History That Doesn't Suck - 25: From Lake Champlain to the “Defense of Fort M’Henry”

Episode Date: October 1, 2018

“Does that star-spangled banner yet wave?” This is the story of the worst of the War of 1812 for America--the year 1814. As the threat of Napoleon’s crumbling empire subsides, the British military has more ships and thousands of men available to fight against the United States. This means Canada’s getting reinforced and the British blockade on America’s east coast is extending. But the worst of it is in the Chesapeake Bay. Washington DC is burning! As the White House goes up in flames, we’ll hear about one American who really steps up to the plate: Dolley Madison. After this attack, the British fleet attacks yet another major Chesapeake city: Baltimore. British soldiers are eager to burn and pillage this Anglophobic city. Even with 15,000 militia in the city, only Fort McHenry can keep it safe. But will the crumbling Fort withstand the 25-hour bombardment? Do the Stars and Stripes still fly over it? Or is it the Union Jack? Francis Scott Key waits with bated breath for the answer. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Say it. Alright. Let's save Christmas. There it is. Only in theaters November 15th. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and as in the classroom, my goal here is to make rigorously researched history come to life as your storyteller. Each episode is the result of laborious research with no agenda other than making the past come to life as you learn. If you'd like to help support this work, receive ad-free episodes, bonus content,

and other exclusive perks, I invite you to join the HTDS membership program. Sign up for a 7-day free trial today at htdspodcast.com slash membership, or click the link in the episode notes. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story. A tattered, broken, weary French army straggles westward down the road. Yeah, I know, insert the French surrender jokes here, but listen, I need you to get something. This is the age of Napoleon. Napoleon. Younger Europeans don't even remember a time when he didn't rule in one way or another, nearly the entire continent. You get me?

The fact that the Emperor is losing, even if that's to the combined allies of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and still others, is a big deal. I want you to keep that in mind as you picture tens of thousands of Napoleon's troops retreating from the Germanic town of Leipzig. Now don't conjure up an image of orderly French troops marching neatly in their matching blue coats and white pants. Picture chaos. The injured and healthy, men and women, farm animals like cows and sheep, wagons full of ammunition. They move together without their usual divisions. With Allied forces hot on their tail, it's a desperate dash to cross the lone bridge spanning the Elster River.

And once they do, the engineer and colonel, Jacques Monfort, will ignite the explosives already set to blow that bridge to kingdom come, ensuring the Allied forces can't continue their pursuit of Napoleon's army. But the plan has one real problem. Amid the disorganized mess that is this retreat, no one told the colonel which unit will cross the bridge last. And as he stares at this endless train of humanity pouring across it, some in uniform, some not, knowing that some Germanic people are allies of Napoleon and others aren't, well, the colonel isn't sure when he should make this bridge go boom. Concerned, our engineering colonel decides to head to Lindanao, where he hopes to get this vital info from his superiors. In the meanwhile, he leaves Corporal La Fontaine in charge of the bridge along with three sappers,

that is, combat engineers. If the enemy comes before he can return, Colonel Monfeu instructs the corporal to detonate. Time passes. The minutes feel like hours as the four men watch the throng continuously inch forward with no end to this migration in sight. The crowd on the bridge is as expansive now as it was when the colonel left, but still no word. They continue to wait as late morning gives way to afternoon.

Then suddenly, shots break out late in the 12 o'clock hour. Russian soldiers are firing. A mob of bodies continues to flow across the bridge an endless sea of people are still heading for it but are they French? are they allies? or are they enemies? who can tell in this disorganized mess?

with Colonel Monfort still gone the burden of decision rests on your shoulders Corporal L'Enfantin blow it too early you'll kill your own and leave thousands more to the mercy of the Allies on the other side of the river. Blow it too late and you'll compromise the whole retreat.

What should you do? What should you do? You lack information, training, and experience, but it's on you. Make a decision. With people still crossing, Corporal La Fontaine gets nervous and blows the bridge. The engineers had clearly done their job, and then some. Marchal Marmont, who had just finished crossing the bridge at the time of detonation, describes the scene.

Quote, finished crossing the bridge at the time of detonation describes the scene. A terrible explosion suddenly drowned out all the noise of the retreat. The shouts and the cries of the rumbling of the wagons, beams, planks, stones, blocks, men, carts, and equipment were hurled up into the air and crashed down again. A huge cloud of smoke billowed up. Close quote. In the next few moments, hot stones, burning beams, and other debris fall on nearby streets and homes. Meanwhile, a macabre rain of body parts, both human and horse, shower those closest to the bridge. Everything from arms to heads to limbless torsos plummet down, landing on and around the crowd, nearly blinded by the thick smoke.

Yeah, Corporal La Fontaine blew the Elster Bridge too early. Some 15,000 of Napoleon's men are trapped on the wrong side of the Elster River. A few try to swim across it, many of whom drown, but the majority are taken prisoner. As the sun sets on October 19, 1813, the days-long Battle of Leipzig, or Battle of the Nations, as it's also known, comes to an end. Between the two massive armies, both of which had well over 100,000 men before it started, the casualties are astronomical. Roughly 50,000 Allied forces are dead or wounded. Another 4,000 or so are prisoners of war.

As for Napoleon, closer to 40,000 dead and wounded. And thanks to the early destruction of the bridge, 15,000 of his men are prisoners of war. There are also other wounded that are left behind and, get this, 36 French generals. As Napoleon's retreat continues, thousands more of his men will drop from fatigue or injury. Man, these types of casualties will not be seen in a single battle again until World War I breaks out just over a century from now. Napoleonic Germany is over. C'est fini. He'll never rule east of the Rhine again. Don't worry, we aren't jumping into European history here. I just needed you to see that the fight against Napoleon is winding down

because that means lots of seasoned British military personnel just got freed up to go fight those pesky Americans in the War of 1812. Today, we're going to see these experienced forces hit the United States from two places in 1814. One, Canada. And two, the eastern seaboard, but especially the Chesapeake Bay. Now, we have to pick our battles, sometimes literally. So we'll cover the basics of Canada fairly quickly. After that, we'll rewind a few months and focus on the psychologically and tactically important battles in the Chesapeake. We'll see what Dolly Madison is made of as Washington, D.C. becomes a British target. Then we'll head to Baltimore, where bombs are bursting in air throughout the night at Fort McHenry.

