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4 Posts in this Thread 20/pg 1 Jump down to your Entry Post into this Thread Bladensburg Dueling Grounds,Bladensburg Md. 3/22/06[post=43140 /] 932 Views More than fifty bloody pistol duels were fought here,and a number of corpselike ghosts are said to walk the grounds.The ghosts appear as "dark but not transparent" forms that disappear at the slightest sound.One specter is that of Colonel John McCarty,who killed his cousin General Armistand Mason in February 1819.McCarty survived the twelve pace musket duel but lost his mind because of it.The scene haunted him for many years,and now he haunts the place where it happened.Stephen Decatur,who was gunned down here in 1820,also haunts the grounds,as he eternally repeats the day he died.The ghost of one of the sons of Francis Scott Key,Daniel Key,roams here too.He was killed at the age of twenty in a senseless duel with a fellow Annapolis student,John Sherbourne.The duel took place in June 1836.The two young men had argued over which of the two steamboats was fastest.A reluctant participant in another duel was Maine Representative Jonathan Ciley.In February 1838,he was killed by Congressman William Graves of Kentucky.Graves was a stand-in for New York newspaper editor Jmes Webb,whom Ciley had called corrupt.Ciley was inexperienced with guns,and Graves was allowed to use a much more powerful rifle.Ciley was hit in an artery in his leg and bled to death in ninety seconds. Source- HAUNTED PLACES-THE NATIONAL DIRECTORY BY -DENNIS WILLIAM HAUCK Photos-jimbo
Join free for top speed and maximum content. [post=43191 /] 932 Views
Not sure if in the same location, but there was also a battle fought in Bladensburg in August 1814. It was later known as the "Bladensburg Races" because the Militia Units scampered for cover once British Congreve Rockets started coming down on them. These are the same type of Rocket that FS Key noted as have "rocket's red glare" a month later. This is the only battle where a US President - as Commander in Chief - actually placed troops on a battlefield (part of the problem). James Madison was a vet of the Revolution and thus "an expert". The only good part of the battle was when the US Navy stood their gound (fighting as Marines) and held off the Brits for a time. They were able to withdraw from the battle - some of these same guys were later helped defend Baltimore in Sept 1814. I think this stand by the Navy bought enough time for them to evacuate DC... A good account of this battle/campaign is in the Walter Lord Book "By Dawns Early Light". Walter Lord is also the author of "A Night To Remember" about the Titanic. FMS PS - If you can find the battlefield - you may get some good MGSA Mojo out of it. Join free for top speed and maximum content. [post=43194 /] 932 Views
Thanks for the info FMS,the dueling grounds are in that general area where the battle of Bladensburg did take place as you noted in August 1814.I will see if I can get some info on the actual battlefield site. jimbo Join free for top speed and maximum content. [post=43213 /] 932 Views
Look forward to hearing more info about it. The other battle you never hear about is Northpoint - east of Baltimore. The British landed at the end of the penensula and tried to take Balt. by storm with about 6,000 troops. The same Navy guys who fought at Bladensburg, were now dug in with cannon on the heights east of Balt. and (I think it was Gen Stricker - buried in Westminster Cemetary with EA Poe) dug a trench across a narrow point of land. Forced the Brits to attack...one of our riflemen sniped the British Gen (bad form in 1814). Consequently, they tried to force their way past Ft. McHenry - we know how that turned out! Footnote- the Commander of Ft. McHenry - Maj. Armistead is the namesake of AA CO Fort Armistead and the Uncle (I think) of Confederate General Lewis Armistead - killed at the Angle during Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg in 1863. __ Here's where it all comes together for me: My 4 Greats Grandfather was in a Virginia Militia Artillery Company brought up to Baltimore as reinforcements (90 Volunteers) in 1814. They were stationed at at "Camp Ellicut's Mills" - but didn't arrive until after the attack at Ft. McHenry. His son, - my 3 Greats Grandfather was in the 38th Virginia Volunteer Infantry (Armistead's Brigade). He and his brother James participated in (and survived) Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg! They both survived the war, but James lost a leg at Gettysburg. __ We believe their grandfather was in the Continental Army (from PA) during the Revolution, but that's another story... __ FMS Join free for top speed and maximum content.
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