BALTIMORE.

The article focuses on the British assault on Baltimore, Maryland, during the War of 1812, specifically the land and naval battles from September 12 to 15, 1814. Following the British victory at Washington, the British aimed to punish Baltimore, a major American port, through a combined land attack led initially by Major General Robert Ross and a naval bombardment targeting Fort McHenry. Despite Ross’s death early in the land battle and heavy fighting, American militia under Brigadier General John Stricker held strong defensive positions, ultimately forcing a British withdrawal. The naval bombardment of Fort McHenry, which inspired the U.S. national anthem, failed to neutralize the fort or allow British ships to enter the harbor, contributing to the failure of the British offensive. The article concludes that the British attack was a diversionary raid, with a larger campaign planned for the Gulf of Mexico, and that the War of 1812 formally ended shortly afterward with the Treaty of Ghent. [Extracted from the article]