Sound good? Good. Let's head back across the Atlantic and get this going. It's the first week of January 1814, and President James Madison is glad to hear Britain wants to open peace negotiations. Wonderful! Anything to end this bloody mess. He asks his current treasury secretary, Albert Gallatin, and four other men to work out a treaty. Now, peace talks will take months, or could fail altogether. So don't think this means President Little Jimmy can let up on the ever so expensive war effort. So Congress passes a bill to float a new loan, issues treasury notes, and repeals, forever this time, the last of those oh-so-unpopular embargo acts in hopes of collecting more trade revenue. Looks like little Jemmy's finally learning how free markets work.

And with funds in hand, Secretary of War John Armstrong wants to launch two campaigns against Canada. One on the Niagara Peninsula, which runs between Lakes Erie and Ontario, and another on Lake Ontario itself. He has two military stars to carry out this plan. Commodore Isaac Chauncey, who is one of the many Isaacs we met in the last episode, and Major General Jacob Brown. Given their proximity to one another, this could be a sweet joint operation. But unfortunately, these two don't know how to operate

without stepping on one another's toes. Basically, these guys are the Mormon twins from Oceans 11. Across the summer of 1814, there are several battles in which Jacob and Isaac could have relied on one another, but they don't. Let me briefly tell you about the worst of these instances. The Battle of Lundy's Lane on the Niagara Peninsula. On July 25th, 1814, Jacob Brown leads his men in a bloody six-hour invasion against the British. They force the British to abandon their artillery at, you guessed it, Lundy's Lane on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.

But the Americans have neither the supplies nor the reinforcements to maintain their ground and have to retreat. Had Isaac sent naval support, things could have gone better. Instead, the bickering duo blame each other. Jacob even accuses Isaac of treating the Navy like his, quote, private property, close quote. But the real culprit is the lack of cohesive orders from the War Department. The battle results in nothing more than a bloody, vicious, and deadly stalemate. Now, just east of our bickering American

officers, it's the British who go on the offensive by attacking the U.S. at New York's Lake Champlain. With a surge of seasoned soldiers fresh in from the now waning fight in Europe with Napoleon, as you heard in today's intro, they feel confident. Having a force of 8,000 men, Canadian Governor and General Sir George Prébaud launches the invasion into upstate New York in September 1814. But to his shock, the Americans hold him off at the Saranac River. Only a few days later, 30-year-old American Master Commandant Thomas McDonough beats a superior British fleet on the lake. Between these two victories, the Americans successfully stamp out Britain's Canadian-launched

invasion of New York. So in other words, nothing freaking changes in 1814 on the Canadian front. Not really. The only small gains are made by the U.S. Since its forces aren't losing territory, American peace treaty negotiators in Europe pick up a few bargaining chips at the negotiating table. But that's it. So enough with Canada. We've covered our bases here. Let's get to the most exciting and famous invasion of the whole war of 1812. The 1814 attack on the Chesapeake that's going to leave Washington DC in ashes and make a certain Mr. Francis Scott Key worry

mightily for Baltimore. But since this tale begins earlier in the year, you know what we need to do. Rewind. It's spring 1814, and like Canada, America's eastern seaboard is feeling the sting of newly arriving British forces no longer needed in the fight against Napoleon. As they raid coastal towns, the graying U.S. President James Madison realizes the capital city is not protected well enough. Come July 1st, 1814, Little Jimmy creates a new military district to protect the Chesapeake region with special focus on Washington, D.C. In doing so, he goes over the head of his Secretary of War, John Armstrong. The narrow-minded, slighted secretary doesn't think that Washington, D.C. is in any danger of British attack.

He flat out says, quote, Baltimore is the place. That city is of so much more consequence. Close quote. What John and many other people like him fail to understand, though, is that Washington is a psychological target. Hitting D.C. is like hitting America right in the nose and the Brits want to hit the US where it'll hurt the most. But even with this new military district, John's going to manage to undermine things. Given that the press just went over his head, he's feeling insecure, even worrying if Secretary of State James Monroe is trying to edge him out of his position as Secretary of War. He is. So like any mature

member of a presidential cabinet, John goes all passive-aggressive by only providing a few aides and state militias to the new military district leader, Brigadier General William Winder. That's it. Further, the underqualified general could really use some help developing a cohesive strategy to defend the capital with his limited resources. But John seems pretty content to sit back and watch from the sidelines, leaving the out-of-his-depths William struggling. Growth is essential for every entrepreneur. At BDC, we get that. And the businesses we support grow at double the average rate. Accelerating the pace. We're on it.

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So while William runs aimlessly around the district, British ships spend the summer raiding coastal towns and destroying government and military resources. On one raid, British Naval Lieutenant William Lovell says that a few Americans ask him why the British are pillaging like pirates. Sarcastically pointing to the federal government's utter failure to protect American ports and property, he replies, You must ask your president, Jim Madison. He invited us. Close quote. Damn!

