During the month of August 1814, the citizens of Kent County observed a British ship and associated barges in the Chesapeake Bay. Captain Peter Parker anchored his frigate, HMS Menelaus, just off of Pooleâs Island in an attempt to keep the eastern shore militia from coming to the aid of the Americans in western Maryland. Parker and his men came ashore several times to take supplies from the local farms and to burn private property to keep it from being used by American troops.
On the night of August 30, 1814, the British burned and looted Richard Frisbyâs farm and took four enslaved African American men as captives. When Captain Parker interrogated the slaves that night, he learned the location of American Lieutenant Colonel Philip Reedâs camp. The British landed around 11:00 that evening to search out and destroy the American camp, take prisoners, and extract information from the troops regarding the protection of Baltimore.
At 11:30pm that same night, Reed received word from his picket that the British landed near Walthamâs farm. Believing their intent was to burn and pillage, Reed took his men and marched towards Walthamâs farm. Within minutes he learned the British were actually in pursuit of them! At this point, he countermarched, moved his camp into Caulkâs field and positioned the troops on âthe rising ground about three hundred paces in the rearâthe right towards Caulkâs house and the left retiring on the road, the artillery in the centre, supported by the infantry on the right and left.â A fortified line took the center of the field, and an advance troop of Americans lay in wait for the British.
As soon as the British came into view, the Americans fired into them and then fell back to the fortified line with the artillery. The British attempted to take the American left flank, but were unsuccessful. They continued to push the front American line and forced Reed to fall back. After almost an hour of fighting, Reedâs men were running low on ammunition, but they held their position. Casualties escalated rapidly into the dozens, and Captain Peter Parker was killed in the action. Finally, the British quit the field and returned to the Menelaus.
MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY OF ROCHESTER
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