The British are coming !!
Tension in Baltmore mounts after British invasion
fleet under full sail sighted in the upper Bay in early September.
General Samuel Smith had over 10,000 militia men
waiting in the fortifications on Hampstead's Hill (also known at the time
as Loudenslager's Hill).
But he did not intend to sit idly by, just
waiting for the British attack plans to unfold.
He summoned General John Stricker, commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Division, Maryland militia. The 3rd Brigade was also known as the "City Brigade", being made up mostly of men from the City. The units included in this brigade were the elite 5th Regiment and the 6th, 27th, 39th, & 51st Regiments. The brigade also had attached the 1st Maryland Rifle Battalion, several companies of Maryland Artillery and the 5th Cavalry Regiment.
General Smith ordered Stricker to march his men down to Patapsco Neck to discover the enemy and to impede his advance. The 3rd Brigade, in all some 1500 men, marched out of the city in grand style, at 3pm on the 11th of September. The 5th Infantry Regiment, or the “Dandy 5th” as they were called, led the column.
By 8pm Stricker's column had
reached the Methodist Meeting House, some seven miles southwest of the city.
In the gathering dusk, he decided to make camp there. It was a tactically
important junction of two roads that led onward to Baltimore: Long Log Lane (now North
Point Road) and Trappe Road. It also happened to be one of the narrower
parts of Patapsco Neck -- a significant defensive advantage as the approaching
British force was known to be larger than his own.
To act as advance pickets, Stricker sent Capt. Dyer's company of riflemen ahead another two miles down Long Log Lane, near a blacksmith’s shop. His 140 cavalry under Capt. Biays were ordered another mile further beyond, to the vicinity of the Gorsuch Farm. Now all he could do was wait until dawn to learn of the progress of the British.
British landings at North Point
At 3am on the morning of Monday, September 12th, the British began to land their troops. By 6:30am nearly 5000 troops had been brought ashore. General Sam Smith was alerted to these troop landings by cavalry videttes, who had been patrolling Patapsco Neck for some time. It was clear now, that the British intended to assault the city's defenses by an attack from the east.
By 7am, the British columns were forming to the sound of bugle calls. Ross had already taken the Light Brigade ahead of the main column. He left his second in command, Col. Arthur Brooke, to bring up the rest of the troops.
At 9am the entire British column stopped to rest at the Gorsuch Farm, while the British officers sought breakfast from the owners. It was there, at breakfast, that General Ross -- after being asked by his hosts whether he would be returning to the farm later in the day -- uttered the prophetic words "tonight I'll supp in Baltimore or in hell!"
Before resuming the British advance, General Ross had an opportunity to question several captured American cavalrymen. General Ross heard the exaggerated claims of American strength, being warned that there were 20,000 militia waiting for him at Baltimore. General Ross is said to have replied to this boast with a dismissive "... I don't care if it rains militia!"