But more importantly, these raids provide useful information for the British about how to attack D.C. With this intel, Rear Admiral George Cockburn sees a way to sack the capital. Okay, so before I tell you about Admiral Cockburn's plan, you need to get to know him and his commanding officer because they're going to be crucial to the rest of the story. Admiral Cockburn is loathed across the United States. The gray-haired Lowland Scott has plundered, torched, and devastated cities up and down the U.S. coast. With such success, American papers call him, quote, the great bandit, close quote, while American citizens compare him to Attila the Hun. His commander is Vice Admiral Alexander Cochran. Now I know what you're thinking. Cockburn. Cochran. It's amazing

these guys have such similar unflattering last names. Who would have thought that two guys working together would both have such four-letter single syllables in their names? I mean, Byrne and Rand? It's nuts. Anyhow, Vice Admiral Alexander Cochran is based in Bermuda and despite his pessimism and proclivity for indecision, the 56-year-old is the commander in chief of the British Navy in the Americas. So the much hated Admiral Cockburn writes to his Bermuda-based superior, Vice Admiral Cochran, asking him to bring his fleet up to the Chesapeake to attack the American capital. Cockburn suggests they combine their forces at the small island of Tangier, which is located roughly 50 miles up the Chesapeake Bay.

Can you picture that? Good. Now to the east are the two rivers that offer access to DC, the wide Potomac, and to the north of it, the thinner Patuxent. The British will sail up both rivers, which will keep the American army unsure of where to focus its defense efforts. Meanwhile, the army will sail up the Patuxent with Admiral Cochrane and unload at Benedict, Maryland. From there, the land force can easily march through Bladensburg, Maryland, to the poorly defended capital of Washington, D.C. Admiral Cochrane agrees to Cockburn's plan.

In August 1814, he sails from Bermuda with an army of 4,500 men, once again freed up by Napoleon's demise. After meeting up in the bay, they send Captain Alexander Gordon sailing his diversionary fleet up the Potomac while Cockburn sails up the Patuxet River. And again, he's the one actually transporting the army, which is under the command of the capable Napoleonic War veteran Major General Robert Ross. On the evening of August 18th, the British disembark at Benedict and the less than capable American General William Winder, who's in charge of defending DC but not well supported by the Secretary of War. You remember this situation, right? Well, he's just realizing Washington is the actual British target. Yeah, after months of British plotting,

it's only when the enemy's forces are actually in Maryland that William puts two and two together. William scrambles, and by the morning of August 24th, the wet-behind-the-ears general has his American forces ready to defend the road to the White House at Bladensburg. The president and a few cabinet members come to the battlefield to quote-unquote inspect the now roughly 6,000 troops. Well, Secretary of State James Monroe, who is desperate for a little military glory himself, he's doing a little more than inspecting. See, the troops were in an effective

formation, but the angling for secretary of war job, James, comes along around noon and rearranges the units into three separate and ineffectual lines. But to be fair, it's not like our general, William, does a better job preparing the men for this high stakes battle. He even tells one captain as he sets up three cannons, and I'm quoting, when you retreat, take notice you must retreat by the Georgetown Road. Close quote. When you retreat? Good grief. I think William should take a page out of James' Don't Give Up the Ship Lawrence's book from the last episode. Well, shortly after William gives this abysmal advice, the battle-hardened British General Ross and his men begin their organized and brutal assault. The American forces, a mixed bag of seasoned regulars and pretty useless militia volunteers, cut and run.

The, well, not battle-hardened soldiers don't even have the wherewithal to follow William's crap order to retreat by the Georgetown Road. This disgraced U.S. Army, with 26 dead and 51 wounded, leave the road to the capital open to the enemy's torches. But the fledgling city of Washington DC doesn't wait for the battle's end to prepare for a British invasion. Washingtonians see the writing on the wall. They know the British army is coming for them and don't have much faith in William's hastily assembled defense forces. By the day of the battle, evacuation is in full swing. Government clerks are busy getting important records to safety because unfortunately, these guys don't have external hard drives to back things up. As it is, officials have to scrounge up carts and wagons for their file boxes. One clerk says, quote, everything belonging to the office

might have been removed in time if carriages could have been procured, but it was altogether impossible to procure them, either for hire or by force, close quote. But thankfully, First Lady Dolly Mazin keeps her cool in the face of this mass exodus. When the president goes to Bladensburg, the calm, dark-haired woman stays at the White House to literally hold down the fort. She watches out the window, eagerly awaiting her commander-in-chief husband's return. To quote her, since sunrise, I have been turning my spyglass in every direction and watching with unwearied anxiety, hoping to discern the approach of my dear husband. Close quote.

But don't get the wrong idea. This anxious vigil doesn't get in the way of her full entertaining schedule. After all, the hospitable woman has perfected the art of first ladying by now with her regular dinner parties and drawing rooms always held with a politically balanced guest list in order to oil the cogs of the government machine. So even an impending British invasion can't spoil her usual dinner for around 40 people. I know what you're thinking.

It's great that Dolly is a capable and calm First Lady, but when is she going to run out of the White House carrying the portrait of George Washington under her arm as British soldiers run into the mansion yelling, we're going to burn this mother down like you saw in Drunk History? Sorry to disappoint, Drunk History got a little off the mark on that one. Dolly has the foresight to save the famous portrait well before the British show up. Early in the afternoon, probably at the same time as the Battle of Bladensburg, she, quote, directed my servants in what manner

to remove it from the wall, remaining with them until it was done, close quote. This takes a while because the frame is screwed to the wall and she doesn't want the painting to get damaged. And no, the conscientious woman doesn't let anybody cut the canvas out of the frame or roll up the painting once it's removed from the wall. She asks two guys, Robert and Jacob, to take the portrait to a nearby farmhouse for safekeeping. She also directs the transport of several White House treasures and documents out of the White House. The selfless First Lady saves all of these valuables at the expense of her personal belongings like clothes and food stores. She says,

