Havre de Grace 1812 Project

War of 1812 Talk by Christopher T. George: Cockburn Attacks Havre de Grace. Bel Air, Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 7:30 P.M

christophertgeorge — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:32:41 +0000

Admiral Cockburn burning and plundering Havre de Grace, May 3, 1813. The printmaker William Charles put the wrong date on the print, June 1, 1813! Courtesy Brown University Library, Providence, Rhode Island.

Christopher T. George will talk on BRITISH REAR ADMIRAL GEORGE COCKBURN ATTACKS HAVRE DE GRACE – MAY 3, 1813 – NEW FINDINGS

Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 7:30 P.M. Historical Society of Harford County Headquarters, 143 North Main Street (at the corner of Main and Gordon Streets), Bel Air, Maryland. Sponsored by the Archeological Society of Northern Chesapeake (ASNC). No Charge. http://www.harfordhistory.net/ Talk is at 7:30 P.M. ASNC will hold a business meeting at 6:30 P.M.

Christopher T. George
Author/Reseacher on the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake Bay

Christopher T. George gives a lively, illustrated presentation on the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake, placing the war in this region in the context of the whole war. George examines issues leading up to this misunderstood war and the roles played by Great Britain’s Royal Navy, President James Madison and others. He takes a close look at major strategic events in the Chesapeake, including the British blockade of the East Coast, the destruction of Havre de Grace, British Major General Robert Ross’s burning of the public buildings of Washington, D.C., the Battle of North Point, and of course Francis Scott Key and the Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry. High school and adult audiences. Requires screen, laptop and LCD projector for Powerpoint.

Christopher T. George is the author of Terror on the Chesapeake: The War of 1812 on the Bay published by White Mane in 2001. He is the founding editor of the Journal of the War of 1812 and coordinator of the National War of 1812 Symposium series held each fall since 1996. See http://warof1812journal.org.

See my War of 1812 blog at http://chrisgeorgewarof1812.blogspot.com/ where I today discuss the model of Havre de Grace that is being built for the Bicentennial of the British attack on the town.

Scale Model Takes Havre de Grace Back to the Day Before the War of 1812 Came to the Town

Mike — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:19:47 +0000

A group of volunteers has been working for nearly a year on a scale model of Havre de Grace as it existed the day before the British raided the village in May 1813. This afternoon, R. Madison Mitchell (Mitch), one of the modelers, took time out from shaping the exhibit to discuss the handiwork of his team with a group of visitors. They’ve worked from old maps, land records, tax assessments, newspapers and more to accurately recreate the place as it peacefully existed the day before the enemy attacked.

Painstakingly, the group has built, in miniature, the port at the top of the Chesapeake. It was a small place with about 250 residents and 50 homes when the British savagely stormed into the fishing village on the morning of May 3, 1813, the enemy almost completely destroying it. After taking possession of the place and “plundering the stores of all worth taking they set fire to the two taverns,” 19 dwelling houses, and 21 stables and outhouses, besides all the craft and stages near the town, one newspaper reported. “The British have laid in ashes the beautiful village of Havre-de Grace! The war has now come to our own doors,” another declared.

Despite the rampage and the devastation from the flames, it recovered. Fortunately, few American communities have had to rebuild from such devastation at the hands of an invading foreign force, according to the National Register Nomination.

Week after week, the miniature layout, occupying a space in the Visitors Center, has grown as the landscape, roads, waterfront, buildings and other elements were designed, shaped, and placed. It’s all going to be there, from the homes to the ferries and the markets, fisheries, and docks. Too there are the nearby woodlands and pastures, as well as the structures nearer the waterfront.

This is one of the initiatives undertaken by the six heritage museums of Havre de Grace and the City to tell the story of what happened when the British raided the town during the War of 1812. While modeling still needs to be done, the photos below shows you the handiwork by Mitch and this fine group of skilled hobbyist and craftsmen, as it comes along.

