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Revolutionary War

Defense of Baltimore (Fort Whetstone)

1776
Maryland
Era
Revolutionary War
Year
1776
Location
Maryland
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
VS
Victor
American
Outcome
Defending American forces repulsed sea and land invasions off the busy major port city of Baltimore, Maryland, by British forces preventing the United States' third largest city at the time from falling to British forces and ending the British Chesapeake campaign
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Baltimore took place between British and American forces on September 12–14, 1814, during the War of 1812. Defending American forces repulsed sea and land invasions off the busy major port city of Baltimore, Maryland, by British forces preventing the United States' third largest city at the time from falling to British forces and ending the British Chesapeake campaign.

Duration
3 days (September 12, 1814 – September 14, 1814)
Historical context

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) grew from colonial resistance to British taxation without parliamentary representation — a dispute that radicalized through the Stamp Act (1765), the Townshend Acts (1767), and the Boston Massacre (1770). Fighting began at Lexington and Concord in April 1775; the Continental Congress declared independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Army under George Washington faced severe shortages of supplies and troops, enduring the brutal winter at Valley Forge (1777–1778) before French alliance and French financing turned the military balance. Major engagements included Bunker Hill (1775), Trenton (1776), Saratoga (1777) — which secured French intervention — and Yorktown (1781), where British General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington. An estimated 25,000 American soldiers died in service, from combat, disease, and captivity. The Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized American independence and ceded British territory east of the Mississippi, though it left unresolved questions about Indigenous land rights and the status of Loyalists.

Forces Involved

British and American forces

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Defense of Baltimore (Fort Whetstone) take place?
Defense of Baltimore (Fort Whetstone) took place in 1776. 3 days (September 12, 1814 – September 14, 1814).
Where was Defense of Baltimore (Fort Whetstone) fought?
Defense of Baltimore (Fort Whetstone) was fought in Maryland, United States.
What was the outcome of Defense of Baltimore (Fort Whetstone)?
Defending American forces repulsed sea and land invasions off the busy major port city of Baltimore, Maryland, by British forces preventing the United States' third largest city at the time from falling to British forces and ending the British Chesapeake campaign
What was the significance of Defense of Baltimore (Fort Whetstone)?
The Battle of Baltimore took place between British and American forces on September 12–14, 1814, during the War of 1812. Defending American forces repulsed sea and land invasions off the busy major port city of Baltimore, Maryland, by British forces preventing the United States' third largest city a
More from this era

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Action at Cornfield Harbor (1776)
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Battle of St. George's Island
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Skirmish at St. George's Island (1776)
1776
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Raid on St. Mary's County (1776)
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Battle of the Chesapeake – Maryland coast raids
1777
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Action at Head of Elk
1777
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Battle of Iron Works Hill (MD 1777)
1777
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Skirmish at Head of Elk (Elkton, MD/DE)
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Battle of Iron Works Hill
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Raid on Chestertown (1781)
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All battles in Maryland
Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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