The Germans in the Defense of
Baltimore
In the War of 1812 to 1814.
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By
L. P. HENNIGHAUSEN.
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The Germans in the Defense of Baltimore
In the War of 1812 to 1814.
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It would not be necessary to relate here what part American
Citizens of German birth or descent have taken in the defense
of this city and country in the war of 1812 to 1814, when
attacked by an English fleet and army, were it not for a
persistent effort for the last five years in public press and
speech, to claim whatever is good and worth preserving in our
country, as of English origin and that we are of the Anglo-
Saxon race. The overwhelming larger share of the German,
Irish and other nationalities in the building and forming of
this American nation is either ignored or studiously perverted
as of Anglo-Saxon merit and virtue. In this controversy, I am
only to relate the episode confined to the War of 1812 to 1814
in and about the City of Baltimore, and I cannot do full justice
to my side, as I have not had the free access to all the histo-
rical data, nor sufficient time in research among the old manu-
scripts etc. Baltimore, in 1812, had a large population of
German birth or descent. Germans were numerous from the
very foundation of the City. They were patriots in the War
of Independence and after the war in 1787, Captain Macken-
heimer, of the Continental Army, organized "The First Balti-
more Light Infantry"; it later occupied the right of the First
Battalion of the Old 5th Regiment. Captain Mackenheimer
was promoted Colonel, and Captain John Schrim for many
years thereafter commanded the Company. In 1792, Captain
John Stricker of the Continental Army organized ''The Inde-
pendent Company." Captain John Stricker had distinguished
himself in the War of Independence. He later rose to the
rank of Brigadier-General, and, in 1817, was Vice-President of
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the German Society of Maryland. The Baltimore Jägers, com-
manded by Philip B. Sadtler, and die Union Jägers, commanded
by Dominick Bader, were organized after 1792. These Companies
belonged to the Militia of Maryland and are reported to be
composed of citizens of German birth or descent. The Balti-
more Jägers were commanded in the German language.
After the War of 1813 had lasted for more than a year
and the English had suffered keenly from Privateers fitted out
in our harbor, it became known that the English harbored a
feeling of special hostility against Baltimore. An eminent
British statesman declared that "our City was the great depos-
itory of the hostile spirit of the United States against Eng-
land," and Admiral Warren had said, "Baltimore is a doomed
town."
A committee of Vigilance and Safety of thirty, whereof the
Mayor of the City was chairman, was formed in August 1814,
among whom we find Henry Stauffer, Solomon Etting, William
Lorman, Adam Fonerden, Frederick Schaeffer, George Woelper,
Herman Alrichs and George Warner; Philip Cronmiller, Lud-
wig Hering, Frederick Leypold, Henry Schroeder, Peter Gold
and George Decker were among the superintendents of work
for the erection of fortifications. Peter Diffenderfer, William
Brown and Daniel Diffenderfer were members of the committee
on relief, and Christian Keller, Henry Schroeder, Balzer
Schaeffer, and Jacob Miller were members of the ward com-
mittees.
The English came to destroy our good City of Baltimore
on Sunday, September 11th, 1814; about seventy ships of the
enemy anchored off North Point about twelve miles from the
City and on the next day landed about seven thousand men, of
infantry, artillery, marines and sailors, fully equipped for battle,
and advanced toward the City. Our City, however, was not
without succor; patriots from Western Maryland, Pennsylvania,
and Virginia hastened to its relief, and with them and among
them we find a host of men of German birth or descent ready and
willing to sacrifice their lives in the defense of our country
against the foreign invaders. There came Captain Michael
H. Spangler with his Company from York, Pennsylvania;
Captain Frederick Metzger of Hanover, Pennsylvania; the
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Hagerstown Volunteers under Captain Thomas Quantril, the
Maryland Cavalry under Captain Jacob Baer, who were attached
to the 5th Regiment in battle.
There came the Franklin Artillery under Captain Joseph
Meyers, Steiner's Artillery of Frederick, Maryland; Captain
Henry Steiner; The Baltimore
Jägers, First Baltimore Light
Infantry were with the 5th Regiment, the Union Jägers with the
First Rifle Battalion; there was also a Company called the
Gray Jägers, whereof Lieutenant André fell in battle. There
were organizations more exclusively formed by citizens of
German descent. There were men of German descent more or
less in every other military Company, which took part in the
Battle of North Point. The 51st Regiment Md. M. was com-
manded by Col. Henry Amey, who signs the orders he issued
Amich; in his Regiment were Captain Haubert und Captain
Michel Peters; in the original muster rolls of three Companies
of this Regiment, which I personally examined, I find in Captain
Andrew Smith's Company of sixty-one men, twenty-five German
names; in Captain Matthews Company of eighty-eight men,
sixteen German names, and in another Company of one hundred
and eighteen men, thirty-four German names. Captain Daniel
Schwarzauer and Captain George Steever commanded Companies
in the 27th Regiment and Captain John D. Miller, Captain
Thomas Warner, Captain Andrew E. Warner and Captain Henry
Meyer in the 39th Regiment. Sergeant Clemm of the Artillery,
a merchant of Baltimore, was killed in Fort McHenry during
the bombardment.
These men marched shoulder to shoulder with their com-
rades of Irish and English birth or descent, as American
citizens and patriots, on the 12th of September, 1814, into
battle against the English, and, by their valor, under the
benign designs of Providence, warded off the murderous designs
of the enemy.
General John Stricker commanded the brigade, which
bore the brunt of the battle, and Major George Armistead of
the United States Artillery commanded Fort McHenry during
the bombardment. Major, later Lieut. Col. Armistead was born
1780 at New Market, Va., where his ancestors had immigrated
from Hessen-Darmstadt. Five of his brothers served in the
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army during the War of 1812. The mother of President John
Tyler was a daughter of Robert Armistead, whose grandfather
immigrated from Germany. The Armisteads are relatives to
four Presidents of the United States; viz: James Monroe,
William Henry Harrison, John Tyler and Benjamin Harrison.