Major Armistead's Report on Fort McHenry-- Part 4: The Navy's Aid in the Battle

"In justice to Lieut. Newcomb of the U.S. Navy, who commanded at Fort Covington with a Detachment of Sailors, and Lieut. Webster of the Flotilla, who commanded the six Gun Battery near the Fort, I ought to State that during this time they kept up an animated and I believe a very destructive fire, to which I am persuaded We are much indebted in repulsing the Enemy.

"One of our sunken Barges has since been found with two dead Men in it, others have been found floating in the River.  The only means We had of directing our Guns was by the blaze of their Rocketts, and the flashes f their Guns, had they ventured to the same situation in the day time, not a man would have escaped."

I'd say he was referring to dead British soldiers on the barges and floating in the river.

--Brock-Perry