Location

E Monument Street & N Aisquith Street (Street View)

GPS: 39° 17′ 52.66″ N 76° 36′ 6.84″ W

History

Daniel Wells and Henry McComas were apprentice saddle makers in Charm City during the War of 1812. By 1814, the teenagers were part of Captain Edward Aisquith’s Militia Rifle Company, preparing for an eventual English attack. After successfully sacking Washington DC, including the White House, The British decided to swing by Baltimore in hopes of eliminating the pirates and privateers stationed in the notorious port. General Robert Ross was in command of the invading land troops that approached the town’s western boundaries in September of 1814. Ross had a military background spanning 30 years and had served in the Napoleonic Wars. As the Aisquith Company positioned itself on the North Point Peninsula, an area fortified a year earlier in fear of an impending British invasion, General Ross, noticing the American positions, found refuge on the local farm of Robert Gorsuch. Here he had breakfast cooked for him while waiting for the rest of his army to arrive. Brigadier General John Stricker, in charge of the 3,000 plus soldiers advancing the British land assault, ordered a group of 230 men with one cannon to flush General Ross out of the Gorsuch farm. Wells and McComas were a part of this small brigade, their defining moment arriving swiftly. Riding on a white horse (or a black horse, depending on the source), General Ross was shot in the battle, mortally wounded by the American Militia. Daniel Wells and Henry G. McComas have been given equal credit for the historical deed, each sacrificing their life in the progress. Another American soldier was shot at the scene, 24 year-old Aquilla Randall, credited with being the first United States fatality of the Battle of North Point, was found near the bodies Wells and McComas, all three had fired their weapons.

Noted local poet and Baltimore historian Christopher T. George has shed light on the possibility a sniper, and not Wells and McComas, killed General Ross at the Battle of North Point. As a reference George cites a passage in the book The British Invasion of Maryland, 1812-1815 by William Matthew Marine. The volume contains a conversation between an American, Henry Wilson, and an English gentleman claiming to have been General Ross’s aide de campe at the Battle of North Point. The British soldier reports that Ross’s mortal wound was “caused by a musket ball and a buck-shot”, his testimony running counter to the notion the wound was caused by musket ball only. The Independent Blues militia of the 5th Regiment used this modified method, loading ‘buck and ball‘, for their weapons. George also wrote that: “the unit’s commander, Capt. Aaron R. Levering [of Independent Blues], is alleged to have seen an officer ride up at the head of the enemy line. He is deported to have ordered his men, ‘Take good aim, there’s an officer.’ The militiamen saw the British officer fall from his horse and from the description of his uniform it was thought that it was Ross.”

Notes

In 1854, a committee gathered with the notion of erecting a monument to Wells and McComas. On September 10, 1858, after securing and investing the funds for the project, the bodies of the teen militiamen were exhumed and placed in the Maryland Institute. Thousands of people visited the coffins during the three days leading up to September 12th, the anniversary of the Battle of North Point, when the official cornerstone for the memorial was laid. On that day, the bodies of Wells and McComas were paraded to Ashland Square, the site of internment, and placed below the obelisk’s foundation in ceremonial fashion. The 21-foot monument was finally completed in 1873 and is made of Baltimore County marble. The Obelisk portion, resting on a two-step granite pedestal is comprised of two large pieces of marble, weighing 14 and 8 tons respectively.

Nearby

• Fallsway Fountain

Links

• On Panoramio & Flickr
• Defender’s Day at North Point website
• General Ross Biography
• MyEdgemere.com

Location

Gough Street & S Patterson Park Avenue, just inside the park

GPS: 39° 17′ 17.78″ N 76° 35′ 1.54″ W

History

Given to the City by the United Singers of Baltimore in 1915, the Conradin Kreutzer statue was won, by the group, in a singing contest that same year. Saengerfest, a German cultural event American communities have been celebrating since 1849, focuses primarily on choral performances. In 1900, the same group won first prize, receiving the Wagner Bust now placed in Druid Hill Park. Both pieces were created by R P Golde, a German sculpture who lived in New York City.