The excellent work by the team carefully creating and placing the miniatures is going to make a valued exhibit as people visit Havre de Grace to learn more about the War of 1812 in the months and years ahead. It’s located at the Visitor Center in Havre de Grace, which is open M-F 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is welcome to stop by to see the exhibit as it progresses.

Three Upcoming Lectures

Heidi Glatfelter — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:26:45 +0000

Plan to join us for our last three lectures of the War of 1812 Lecture Series:

Thursday, February 16, 2012, 7 p.m.
Researching Free People of Color in Harford County
Reggie Bishop, Genealogist
Location: City Hall, 711 Pennington Ave, Havre de Grace
Co-sponsored with the Lock House Museum’s Shank Lecture Series

Thursday, March 22, 2012, 7 p.m.
Search of the USS Scorpion: Recent Investigations of the War of 1812 Chesapeake Flotilla
Troy Nowak, Assistant State Underwater Archaeologist, Maryland Historical Trust
Location: Maritime Museum, 100 Lafayette St., Havre de Grace

Thursday, May 17, 2012, 7 p.m.
Havre de Grace and the War of 1812
Christopher George, Author, Terror on the Chesapeake
Jeffrey Korman, Manager, Maryland Department at Enoch Pratt Free Library
Location: City Hall, 711 Pennington Ave, Havre de Grace
Co-sponsored with the Lock House Museum’s Shank Lecture Series

January Lecture: Heroes and Villains of 1812: A Look at the Personalities in the War of the Chesapeake

Heidi Glatfelter — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:20:02 +0000

David Healey, local author of 1812: Rediscovering Chesapeake Bay’s Forgotten War, will present an engaging talk at the Havre de Grace Library on Tuesday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m. He will look at the personalities of the War of 1812 – both the “heroes” and the “villains” of the conflict.

Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Havre de Grace Library, 120 N. Union Ave., Havre de Grace
Topic: Heroes and Villains of 1812: A Look at the Personalities in the War of the Chesapeake
Speaker: David Healey, author

Upcoming Lecture on Taking Oral Histories

Heidi Glatfelter — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:56:15 +0000

Throughout a lifetime many experiences occur in a family or community and if these happenings are not permanently recorded they are often lost in the mist of time. Oral history, one of the tools of genealogists and historians, provides a valuable method for capturing these insights, the stories and experiences of an earlier generation. This program will introduce you to the tools and methods for recording individuals. The programs presents basic instructions in techniques of oral history.

How To Take and Use Oral Histories
Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 7 p.m.
Location: Havre de Grace Library, 120 N. Union Ave., Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Speaker: Mike Dixon, MA, MS
Public Historian with Havre de Grace War of 1812 Grant Project; Historian at Historical Society of Cecil County; Visiting Scholar at Delaware Humanities Forum; Adjunct Instructor at Harford County Community College

Upcoming Lecture on the Rodgers family

Heidi Glatfelter — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:43:58 +0000

Erika Quesenbery, the director of Havre de Grace Main Street, will be speaking on “The Rodgers Family: Six Degrees of Separation,” based on her extensive research on War of 1812 hero John Rodgers and his descendents. John Rodgers and many of his family members made their home in Havre de Grace through the years.

Date: Tuesday, November 8, 2011, 7 p.m.
Location: City Hall, 711 Pennington Ave, Havre de Grace, MD 21078
Cost: Free!
Sponsored by the Maryland Humanities Council

Havre de Grace to Host FREE Community History Day on Saturday October 29 to Kick Off “War of 1812: Havre de Grace Under Fire” Commemoration

Heidi Glatfelter — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:47:42 +0000

Public encouraged to clean out their attics and bring finds to Community History Day. Unique items to be filmed for MPT’s Chesapeake Collectibles

Music, dance, and artisans from 1812 era will perform; many history-related organizations will exhibit

The Heritage Museums of Havre de Grace is hosting a FREE Community History Day on Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Havre de Grace Activity Center, 351 Lewis Lane in Havre de Grace. (PLEASE NOTE: This is a new venue!!) This event serves as the community kick-off for the bicentennial commemoration “War of 1812: Havre de Grace Under Fire.”