I have pressed as many cabinet papers into trunks as to fill one carriage. Our private property must be sacrificed as it is impossible to procure wagons for its transportation. Close quote. Dolly finally leaves Washington at about 3 o'clock on August 24th. Her friend, Charles Carroll, who has come by the White House several times today begging her to leave, gives the First Lady a ride to his house. The broken-hearted woman has to leave her home to the merciless British and pray that her husband will survive the battle. Now, don't worry. James is safe. He left Bladensburg well ahead of the retreating army, so he doesn't get caught up in the stampede of soldiers. He arrives at the White House around 4.30 p.m., and seeing that Dolly has already left the capital, he heads for the safety of Virginia with Attorney General Richard Rush and James Monroe. The rest of the cabinet scatters, leaving the Capitol without a

single political leader. When the victorious British march into the abandoned American Capitol around 8pm, they can't even find anyone to negotiate a surrender. So they get to work, sacking the recently built Capitol. Some soldiers break into the locked White House and help themselves to Dolly's uneaten dinner. One officer says, quote, we found supper already, which many of us speedily consumed and drank some very good wine also. Close quote. Having filled their bellies, the conquering army spends the evening setting fire to the White House. They set up piles of furniture in the middle of each room and light them up.

The blaze leaves the presidential home, quote, unroofed, marked walls, cracked, defaced, blackened with the smoke of fire, close quote, according to Washington resident William Wirt. Other groups torched the Capitol building, the Treasury, the Warren State Department offices, and an arsenal. But American Captain Thomas Tingey sets fire to the Naval Yard himself in order to prevent the Brits from taking any naval stores or the two nearly finished ships as prizes. Amazingly, the Marine Corps building and the Patent Office managed to avoid getting the torch. The fire burns all night.

Daniel Sheldon says, The whole of the night was illuminated by the flames of the public buildings, which at a distance were most dismally and distinctly visible. The next morning, August 25th, the British keep the destruction going in a big way. Out at Greenleaf Point Arsenal, a few miles from the still-smoldering White House, about 200 British soldiers roll barrels of gunpowder into a deep well. But the water isn't deep enough to cover all the explosives. One spark is all it takes to catch the exposed powder kegs and cause a massive explosion. After the blast, the well is a crater 20 feet deep and 40 feet wide.

Dozens of soldiers are killed or injured. Then a huge storm, some call it a hurricane, some a tornado, blows in. Within a few hours, it knocks over buildings and even kills a few more British soldiers with its violent wind and rain. But it does smother the fires set by the British. Having destroyed the American capital city, partly in retribution for the sacking of the Canadian capital of York, burnt to a crisp the oh-so-symbolic White House and severely damaged the national psyche, the British silently march out of town on the night of the 25th. A humbled James Madison returns to the devastated government seat on August 28th.

Even though most people blame the poorly performing John Armstrong for the sacking of the Capitol, and the disgraced man does resign as Secretary of War. The president faces serious criticism as well. Someone graffitis the Capitol with, and I quote, George Washington founded this city after seven years war with England. James Madison lost it after a two years war. Close quote. Harsh. In the days after the burning of Washington, cities like New York and Philadelphia start building their own fortifications and calling for federal funds to boost their local defense forces. The newly appointed Secretary of War, James Monroe, looks like he did get his wish, happily complies. But you know, of these cities,

it's Baltimore with the biggest target on its back. Okay, DC's burnt. Let's return to our two British admirals, Cochran and the lower ranking Cockburn. I'm going to add one more commander to the mix, the British hero of Bladensburg, the Army General Robert Ross. He and Cockburn lit up D.C., as you may recall. Well, this trio meets back up at their fort on Tangier Island, which, I'll remind you, is roughly 50 miles up the Chesapeake Bay, where they hash out whether or not to sail up the Chesapeake and hit Baltimore.

There's a lot of good reasons to do it. For starters, its population of 50,000 makes it the third biggest city in the U.S. after New York and Philly. So this would be another major feather in these commander's caps. It's also rich, meaning the plunder will be amazing. Baltimore is also a major hub for American privateers, making it militarily strategic. But we also have an emotional reason to attack. Remember the Baltimore riots from episode 23? Yeah, Baltimore hates the English. It's likely the most anti-British city in all of America. Given all of that, I think you can see why our British triumvirate

would like to take a crack at Baltimore. Late August gives way to early September as their two-week debate continues. They're about to pass on it, thinking they can't pull it off, but then Mother Nature and new intel flip the script. On the first point, a new moon and the approaching September equinox, which is when the sun gets super close to the Earth's equator, are going to make the tides at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay dangerous to navigate.

This means the British can't leave the bay for another few weeks anyhow. Then they get word via a letter from the recently killed British officer, Captain Peter Parker. I know, I know, Spider-Man fans, then they get word via a letter from the recently killed british officer captain peter parker i know i know spider-man fans it's awesome that was the guy's actual name but he's dead god rest his soul and not central to the story so just cool your jets anyhow peter parker's letter says baltimore looks weak and some hot off thepress American newspapers seem to corroborate this.

So, by September 7th, the three men decide this invasion is on. But the very same day, just as the fleet starts heading up the Chesapeake towards Baltimore, a sloop bearing a white flag of truce finds them. Now, the crew of this American vessel sailing right at the mighty British fleet isn't crazy. It has a mission. To transport two American negotiators that will attempt to secure the release of the American prisoner of war, Dr. William Beans. The good doctor is a civilian, but the prominent Marylander pissed off the British during their invasion of DC

by earning their trust only to turn around and play a crucial role in capturing some of them. British General Ross saw this as plain dirty. In response, he sent men to take the elderly physician captive and made Dr. Beans his prisoner on the British flagship, HMS Tunnant. That's how we got to our current situation. As for our negotiators, one is the dashing 26-year-old lawyer and colonel, John Skinner. The other is a curly-haired, handsome Marylander and D.C. lawyer whose way with words smoothed out John's rough-and-tumble style, Francis Scott Key. The Tunnant sends a rowboat to pick up John and Francis from their white flagged vessel at 2 p.m. Upon boarding, it's clear to the Americans the timing of their likely to fail mission sucks. They notice everyone is extremely busy and soon enough

they know why. The fleet is preparing to attack Baltimore. But hey, the Brits are polite and cordial, all the same, and soon John and Francis are whining and dining with the big brass. As the meal dies down, General Ross takes John and Francis aside. He doesn't buy any of their legal arguments for freeing Dr. Beans, whom the General considers a dishonorable scumbag. But our American duo brought letters written by British POWs when they came aboard, and General Ross has already read them. These first-hand accounts from his men of good treatment from the Americans moves him.

