Captain John Crocker of Falmouth, Massachusetts, described the British attack in a letter to the New England Palladium the day after the attack.
Shortly after 10 a.m. the British sent a group to the town under a flag of truce and demanded the town's field pieces (cannons) and a sloop tied up to the wharf. If this was not met, they would bombard the town commencing at noon. In the meanwhile, the American militia assembled and the townspeople moved out.
About noon, the Nimrod opened fire and continued until night. Even after nightfall, an occasional shot would be fired. The Americans estimated the British fired about 300 shots from their 32-pounders.
--Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
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