Community History Day is a free event that allows the community to explore early nineteenth century history via music, dance, artisans, museums, historical research, archeology, genealogy, and more.

Attendees are encouraged to clean out their attics and basements, and bring any unique or historic finds with them to Community History Day. Appraisers and experts will be on hand to tell you about the history of your items and how to preserve and care for them. Items of interest include old documents, letters, photographs, clocks, paintings, furniture, and other collectibles and memorabilia.

Particularly unique or historic items may be chosen to be filmed for MPT’s Chesapeake Collectibles. An MPT crew from the regional version of PBS’s Antiques Roadshow will be on site filming footage for the second season of the show. People interested in having their historic objects appear on the show should email Event Manager Heidi Glatfelter at heidi.hdg1812@gmail.com to be considered for the day’s filming.

A variety of entertainment is scheduled for Community History Day. Dancers in period costume from Goucher College’s Choregraphie Antique will perform dances from the early nineteenth century time period, accompanied by musicians from the Splendid Shilling Consort. These performances are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. David Hildebrand of The Colonial Music Institute will present two performances of music from the 1812 time period at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Lauren Muney of Silhouettes By Hand will be cutting silhouettes of visitors freehand from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each silhouette takes about 2 minutes to cut.

A variety of history-related individuals and organizations will be exhibiting during the day and providing information to the public about their craft. The exhibitors include the Harford County Historical Society, the Archeological Society of the Northern Chesapeake, the Harford County Genealogical Society, the Maryland Archeology Conservation Laboratory, the Maryland Historical Trust Underwater Archeologist, the Head of Conservation at the Maryland State Archives, the Maryland War of 1812 Commission, and Preservation Maryland.

Additionally, the six museums who form the Heritage Museums of Havre de Grace will be exhibiting: the Concord Point Lighthouse and Keeper’s House, the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, the Steppingstone Museum, the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House, and the Skipjack Martha Lewis.

These six museums are currently involved in a collaborative grant project that is preparing a wealth of information as part of “The War of 1812: Havre de Grace Under Fire,” which includes the May 3, 1813 burning of the city of Havre de Grace by British Rear Admiral George Cockburn. The grant project includes the building of a scale model of 1813 Havre de Grace, a local history research project to document the citizens of 1813 Havre de Grace, exhibit panels for each of the participating museums, and educational materials to circulate to the local schools. This project is being funded by the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.

Community History Day is being funded by a grant from the Maryland Humanities Council, through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The entire day will be free to the public, thanks to the support of the Humanities Council.

For more information:

http://hdg1812.wordpress.com

Heidi Glatfelter, Event Manager

Heidi.hdg1812@gmail.com

Event Details:

Community History Day

Saturday, October 29, 2011, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Havre de Grace Activity Hall, 351 Lewis Lane, Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Performance Schedule:

10 a.m. Doors Open

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. MPT’s Chesapeake Collectibles filming

10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Choregraphie Antique

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Silhouettes by Hand

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. David Hildebrand

12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Choregraphie Antique

1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. David Hildebrand

3 p.m. Doors close

To be considered for the Chesapeake Collectibles filming schedule:

Contact Heidi Glatfelter at heidi.hdg1812@gmail.com

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Lecture! Susquehanna Hose Company: Who We Are, Where We Came From, What We Do

Heidi Glatfelter — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:46:35 +0000

Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 7 p.m.

House #4, 911 Revolution St. Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Charlie Packard, President of the Susquehanna Hose Company in Havre de Grace, MD, gives an overview of the fire department that now exists in the town that the British burnt to the ground on May 3, 1813, during the War of 1812.

Lecture is FREE to the public – PLEASE JOIN US and TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

We need your help – preserve HdG’s history!