As Francis later put it, the general thinks Dr. Beans, quote quote deserved much more punishment than he had received, but that he felt himself bound to make a return for the kindness which have been shown to his wounded officers. And upon that ground and that only he would release him. Close quote. Wow. Francis was all ready to bring his legal aid game and magic with words to bear, but no need. Dr. Bean is free. Time to go home. Well, not so fast. The following morning, Thursday, September 8th, our now trio of Americans, that is the two negotiators, John Skinner and Francis Scott Key, plus the now liberated Dr. Beans, are told they can't leave just yet. This is hardly going to be a sneak attack. There's no discreet way to sail a massive British fleet up the Chesapeake,

but they aren't about to let these Americans go and blab about anything they've overheard. They and their sloop and its 10-man crew will have to stay with the British until the attack on Baltimore is complete. All 13 Americans are now transferred to the frigate HMS Surprise. Now, while the British keep moving up the Chesapeake Bay, let me fill you in on local geography, the British attack plan, and American defenses. So we're properly set. To sail to Baltimore, you'll go deep up this massive bay I'm talking roughly 150 miles or so So we're going past the wide Potomac and the much thinner Patuxet rivers

Both of which you'll recall the British used to sack DC We're sailing north, so they're both on our left Keep going up the bay, past Annapolis and other rivers. Then you'll hit the wide but short Patapsco River, also on the left. Only another 10 miles or so up this river and you'll hit a peninsula that juts out. And on the peninsula's edge is a star-shaped defensive position named after one of George Washington's secretaries of war, Fort McHenry. That fort's guns, 18, 24, and 36 pounders, protect Baltimore, which is just another two miles up the river. If this fort falls, Baltimore's toast. So that's where the British fleet is heading. Got it pictured in your head? The bay breaking left of the Patapsco River, the fort, then Baltimore behind it?

Good. And hey, if you really need help, hit up Google Maps. But thanks to the existence of Fort McHenry, the British can't just go knocking on Baltimore's figurative front door. No, no, this will be a land and sea attack. Once they get to the mouth of the Patapsco River, General Ross and Admiral Cockburn will disembark with 4,700 men at North Point. They'll hike some 13 miles northwest to hit Baltimore from its east side while Admiral Cochran's fleet bombards the fort. Once it's taken out, he'll be able to provide naval support to Ross and Cockburn

as they attack the city. And Baltimore will go up in ashes. Or so the plan goes. Let's see how it works out for him. First, the British get held up trying to get the fleet together. See, they're still missing Captain Gordon's squadron, which sailed up the Potomac, as you may recall, during the move on Washington, D.C. Yeah, after his mere presence caused Fort Washington's defenders to abandon it, Captain Gordon also forced the city of Alexandria, Virginia, to surrender. These accomplishments, plus sailing conditions, slowed him down. Now, this is important. The fleet needs this squadron before hitting Baltimore because many of these vessels are bomb ships, meaning rather than usual guns, they have longer range mortars. They are made for laying siege to port cities. So obviously,

the fleet has to make a detour partly up the Potomac River to find them before continuing up the Chesapeake as a united force to attack Baltimore. This delays the British, giving Baltimore a few more days to prep for the coming attack. Oh, and they are prepping. Ready to hear what the Americans have going on? Senator slash General Samuel Smith isn't about to let anything happen to Baltimore. This 62-year-old, bushy-eyebrowed, Revolutionary War vet serves as commander of the city's militia, and he's been prepping to defend it since the war began. He has a militia of some 15,000 men, and they love him, not only for his competence, but because he knows the way to an American man's heart. He hooks them up with whiskey and rum. But more important than the alcohol, he's anticipated the British attack and built up the city's defenses. And although U.S. Army General William Winder will be at Baltimore,

Sam is such the man that Baltimore, with the governor's blessing no less, will look to Sam as their leader instead. Sorry, Winder. No one's ready to forgive you for letting D.C. get burned. Now that you've met Sam and his militia, let's head down to the peninsula in the Patapsco River and meet Fort McHenry's commander, George Armistead. George is a 34-year-old military man who served up at the Canadian border. That said, he's connected to Baltimore. It's not his first tour here, and the last time around, he met Louisa and married into her prominent Baltimore family. And now here he is commanding a thousand men at Fort McHenry, literally serving as the only hope his wife's hometown has of survival. And with that, I think we've done our prep work.

Now that you know Sam and George, let the Battle of Baltimore commence. Want to learn how you can make smarter decisions with your money? Well, I've got the podcast for you. I'm Sean Piles, and I host NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. On our show, we help listeners like you make the most of your finances.

I sit down with NerdWallet's team of nerds, personal finance experts in credit cards, banking, investing, and more. We answer your real-world money questions and break down the latest personal finance news. The nerds will give you the clarity you need by cutting through the clutter and misinformation in today's world of personal finance. We don't promote get-rich-quick schemes or hype unrealistic side hustles. Instead, we offer practical knowledge that you can apply Thank you. your money is always working as hard as you are. So turn to the nerds to answer your real world money questions and get insights that can help you make the smartest financial decisions for your life. Listen to NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Ever wondered what it's like to be in the room with top Al Qaeda terrorists plotting their next move? Do you want to know how the history of Islamic fundamentalist thought informs the way

the world works today? Well then, dear listener, Conflicted is the podcast for you. I trace the epic battles between Muslims and the West. What are the Houthis' objectives in the Red Sea? It's a lesson to the rest of the Muslim world and the Arab world. Do not trust the Islamists. Hosted by me, Thomas Small, an author and filmmaker, and my good friend, Eamon Dean, an ex-Al-Qaeda jihadi turned MI6 spy, Conflicted tells stories of the Islamic past and present to help you make sense of the world today.

