Baltimore, and afterwards at Elkton. He was placed at fourteen
years of age in his father's counting-house,
where he remained till he was nineteen. In
May, 1772, he embarked for Havre in one of his
father's vessels as super-cargo, and subsequently
traveled extensively in Europe. Early in the
struggle for independence he joined a volunteer
company, and in January, 1776, was appointed
a captain in the 1st Maryland regiment, under
Colonel Smaliwood. He participated in the battle on Long Island, and was distinguished at
Harlem and White Plains, where he was slightly
wounded. In the harassing retreat through
New Jersey, he attracted the attention of
General Washington, and on December 10th,
1776, was given a major's commission in Gist's
batallion ; and soon after, in 1777, he received
the appointment of lieutenant-colonel in the
4th Maryland regiment, commanded by Colonel
Josiah C. Hall, and was at the attack on Staten
Island and at Brandywine. Immediately afterwards he was detached by Washington to the
defence of Fort Mifflin, in the Delaware. In this
naked and exposed work, he maintained himself
under a continued cannonade, from September
26th to November 11th, when he was so severely
wounded as to make it necessary to remove him
to the Jersey shore. For this gallant defence,
Congress voted him thanks and an elegant
sword. Not entirely recovered from the effects
of his wound, he yet took part in the hardships
of Valley Forge. He took an active part in the
battle of Monmouth. Reduced, after a service of
three and a half years, from affluence to poverty,
he was compelled to resign his commission, but
continued to do duty as a Colonel of militia at.
Baltimore, until the end of the war. At the
close of the Revolutionary War, he was appointed a brigadier-general of the Maryland militia,
and commanded the quota of Maryland troops
engaged in suppressing the famous " Whiskey
Insurrection in Pennsylvania." Returned to
civil life, he entered on a prosperous career as
a merchant in Baltimore. He was a brigadier-
general of militia, and served as major-general
of the State troops in the defence of Baltimore
in the War of 1812, the success of which was
eminently due to his talents and knowledge. In
1793, he was elected a Representative in Congress, holding the place until 1803, and again
from 1816 to 1822. He was a member of the
United States Senate also, for the long period
of twenty-three years, from 1803 to 1815, and
from 1822 to 1833.
When Mr. Jefferson came into the presidency
he pressed General Smith to accept the office of
secretary of the navy, which he declined, consenting, however, to act in that capacity until
some suitable person could be selected to fill it
permanently. He served as secretary for six
months or more, but would not receive any compensation for his services. He generally, while
in Congress, filled some high station, being
chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means
in the House, and of that of Finance in the
Object Description
| 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 |
Description
| Title | 00000133 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 106 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. The command of the whole military force of the city devolved upon Major General Samuel Smith. General William H. Winder arrived in Baltimore on September 10th, and assumed command of a division. We have thus mentioned the more important preparations made for the reception of the enemy; designated the fortified lines of defence, and given the relative positions of the troops. As we have already stated, intelligence reached the city of the arrival of the enemy's fleet, which was announced to the people on Sunday afternoon, September 11th, 1814, by the fire of three cannon from the court-house green. This signal threw the city into the most intense excitement. The churches were at once dismissed; the congregations flocked homeward; the drums beat general smith.1 to arms; men on horseback rapidly galloped to and fro through the streets rousing the people, and all hastened to their mustering places. Each man was supplied with one day's provisions and thirty-six rounds of ammunition. 1 General Samuel Smith, brother of the distinguished Robert Smith, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, July 27th, 1752. His father, John Smith, who removed to Baltimore in 1760, was several years a member of the Legislature of Maryland, and member of the Maryland Constitutional Convention of 1776. Samuel received the rudiments of his education at Carlisle, Pa.; then attended school in Baltimore, and afterwards at Elkton. He was placed at fourteen years of age in his father's counting-house, where he remained till he was nineteen. In May, 1772, he embarked for Havre in one of his father's vessels as super-cargo, and subsequently traveled extensively in Europe. Early in the struggle for independence he joined a volunteer company, and in January, 1776, was appointed a captain in the 1st Maryland regiment, under Colonel Smaliwood. He participated in the battle on Long Island, and was distinguished at Harlem and White Plains, where he was slightly wounded. In the harassing retreat through New Jersey, he attracted the attention of General Washington, and on December 10th, 1776, was given a major's commission in Gist's batallion ; and soon after, in 1777, he received the appointment of lieutenant-colonel in the 4th Maryland regiment, commanded by Colonel Josiah C. Hall, and was at the attack on Staten Island and at Brandywine. Immediately afterwards he was detached by Washington to the defence of Fort Mifflin, in the Delaware. In this naked and exposed work, he maintained himself under a continued cannonade, from September 26th to November 11th, when he was so severely wounded as to make it necessary to remove him to the Jersey shore. For this gallant defence, Congress voted him thanks and an elegant sword. Not entirely recovered from the effects of his wound, he yet took part in the hardships of Valley Forge. He took an active part in the battle of Monmouth. Reduced, after a service of three and a half years, from affluence to poverty, he was compelled to resign his commission, but continued to do duty as a Colonel of militia at. Baltimore, until the end of the war. At the close of the Revolutionary War, he was appointed a brigadier-general of the Maryland militia, and commanded the quota of Maryland troops engaged in suppressing the famous " Whiskey Insurrection in Pennsylvania." Returned to civil life, he entered on a prosperous career as a merchant in Baltimore. He was a brigadier- general of militia, and served as major-general of the State troops in the defence of Baltimore in the War of 1812, the success of which was eminently due to his talents and knowledge. In 1793, he was elected a Representative in Congress, holding the place until 1803, and again from 1816 to 1822. He was a member of the United States Senate also, for the long period of twenty-three years, from 1803 to 1815, and from 1822 to 1833. When Mr. Jefferson came into the presidency he pressed General Smith to accept the office of secretary of the navy, which he declined, consenting, however, to act in that capacity until some suitable person could be selected to fill it permanently. He served as secretary for six months or more, but would not receive any compensation for his services. He generally, while in Congress, filled some high station, being chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means in the House, and of that of Finance in the |