Heidi Glatfelter — Tue, 10 May 2011 00:24:37 +0000

The National Park Service is soliciting feedback on the management plan for the future of the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail and Scenic Byway. You can view the entire plan by visiting their site here and then downloading the “Management Alternatives Newsletter” PDF file at the bottom of the page.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with management and interpretive plans, this document may be a bit intimidating or confusing. Here is the main message as it pertains to Havre de Grace: only Alternative 3 includes Havre de Grace in the National Park Service’s plans! If the NPS decided to go with Alternatives 1 or 2, Havre de Grace will lose out on a lot of tourism opportunities, as our site will not be promoted as part of the Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail!

But all is not yet lost. The NPS is taking public comments until May 15. So go to the National Park Service site, click “Comment on Document” and ask the NPS to select Alternative 3. This plan is the most comprehensive in terms of interpreting the region’s history – not only is Havre de Grace included, but so are the District of Columbia, Alexandria, Jefferson Patterson Park, and Kinsale. The other alternatives leave these important sites out completely!

Please go vote for Alternative 3 now!

Havre de Grace War of 1812 Event, May 7-8, 2011, with Re-enactors and Historians Chris George and Scott Sheads

christophertgeorge — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:18:08 +0000

Join us Saturday and Sunday, May 7-8 for a War of 1812 encampment and re-enactment of the Battle of Havre de Grace. British and American re-enactors in uniform will be camped at the Lock House Museum both days. On Saturday afternoon around 2:00 pm the American troops will drill, followed by a re-enactment of the British bombardment of the town and the defense of the town by local hero John O’Neill and fellow militiamen on May 3, 1813. Prior to the re-enactment, I, Christopher T. George, historian for the Havre de Grace War of 1812 Bicentennial project, will be on hand at 1:00 pm to talk about the background to the battle, and to put Havre de Grace into the context of the whole war. At 3:15 pm, following the re-enactment, ranger-historian Scott Sheads from Fort McHenry will talk about the Star-Spangled Banner. On Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm I am planning another talk on Havre de Grace and the war. Don’t miss us!

Although the British sailors and Royal Marines under Admiral George Cockburn captured the town, the townspeople stood up to the might of the Royal Navy. The town was attacked after the people of the town dared to fly a Star-Spangled Banner from the battery on Concord Point and to fire a cannon which Admiral Cockburn stated in his despatch to Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren persuaded him that the town was worth attacking. Other communities in the area surrendered to the British, including Charlestown on the North East River, Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, Virginia. . . so the bravery of the people of Havre de Grace is notable. The flying of the flag at the battery at Havre de Grace in May 1813 mirrors the flying of the Star-Spangled Banner over Fort McHenry nearly 18 months later on September 13-14, 1814 when the British attacked Baltimore but failed to get past the fort. Baltimore was saved when the Fort McHenry garrison held out along with other forts on the shoreline. The British failed to get past sunken hulks and gunships in the channel between Fort McHenry on Whetstone Point and Lazaretto Point. Moreover the burning of two-thirds of the town of Havre de Grace in 1813 by the piratical Cockburn and his sailors and marines presaged the burning of Washington, D.C., on August 24-25, 1814.

What happened at Havre de Grace in May 1813 therefore is of national significance. When it happened, it caused consternation throughout the young United States. The town of Havre de Grace became a poster child, along with the sack later that summer of Hampton, Virginia, of what the British could do. The fate of Havre de Grace undoubtedly helped lead to the determination of the Americans that Baltimore would not be burned. Local favorite son Commodore John Rodgers, whose wife Miranda helped save the Federal architecture Rodgers House at 226 N Washington Street in downtown Havre de Grace from being burned, was in Baltimore in September 1814 as the chief U.S. Navy commander in defense of the city. He gave the orders to sink those hulks in Baltimore harbor and his brave U.S. Navy sailors, whites and free blacks side by side (yes! fifty years before Lincoln freed the slaves!) manned batteries to repel the greedy British. Havre de Grace in 1813 therefore became a watchword for British voraciousness, much as the blowing up of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor in 1898 became a slogan in the Spanish American War and Americans cried, “Remember the Maine!”

British Burn the U.S. Capitol, August 24, 1814, with General Robert Ross and Admiral George Cockburn at Left