And now Conflicted Season 5 is being cooked up, coming to you very soon. And in the meantime, you can sign up to our Conflicted community to give you bonus episodes and access to our community hub on Discord. Subscribe to Conflicted wherever you get your podcasts. Things start to get going on Sunday, September 11th. With the British fleet spotted at the mouth of the Patapsco, George has his men

at their stations in Fort McHenry while Sam's men prepare to defend the city. He keeps about 10,000 in the trenches at Hampstead Hill while sending John Stricker with one of the best brigades he has, the 3rd, south of the city, from which Sam anticipates the British will invade. Out on the Patapsco, Francis Scott Key, John Skinner, and Dr. Beans are powerless as they watch British troops prepare to disembark. Though still under guard and stuck with the British fleet, they and their American crew are transferred back to their own sloop. After all, the British don't need these Americans getting in the way during the bombardment. At 3 a.m. the next morning, Monday, September 12th, General Ross and Cockburn's 4,700 men land at North Point, which I'll remind you is at the edge of the mouth of the Patapsco.

The advanced troops quickly begin the 13-mile march to Baltimore, moving up the North Point road, but they stop at a farm around 8 a.m. to wait for the rear guard. The farmer, Robert Gorsuch, feeds General Ross and is said to have asked if they'd need supper as well. Legend claims the general replied, quote, I shall sup in Baltimore tonight or in hell, close quote. If he said that, and given his typical humility, it's hard to believe he did. General Ross had no idea just how right he was. Now you haven't forgotten that yesterday, Sam already sent the 3rd Brigade out to meet this invasion, right? Well, at 1pm,

John Stricker, who's commanding this brigade of over 3,000 men Sends some 250 men Including riflemen A little bit ahead to harass the British Which they do As the skirmishers engage Ross charges to the front He pulls out his spyglass

To get a better look at the Americans firing from trees and tall grass. But just after doing this, an American ball finds its mark. We don't know who made the shot. It might have been a sharpshooter. They were targeting officers. But at least one British officer believed it to be a less accurate musket ball. Either way, the well-respected and beloved British general, Ross, is hit.

The ball enters his right arm and makes its home in his chest. It's a slow but mortal wound. A surgeon dresses General Ross's wound. The dying general assures Cockburn that wounds received in service of his country causes him, quote, not a pang, close quote. He talks longingly of his wife and hands a locket to Cockburn instructing him to, quote, give that to my dear wife and tell her I commend her to my king and my country, close quote. They try to transport the general back to the ships, but it's hopeless. They only get him as far back as Gorsuch Farm.

Here, under the shade of a tree, he utters his last words. Oh, my dear wife. Like I said, if he really claimed that morning he'd stop in Baltimore or in hell, there's some real irony. But I doubt it. And besides, the man was too honorable to end up in the latter. General Ross's death is only the start of the September 12th Battle of North Point. Since Cockburn's in the Navy, not the Army,

Ross's number two, Colonel Brooke, now takes command. He continues the march toward Baltimore, but meets stiff resistance from the well-entrenched 3rd Militia. The American Militia falls back, but between the loss of General Ross and some 340 casualties, Colonel Brooke doesn't pursue. He has his men holed up at an abandoned Methodist meeting house seven miles outside Baltimore. Amid a terrible rainstorm that night, the colonel receives a note from Admiral Cochran encouraging the destruction of all public property. He writes back to the admiral, reaffirming his intention to, quote, work our destruction, close quote, on Baltimore in the morning.

But speaking of Cochran, let's return to the Admiral's fleet, because the time has come for the assault on Fort McHenry. After dropping off the now late General Ross and his men at North Point before sunrise on September 12th, Admiral Cochran started moving up the Patapsco River. He wondered if he might be able to skirt Fort McHenry and get straight to bombarding Baltimore, but can see by that afternoon that's not an option. The Americans are purposely sinking ships in the harbor to block it up. Fine. Cochran positions his rocket and bomb ships just outside of the range of Fort McHenry. All right the attack begins I need to explain just how SOL Fort McHenry might be.

These bomb ships are equipped with 10 and 13 inch mortars that can launch 200 pound bombs 2 and a half freaking miles. That means they can hit Fort McHenry while staying outside its range. Oh and about the time these bombs hit, they have fuses set to blow, sending lethal shrapnel everywhere. That's fun. There are a grand total of eight of these valuable bad boys in the British Navy.

Five of these ships, called Devastation, Terror, Volcano, Aetna, and Meteor, are here in Baltimore's waters. There's also one rocket ship, and no, I don't mean space-bound. I mean the HMS Erebus, which fires Congreve rockets. While rockets have a history going back hundreds of years to China, British inventor Sir William Congreve figured out how to make rockets far more deadly about a decade ago.

So this ship fires a slew of rockets that are beautiful in the sky, make crazy sounds, then catch their target on fire. Now in truth, that's nothing compared to the bomb ships, but it's new tech. And as any American soldier will tell you, it's scary as hell to see. At 6.30 a.m. the next day, which is Tuesday, September 13th, the HMS Volcano fires the first shots at Fort McHenry. Hmm, it's short. The Admiral moves the squadron up. Our fort's commander, George Armistead, takes advantage of this move and unloads on the British ships. The Americans watch their shots strike the fleet.

Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! They cheer, and the military band starts playing Yankee Doodle. But that ends fast. Admiral Cochran simply pulls back outside of the range of George's guns. The five bomb ships and one rocket ship unload on Fort McHenry. They get bombs and rockets off faster than every 60 seconds, and they do this for hours. By 10 a.m., George tells his men in the fort to stop even bothering to fire their weak guns that can't make the distance. One bomb hits a magazine. Luckily for America, its fuse was a dud.

Had it worked, the black powder stored there alone would have ended the fort's existence. Captain Joseph H. Nicholson will later describe the day in a letter to James Monroe. Quote, We were like pigeons tied by the legs to be shot at. Close quote. Amazingly, there are a few casualties, but one is certainly noteworthy. William Williams. Well, his original name is Frederick Hall, but as a runaway slave, he enlisted under this alias.

The cruel shrapnel from one of these bombs rips off one of his legs. But as heavy rains and winds are making it difficult for the British to hit their marks, Admiral Cochrane tries moving in closer around three in the afternoon. Fort McHenry's defenders spring from their trenches and fire right back. They nail devastation, volcano, and do some real damage to the rocket firing Erebus, which has to be towed out of the fort's range. Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! The fort's defenders again cheer as they hunker down to continue being assaulted without means to return fire. Damn! For being unequipped to fight back, this fort's doing alright.

But how long can its luck hold up? That's exactly what a gravely concerned Francis Scott Key is wondering. You haven't forgotten about our American negotiator, have you? Still on his sloop, still stuck with the British fleet, he has a front row seat to the horrific show. Francis is terrified about what will happen if the city falls. During these past few days with the British, he's come to know these soldiers hate Americans. Francis will later describe them in a letter to John Randolph as being, quote, With some exceptions, they appear to be illiberal, ignorant, and vulgar, seemed filled with a malignity against everything American.

Close quote. He's heard talk of burning, plunder. He worries about the women and children. And hey, he has loved ones in there. For instance, that captain in Fort McHenry that I quoted, Joseph Nicholson, that's his brother-in-law. Let me paint a mental image for you of what Francis is feeling, hearing, and seeing at this

point. He's kept his eye on the U.S. flag with its large stars and broad stripes gallantly blowing in the winds over Fort McHenry's ramparts, that is, its walls, all day. Even though it seems, as Francis will later write, quote, his glimmer of hope. As long as the flag's still there, he knows the fort hasn't fallen. That Baltimore is safe. But then the sun sets. Twilight gives way to night. And he can't see the flag anymore.

All he sees now are bombs bursting and the red glare of ignited rockets screeching across the stormy sky. But despite the harrowing mixture of sights and sounds, Francis actually finds hope in them. After all, the British wouldn't fire them if Fort McHenry had given up. So they're proof that the fight hasn't ended, that even if he can't see it, the flag must still be there. Right? About 7 a.m. the next morning, September 14 14th 25 hours after the beginning of the bombardment the british fleet stops firing francis searches the horizon for fort mchenry's flag

is it still the stars and stripes or has the union jack replaced it has his beloved baltimore fallen to pillaging death and destruction? Peering through the clearing smoke, possibly with a spyglass, he sees a flag. But he's still unsure which one. Only with a flutter of wind does the dawn sunlight show Francis the stars and stripes. Oh, the relief. Right there on the sloop, this amateur poet, who's written plenty of verses over the years, pulls a letter from his pocket and starts writing on what he's experienced. Within the next two days, he's composed a four-stanza poem, or four-verse song, describing what he saw. On September 17th, he shows the poem to his

brother-in-law who was stationed at Fort McHenry, Joseph Nicholson. Overcome with emotion, Joseph wants this distributed. Between him and Francis's fellow negotiator, John Skinner, they get the poem to the newspaper, the Baltimore American. It immediately publishes the poem, now titled Defense of Fort McHenry, on distributable single sheets that encourage singing it to the tune of a popular old British drinking song, To Anacreon in Heaven. To put this in 21st century talk, the poem goes viral. By mid-October, some 17 other papers across the eastern states have published it, and by November, it's printed on sheet music with a

new title, The Star-Spangled Banner. If you're American, you likely know the song's first verse. If you're not American, you still might be familiar with the tune, especially if you've ever watched Michael Phelps swim at the Olympics. Either way, you might have a new or different appreciation for Francis' narrative of the bombardment of Fort McHenry after the story you've just heard. So let's go through its four verses. In the first verse, which you likely know word for word, Francis isn't telling us he sees the flag flying over Fort McHenry. He's asking with two question marks, he's giving us a taste of his anxiety-ridden morning, peering across the water in hopes of seeing the American flag as proof the fort hasn't fallen and Baltimore still stands. Since singing it obscures the intonation that makes the questioning clear, let me read it to you.

Oh say, can you see by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave? Can you hear the questioning? Good, because it's not until the second verse that Francis actually sees the U.S. flag. You can hear his relief as the morning wind finally picks up enough

to clear the smoke and reveal the initially unfurled stars and stripes. On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep, where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, what is that which the breeze or the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected, now shines in the stream, Tis the star-spangled banner, O long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. By the way, this specific U.S. flag is massive. That's why Francis can see it. It was made by Mary Pickersgill, who, like the Declaration

of Independence, was born in Philadelphia in 1776. How's that for poetic? This flag of hers, known as the Star-Spangled Banner, measures 30 by 42 feet and has 15 stars and 15 stripes. Because it's not until 1818 that we'll realize adding a new stripe for each new state is ridiculous. But if you'd like to see the 15-stripe Star-Spangled Banner, you can. It's on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Now, in the third verse, we get a taste of the raw emotions war can conjure up. Generally, Francis is a rather chill dude, but after watching this attack on his beloved Baltimore, and after hearing the British talk for days about wanting to destroy his home and country, he's not immune to feelings of vengeance.

It comes out here as he describes the defeat of a British, quote, band of soldiers. Now, heads up, as I read this verse, you're going to hear the most controversial phrase of the poem, hireling and slave. Listen for it, but hang tight. I'll give you my analysis of it after you've heard it. And where is that band who so vauntingly swore that the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, a home and a country, should leave us no more?

