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| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
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Thanks BenLurkin. |
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Posted on 01/23/2013 4:13:07 PM PST by BenLurkin
For nearly two centuries, musket balls, canister shot and other artifacts from intense fighting at Caulk's Field waited to tell the story of a sweltering August night in 1814, when militiamen sprang a trap on a British raiding party bent on destruction.
How did the citizen-soldiers best their battle-tested foes?
State archaeologist Julie Schablitsky hopes to figure that out. With the help of cadaver-sniffing dogs and history buffs armed with metal detectors, she is retracing the footsteps of Sir Peter Parker, a British marine captain who led 170 troops, and a like number of militiamen commanded by Col. Philip Reed.
"This battlefield is frozen in time," Schablitsky said. "It was a pasture 200 years ago and it's a pasture now. If Capt. Parker or Col. Reed came by today, they'd know exactly where they were."
Late on Aug. 30, 1814, Parker's troops came ashore from HMS Menelaus, hoping to surprise and capture Maryland militiamen to get information about Baltimore's defenses. The British already had burned Washington. They were preparing a siege of Baltimore and hoping to wipe out pockets of resistance across the Chesapeake.
But the Americans knew the British were coming and ambushed them. During the hourlong battle, 14 British soldiers and marines died, including Parker, 28, who bled to death from a gunshot wound. Three Americans were wounded.
With their commander dead and the Americans holding the high ground, the British invaders retreated to their ship. Two weeks later, they pulled out of the upper Chesapeake Bay when their siege of Baltimore and bombardment of Ft. McHenry failed.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
ping
Interesting. My great-great grandfather was a member of the Harrison County Militia (western Virginia) during the War of 1812.
My great-great-grandfather was a police captain in New York during the Civil War, and the men in my family married late. Of course President Tyler, who born in 1790, has two grandsons who are still alive.
The men in my family married late too. I had three great-grandfathers in the Civil War, on both sides.
I was puzzled by your post until I realized my mistake, it was my great-great-great grandfather (born 1789 died 1863) who fought in the War of 1812. His grandson (my great-grandfather) was in a Confederate division in the Civil War.
We are not as far removed generation wise as some would have us believe. A local fellow passed away last year here whose father served in Confederate regiment and his Sergeant was my great great grandfather. The Regiment was commanded by William Faulkner’s father.
You are right about that. My Father’s great-uncle (a Civil War vet), who was a grandson of the War of 1812 vet passed on stories about his grandfather’s 1812 service, and his great-grandfathers’ Revolutionary War miltia service to my Father (a WWII vet) who passed them on to me. All the original hand written records from 1781 to 1812 and on were handed down to me too.
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| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
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Thanks BenLurkin. |
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Should be interesting to see what they come up with for a reconstruction of the battle. It would be really cool if the owner would allow re-enacters to show what happened.
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