Other Baltimore War of 1812 Monuments and Sites-- Parrt 1: Westminster Burying Grounds and Patterson Park

From Navy Bicentennial of the War of 11812, War of 1812 Monuments page.  Has sites across the U.S..  But I am dealing just with those in Baltimore.

WESTMINSTER BURYING GROUNDS AND CATACOMBS

Has the gravestones of many influential Americans, including many War of 1812 veterans.  Those who rest here include Brigadier General John Stricker, Major General Samuel  Smith and David Poe, Sr. (the grandfather of Edgar Allan Poe)

PATTERSON PARK

Three War of 1812 monuments are located in front of the Patterson Park pagoda.  J. Maxwell Miller's Star-Spangled Banner Monument depicts two school children holding a memorial scroll; the Rodgers' Bastion cannon commemorates the land battle where  Commodore Rodgers fought; and a row of five cannon represent the War of 1812 fortifications on Hampstead Hill (now part of Patterson Park)/

Brock-Perry

Historic Cannons Restored Atop Baltimore Hill

From the Sept. 29, 2015, AP.

Seven cannons, dating back to the 1680s, have been refurbished and restored on a hill in Patterson Park as the final piece of the city's War of 1812 commemoration.  Each cannon is at least 200 years old.

They were removed last year to be cleaned and coated with protective sealant.  This was paid for by a state grant.

For over a century, the cannons marked the position of the Baltimore militia at the September 14, 1814, Battle of Baltimore which led to the writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner."  I wonder if future Pennsylvania Governor Francis Shunk was stationed there with the Pennsylvania militia.

--Brock-Perry

The Restoration of Baltimore's Cannons-- Part 2

During the War of 1812, Patterson Park was a key defensive position at the Battle of Baltimore (part of which was the bombardment of Fort McHenry).  However, there is no evidence that these restored cannons were there at the time.  It is believed that the cannons were used elsewhere in the city's defense.

Restoration began in 2014 with funding provided by the Star-Spangled 200 grant program.  Taylor removed the oxidized and corroded metal, stabilizing the surface and removed the salt that had built up.  Many had evidently been under water at one time or another.

At the Battle of Baltimore, a British land attack was fended off which led to the bombardment of Fort McHenry.

At a banquet at the Belvedere Hotel in 1907, the Society of the War of 1812 presented the City of Baltimore with ten cannons dug up from the city streets after serving for years as curbs.  These were mounted at Patterson and Riverside parks and marked tghe positions of the Maryland militia at the battle.

--Brock-Perry

The Restoration of Baltimore's Cannons-- Part 1

From the August 12, 2015, Carroll County (Maryland) Times "New Windsor expert finishes restoration of Baltimore cannons" by Jacob de Nobel.

Forrest Taylor has a love of military history which eventually led to his making cannons.  For the past 15 years, he has run his Cannons Online, Inc, out of his home in New Windsor.  He specializes in making replica cannons and restoring old ones.

On Tuesday August 11, he unveiled the cannons at Baltimore's Patterson Park, now returned to their original state.  For one hundred years, Patterson Park has been adorned by rows of cannons that were used by children as their own special jungle gym.  Most people figured these cannons were reproduction ones.

But, the cannons all had signs of battle damage.  All were pre-War of 1812 vintage and manufacture dates were from the 1660s to late 1700s and were made in Sweden, France, England and America.

--Brock-Perry