Their blood has washed out, their foul footsteps pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave. And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave. Okay, let's talk about those three words. Right off the bat, let's acknowledge that Francis doesn't leave an explanation for this verse. But many historians, including myself, think we have a handle on it. Remember the British army commanded by the late General Ross that fought the Baltimore militia at North Point? That's probably the group to which Francis is referring when he talks about the vauntingly swearing band.

Now, among these troops, there were several different units, including one hired mercenaries and two ex-slaves known as the colonial Marines. That's likely where we get those three uncomfortable words, hireling and slave. The irony that these Marines were, in fact, bravely fighting for their own personal freedom probably isn't lost on you. And while we're on the subject of slavery, I think we would do well to remember those African Americans, like ex-slave William Williams, mortally wounded at Fort McHenry, who fought for the United States in the War of 1812. Yet, Francis' use of the word slave is somewhat appropriate. Though inadvertent, it's created a permanent reminder that the institution of slavery was inseparable from the fabric of the early republic. And by the way, the characterization of the British regiments

fleeing or dying in this third verse is spot on. Following their general's death on September 12th, Colonel Brooke took the lead and initially pushed forward. But the next morning, when he saw that Baltimore had strong defenses and 15,000 militiamen, he didn't dare charge forward with his 4,000. He thought about a night attack, but lacking naval support judged it too risky and ordered the retreat at 3 a.m. on September 14th. But let me add that the lack of naval support wasn't from want of trying. Admiral Cochran's fleet launched roughly 1,500 to 1,800 bombs in their 24-hour attack. He also tried sneaking 1,200 men past Fort McHenry in barges, but no dice. The Americans saw them and unleashed their guns, leading the admiral to call off his bombardment four hours after the colonel started his retreat. The fourth verse needs a

little setup. Francis does just what you'd expect a deeply religious man to do after witnessing what's essentially a miracle. He thanks and praises his God. Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand between their loved home and the war's desolation. Blessed with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, win our cause, it is just, and this be our motto, in God is our trust. And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. The star-Spangled Banner's popularity continues to grow after the War of 1812. It hits a real spike during the Civil War.

I'm sure you can see how a patriotic song that emphasizes the stars and stripes would appeal to Northerners and face at the Confederacy's stars and bars. In fact, the conflict spurs American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes to write a fifth verse in 1861. I won't read the whole thing so as not to confuse his words with Francis's, but Oliver talks of, quote, foes from within, close quote, and the still hopeful end of slavery, which he expresses as, quote, the millions unchained who our birthright have gained, close quote. By the late 1800s, there's talk of making the Star-Spangled Banner the official

national anthem. It takes a few more decades, but an act of Congress does just that in 1931. I would be remiss as a historian if I didn't also point out that, at least since the mid-20th century, the Star-Spangled Banner's history is intertwined with the history of protest. It's become a space where minority athletes have voiced their discontent. This includes Tommy Smith and John Carlos raising their fists during the national anthem at the 1968 Olympics, the iconic racial barrier-breaking first black professional baseball player, Jackie Robinson, not singing during the national anthem, and in the present, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. At the same time, such protests strike some Americans as inappropriate because the star-spangled banner has come to represent the American blood

and lives lost in creating and preserving the Union. For these Americans, protest during the National Anthem feels as inappropriate as protesting on the sacred, hallowed ground that serves as the final resting place of many a fallen American, Arlington Cemetery. And so, it begs the question, is such protest a proper and just way to exercise the First Amendment? Or does it dishonor the dead? And you know what? It's hard to discuss, isn't it? This debate is still raging. Emotions are raw as hell. And on both sides, it can feel like we're just screaming at each other.

Maybe we are. But if you've been listening to this podcast for the past year, then you know American democracy is built on people voicing their views, screaming across or storming out of Independence Hall, fighting tooth and nail for the Federalist Party or Democratic Republican Party, and on and on. As messy as it is, the truth is we're watching American democracy in action. We are a country that values debate, that has discourse, no matter how painful that is. I can't tell you when or where the current discourse over kneeling football players will land, but I can say this, despite our imperfections, I am grateful to live in a country that strives ceaselessly to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. Greg Jackson and C.L. Salazar. Production and sound design, Josh Beatty of J.B. Audio Design.

Musical score, composed and performed by Greg Jackson and Diana Averill. For a bibliography of all primary and secondary sources consulted in writing this episode, visit historythatdoesntsuck.com. Join me in two weeks, where I'd like to tell you a story. HTDS is supported by premium membership fans. You can join by clicking the link in the episode Join me in two weeks where I'd like to tell you a story. Chris Jansen, Bob Drazovich, Brian Goodson, Ronwin Cohen, Carrie Begel, Charles and Shirley Clendenin, Charlie Magis, Chloe Tripp, Christopher Merchant, Christopher Pullman, David DeFazio, David Rifkin, Denki, Durante Spencer, Donald Moore, Donna Marie Jeffcoat, Ellen Stewart, Bernie Lowe, George Sherwood, Gurwith Griffin, Henry Brunges, Jake Gilbreth, James G. Bledsoe, Janie McCreary, Jeff Marks, Jennifer Moods, Jennifer Magnolia, Jeremy Wells, Jessica Poppock, Joe Dobis, John Frugal-Dougal, John Boovey, John Keller, John Oliveros, John Radlavich, Thank you. Melanie Jan, Nate Seconder, Nick Caffrell, Noah Hoff, Owen Sedlak, Paul Goringer, Randy Guffrey, Reese Humphries-Wadsworth, Rick Brown,

Sarah Trawick, Samuel Lagasa, Sharon Theisen, Sean Baines, Steve Williams, Creepy Girl, Tisha Black, and Zach Jackson.

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