On This Day ... in 1814 & Others
After the successful raid on Washington in August, Major General Ross attempted to follow-up with an attack on Baltimore on 12 September. Ross was killed in action outside the city.
During the march, and just prior to the Battle of North Point, the troops encountered American skirmishers and Ross rode forward to personally direct his troops. An American marksman shot him through the right arm into the chest. According to Baltimore tradition, two American riflemen, teenagers Daniel Wells and Henry McComas, aged 18 and 19, respectively, were credited with killing Ross; both were killed in the engagement. Ross died while being transported back to the ships.
After his death, the general's body was stored in a barrel of 129 gallons (586 l) of Jamaican rum and shipped on the British ship HMS Royal Oak to Halifax, Nova Scotia where his body was buried on September 29, 1814. It is thought that preparations for the Battle of New Orleans prevented his body from being shipped back to Britain.
The bombardment of Fort McHenry followed the next day.
1917: In Belgium, a small detachment of Irish Guards were finally forced to retreat, having held out for 96 hours without support. Lance-Sergeant Moyney and Private Woodcock stayed behind to cover the retreat.
Moyney received the Victoria Cross for his leadership during the five days defence.
His citation reads:
For most conspicuous bravery when in command of fifteen men forming two advanced posts. In spite of being surrounded by the enemy he held his post for ninety-six hours, having no water and little food.
On the morning of the fifth day a large force of the enemy advanced to dislodge him. He ordered his men out of their shell-holes and, taking the initiative, attacked with great effect from a flank. Finding himself surrounded by superior numbers, he led back his men in a charge through the enemy, and reached a stream which lay between the posts and the line. Here he instructed his party to cross at once whilst he and Private Woodcock remained to cover their retirement.
When the whole of his force had gained the south-west bank unscathed he himself crossed under a shower of bombs. It was due to the endurance, skill and devotion to duty shown by the Non-Commissioned Officer that he was able to bring his entire force safely out of action
Woodcock was awarded the VC for going back to find and rescue a missing man lying wounded in the open.
He was killed in action, Bullecourt, France, on 27 March 1918.
1918: During the advance in France, Lance-Corporal Wilcox of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry attacked four enemy machine-guns in turn, at one point using German grenades he captured having defeated an enemy bombing party.
Similarly, Sergeant Calvert of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry charged with the bayonet to take out a pair of German machine-guns that had pinned down British troops.
Sergeant Laurent, of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, led just 12 men in a successful attack which killed thirty opponents and captured 112. All three NCOs received the Victoria Cross.
1940: The Luftwaffe's attacks on London were hampered by bad weather. Sapper Wylie managed to extricate safely an unexploded bomb buried deep immediately in front of St Paul's Cathedral, London. Lieutenant Davies then drove the bomb away to a safe location and defused it. Both men were awarded the George Cross.
Comments
Mr. FM - As a native Baltimoron, I greatly appreciate your coverage of the Battle of Northpoint. My father was a soldier in the "Dandy 5th" Maryland Regiment, now the 175th Infantry, Maryland National Guard, and decades later I was enrolled as well. The 5th fought with distinction in the Revolution, and won honors in WWI. In WWII, it was a "D-Day Regiment", landing as part of the 29th Infantry Division. The steadiness and good conduct the regiment displayed at North Point partially compensated for its failure to stand at Bladensburg, often termed the "Bladesnburg Races." Wells & McComas were memorialised with street names. McComas was related on my mother's side. For years, the family operated a bell foundry, and were also gunsmiths. I own a McComas percussion rifle manufactured in Baltimore in the 1840's, and passed down through the family. I have never pushed my luck by attempting to fire it. Still plenty of McComas (McComi?)running around B'more and vicinity. Gorsuch, another name mentioned in the article, is still a common Baltimore County name.
Posted by: MP | September 12, 2007 12:17 AM
If you would like to burn the Capitol again, please do. We'd appreciate if you allow the conservatives to exit the building first.
You may also take Washington, DC again. We'll let you have Baltimore this time too.
There won't be any resistance and you might even get some domestic assistance this time.
My sincere condolences for your loss of Corporal John Harrison, a brave soldier who gave his life to save a New York Crimes journalist who, I believe, was trying to rake some muck. I don't know this reporter well enough to say he was going to rake some muck over the collateral damage of our attack, but I do know the NYT.
Posted by: POWinCA | September 12, 2009 5:00 PM
The only thing British troops are likely to pick up in modern-day Baltimore will be a dose of the clap.
/On the other hand, I can still recommend the crab cakes.
Posted by: Fulilier Harris (formerly MP) | September 12, 2009 7:07 PM