Notes

Following the trail south from the observatory, the Kreutzer monument is about one city block on the right. The inscription on the pedestal’s front reads: “Conradin Kreutzer, First City Prize won the the United Singers at the 24th National Saengerfest.” The winning song was written by F Langer.

Nearby

• Rodgers’ Bastion Cannon
• Star-Spangled Banner Memorial
• Casimir Pulaski

Links

• On Panoramio & Flickr
• Conradin Kreutzer on wikipedia

Location

E Pratt Street & S Patterson Park Avenue, just inside the park next to the observatory

GPS: 39° 17′ 23.73″ N 76° 35′ 0.41″ W

History

The centennial celebration of the Star-Spangled Banner was a week long event held in Baltimore in 1914. The festivities marked the city’s successful defense of it’s borders during the War of 1812. The ceremonies included parades, balls, parties, performances and numerous monument dedications. J Maxwell Miller, a close friend and colleague of artists Edward Berge and Hans Schuler, produced the Star-Spangled Banner Memorial for the occasion. The sculpture depicts two school children holding a scroll that reads: “To commemorate the centennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner, the pupils of the public schools of Baltimore have erected this memorial upon Hampstead Hill where in September, 1814, the citizen soldiers of Maryland stood ready to sacrifice their lives in defense of their homes and their country.”

Notes

Placed at Commodore John Rodgers’ headquarters during the Battle of Baltimore, the monument stands directly in front of the pagoda. Made from bronze and granite, the sculpture is in excellent condition and appears to have been waxed recently, protecting the cast for future generations.

Nearby

• Rodgers’ Bastion Cannon
• Conradin Kreutzer Bust
• Casimir Pulaski

Links

• On Panoramio & Flickr
• Brief history on pattersonpark.com
• Program of centennial celebration

Location

E Pratt Street & S Patterson Park Avenue, inside the park next to the observatory

GPS: 39° 17′ 23.45″ N 76° 35′ 1.62″ W

History

In 1814, after the sacking of Washington, British troops marched on Baltimore, attacking by sea and by land. Britain wished to put an end to American privateering, and considered Baltimore’s port to be a haven for pirates. They attempted to sail past Fort McHenry, while sending ground troops through, what was then known as, North Point. The two-pronged attack was doomed to fail. Commodore John Rodgers, a famous Navy General, was in command of ground troops stationed on Hampstead Hill in Patterson Park. He had over 12,000 volunteers and 100 cannons, strategically placed, ready to defend downtown. On the way into Baltimore, British General Robert Ross, who defeated Napoleon, was shot and killed by two local teenagers, Henry McComas and Daniel Wells. Coupled with a major storm and little support from their flotilla, the British army had considerable problems passing Rodgers’ Bastion, and were forced to retreat. The giant flag still hung at Fort McHenry the next day, and the Star-Spangled Banner had been written. America was safe, and the defense of Baltimore had been successful. The cannon monument was dedicated in 1914 during the centennial celebration of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Notes

Just off the northwest entrance to Patterson Park, the monument stands below the pagoda. The Star-Spangled Banner Memorial rests a few paces northeast and several more cannons flank the entrance to the bastion. The location provides an impressive view of the park and city beyond.

Nearby

• The Star-Spangled Banner Memorial
• Conradin Kreutzer Memorial Bust
• Pulaski Monument

Links

• On Panoramio & Flickr
• Article at pattersonpark.com
• Dundalk-Patapsco Neck historical society

Location

Eutaw Place & W Lanvale Street (Street View)

GPS: 39° 18′ 14.24″ N 76° 37′ 34.15″ W

History

This multi-faceted sculpture is one of two major memorials dedicated to Francis Scott Key, the author of the Star Spangled Banner, which only became America’s National Anthem officially in 1931. The other is located in Ft. McHenry, though there are several markers and smaller memorials dedicated all around Baltimore to the actual song itself. The Bolton Hill piece was commissioned in 1907 by Charles and Theodore Marburg, part of a prominent mercantile family at the time and executed by French sculptor Marius Jean Antonin Mercie. Dedicated on May 15, 1911. In 1996, residents from the local neighborhood raised money to restore this monument, receiving significant financial boosts in 1997 from the Maryland Military Monuments Commission, and in 1998 from the Save Outdoor Sculpture initiative (funded in large part by Target stores), along with grants from the City of Baltimore. At this location, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered a speech on the importance of preserving historical markers in 1998. Restoration was completed by the summer of 1999.

Notes

Standing amidst a broad park which runs north and south along Eutaw Place, the monument heroically depicts Key as poet in a row boat with another sailor humbly manning the oars. Key is standing, holding a manuscript of his poem up as an offering to the allegorical figure of Columbia, defined by Wikipedia as “a poetic name for the United States of America and the feminine personification thereof.” The figure of Columbia is gilded, and stands atop four pillars waving a flag. The historically preserved house of Daniel Coit Gilman, first president of Johns Hopkins University, stands across the street from the fountain.

Nearby

• Confederate Soldiers & Sailors
• Watson Memorial
• WWI Medal of Honor Memorial
• Maryland Line Monument

Links

• On Panoramio & Flickr
• Project profile on Save America’s Treasures
• Historical information and old images of the Bolton Hill Key monument
• Bolton Hill Historic District From National Park Service

Location

Within Fort McHenry’s Constellation Plaza (Street View)

GPS: 39° 15′ 50.91″ N 76° 34′ 54.75″ W

History

This larger-than-life monument depicts the Greek mythological hero of music and poetry, Orpheus with his lyre. Around the base are depictions of Francis Scott Key and the muses celebrating the victory of the American defenders of Fort McHenry against the British in the War of 1812. Key (1779-1843) penned the words to the Star-Spangled Banner (which were subsequently put to a British drinking song) after having watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry from a British vessel, where he was negotiating the release of Dr. William Beanes, a resident of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. This magnificent piece by sculptor Charles Henry Niehaus was dedicated on June 14, 1922 and was originally situated in the middle of the entrance road to the fort, being moved to its current location in 1962. This monument is one of many in Baltimore commemorating Francis Scott Key. Two others are located in Bolton Hill and Mount Vernon Place, respectively.

Notes

In person, this monument is immense and sits quite imposingly against the open landscape on the south edge of Fort McHenry. In the distance to the south lies the windswept water. Small trees have been planted in the vicinity in honor of George Washington and other heroes. Interestingly, though Key wrote the words to the song in 1814, it was only in 1931 that a law was finally passed making the Star-Spangled Banner the National Anthem of the United States of America. At the dedication of this monument in 1922, President Harding became the first American president to be broadcast on coast-to-coast radio. The pedestal contains a time capsule within which are historic documents.

Nearby

• Col. George Armistead Monument at Fort McHenry

Links

• Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine
• Detailed information at the Smithsonian
• Francis Scott Key on Wikipedia
• Orpheus Marker at HMdb
• On Panoramio & Flickr

Location

Up the hill from Key Highway and Covington Street (Street View)

GPS: 39° 16′ 49.00″ N 76° 36′ 30.20″ W

History

Samuel Smith (1752-1839) served as major general of the Maryland militias in the War of 1812 and commanded the city’s defenses in the Battle of Baltimore. Smith served two terms as Mayor of Baltimore from 1835 to 1838 and served in Congress for forty years. This monument was dedicated on July 4, 1918 and is another piece by sculptor Hans Schuler. From 1918 to 1953, this monument was located in Wyman Park at Charles Street and 29th Street. It was moved in 1953 to Pratt Street and Light Street (Sam Smith Park) and moved again in 1970 to its current location.

Notes

Situated in the park next to the Armistead Monument on Federal Hill, this spot offers an excellent view of the Inner Harbor and Downtown.

Nearby

• Armistead Memorial on Federal Hill
• Our Fathers Saved
• Pride Memorial

Links

• Samuel Smith monument entry on the Smithsonian outdoor sculpture index
• Samuel Smith gravesite at Westminster Burial Ground in Baltimore
• Smith on Wikipedia
• On Panoramio & Flickr

Location

Up the hill from Key Highway and Covington Street (Street View)

GPS: 39° 16′ 49.06″ N 76° 36′ 29.23″ W

History

George Armistead (1780-1818) was commander of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore. One of five brothers to serve in the War of 1812, he rapidly distinguished himself as a courageous soldier. After the Americans took Fort George from the British in 1813, Armistead delivered the captured British flags to President James Madison, prompting his appointment as commander of Fort McHenry. He is most famous for ordering the creation of the Star-Spangled Banner, the muse of our national anthem. Goerge Armistead died in 1818, at 38 years of age. This marble monument was dedicated in 1828 with G. Metzger serving as architect.

Notes

One of two memorials to Armistead, the other being at Fort McHenry, this monument sits atop Federal Hill overlooking the Inner Harbor. The Samuel Smith monument and a large American flag stand nearby, along with a nice park and playground. This is the site of much activity during the warmer months and offers an excellent vantage point of the city.

Nearby

• General Samuel Smith Monument
• Our Fathers Saved
• Pride Memorial

Links

• Historic Photograph at MDHS
• Armistead on Wikipedia
• Armistead on the Maryland Online Encyclopedia
• Armistead’s gravesite
• Smithsonian outdoor sculpture entry
• On Panoramio & Flickr

Location

Next to Visitor’s Center of Ft. McHenry (Street View – approximate)

GPS: 39° 15′ 52.55″ N 76° 34′ 47.34″ W

History

Col. George Armistead (1780-1818) was a Virginia-born artillery officer who served as commander of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812’s Battle of Baltimore. Armistead is most well-known for ordering a massive American flag to be installed at the fortress, measuring forty-two feet by thirty feet, “a flag so large that the British would have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance.” The flag contained fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, was crafted by Mary Pickersgill and later became the inspiration for Francis Scott Key’s Star Spangled Banner, the National Anthem of the United States of America. Armistead is buried in Old St. Paul’s Cemetery in Baltimore, alongside his nephew Confederate General Lewis Addison Armistead. This monument was dedicated on September 12, 1914 – one hundred years after the Battle of Baltimore. Artist: Edward Berge.

Notes

This monument stands outside the entrance to the visitor’s center at Fort McHenry, which itself is considered a National Monument and Historic Shrine. It is one of two monuments to this military hero in the city, the other located on the crest of Federal Hill, overlooking the Inner Harbor. During WWII, Fort McHenry served also as a Coast Guard base.

Nearby

• Francis Scott Key Memorial in Fort McHenry

Links

• On Wikipedia
• On the Maryland Online Encyclopedia
• Armistead’s gravesite
• Fort McHenry Library
• Smithsonian outdoor sculpture entry
• On Panoramio & Flickr

Location

Calvert Street, between Fayette & Lexington Streets (Street View)

GPS: 39° 17′ 26.29″ N 76° 36′ 44.59″ W

History

Commemorates the Battle of North Point, a turning point in the War of 1812, and those who died during the month of September 1814. The monument is the first built in America specifically for the common soldier. Placed on the site of Baltimore’s original courthouse, the location was chosen to preserve the land from further urban development. On the base of the structure is two relief sculptures that depict the bombardment of Fort McHenry and the Battle of North Point. The names of the soldiers that died in the two battles are spelled out on bands that wrap the towering column. Lady Baltimore holds a victory wreath at the apex of the fifty-two foot memorial. Designed by architect Maximilian Godefroy and built from 1815-1825. Sculpture by Antonio Capellano.

Notes

Situated in an old and high-energy location downtown, the Battle Monument is famously depicted on the flag and seal of Baltimore City. The area has a great deal of foot traffic, with people pausing to sit, look and eat lunch in the pleasant median splitting motor traffic. The United States Court House and Post Office building stand on the east side of the monument, the Post Office serving as the second courthouse today. Many interesting historical plaques adorn the grounds of the monument, including one of the city’s Heritage Walk markers. The female figure atop the pedestal is Lady Baltimore, an embodiment of the spirit of the city.

Nearby

• Cecilius Calvert Statue
• Negro Heroes Monument
• Fireman’s Memorial
• War Memorial Building

Links

• Wikipedia article
• Maryland Historic Trust
• On Panoramio & Flickr