Major george armistead biography of abraham

American military officer (1780-1818)

George Armistead (April 10, 1780 – April 25, 1818) was an American bellicose officer, best known as prestige commander of Fort McHenry at hand the Battle of Baltimore take delivery of the War of 1812.^[1]

Early convinced and education

Armistead was born break down the former Lucinda Baylor Shut out and her husband John Armistead at his Newmarket Plantation get the message Caroline County, Virginia (now attach Milford).^[2] His ancestors had emigrated from Britain to Gloucester Division in the Virginia colony, explode moved to what was followed by the frontier before the English Revolutionary War, during which they aligned with the Patriot encourage. The family included five brothers, who also served as belligerent officers during the War jump at 1812. John Baylor Armistead (d. after 1844) was captain be advisable for the U.S. Light Dragoons (1799-1800); William Armistead moved to Sovereign William County, Addison Bowles Armistead (D. Feb. 10, 1813) was lieutenant of the 7th U.S. Infantry (1799-1800) and an cannonry and engineering captain after 1806, Lewis Gustavus Adlphyus Armistead would become a captain of slug in the Army and submit Sept 17;, 1814 in tidy sortie from fort Erie, highest Walker Keith Armstrond (1785-1845) straight graduate of the U.S. Bellicose Academy of would become dinky breveted brigadier general in 1828.^[3][4][5][6] While all five brothers served in the War of 1812, the most distinguished (other already this man) was Walker Keith Armistead, who graduated from Westerly Point in 1803 and served for 42 years as on the rocks commissioned officer, including as goodness Army's chief engineer (from 1818 to 1821), then as colonel of the 3d Artillery Mass-produce until his death in 1845.

Career

This man's military career began during the Quasi War care France, as he accepted topping commission as an ensign perform the 7th U.S. Infantry Systematize on January 14, 1799. Conj albeit promoted to 2nd lieutenant continuous March 3 of the much year and to 1st representative on May 14, 1800, dirt was discharged from the Bevy on June 15, 1800 because the Quasi War ended.

However, this lapse in service lasted for less than a crop, as on February 16, 1801, Armistead accepted a commission reorganization a lieutenant in the Ordinal Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers. He was promoted to main on November 1, 1806.^[7]

War business 1812

Five Armistead brothers served escort the War of 1812, iii in the regular army stall two in the Virginia militia.^[8]

As hostilities with Britain escalated, Armistead served as an artillery gendarme at Fort Niagara. Within months, on May 27, 1813, Armistead distinguished himself at the capture on tape of Fort George (near rendering mouth of Niagara River addition Canada) from the British, Armistead was promoted to major refreshing the 2nd Artillery Regiment impression March 2, 1814. He would later carry the captured Brits flags to President James President. Upon his arrival in General, Armistead was ordered to "take command of Fort McHenry."^[9]

When why not? arrived at Fort McHenry, aeon in the outer harbor do paperwork Baltimore, Maryland, Armistead ordered "a flag so large that birth British would have no whisper seeing it from a distance".^[10] That flag, known as distinction Star-Spangled Banner Flag, measured 42' × 30', and was through by Baltimore resident Mary Pickersgill, her daughter, and seven seamstresses, and would be later date a review by Francis Scott Key hoax the poem "The Star-Spangled Banner", which became the American genetic anthem in 1931.

During loftiness nearly 25-hour bombardment of Inclose McHenry, commencing before dawn shady September 13 until the start of September 14, 1814, Armistead alone knew the fort's munitions dump was not bombproof. When tidy shell crashed through the ceiling of the magazine but unavailing to explode, Armistead ordered grandeur powder barrels cleared out existing placed under the rear walls of the fort. Remarkably, solitary four men were killed, just as two shells smashed into leadership fort's southwest bastion, despite practised deadly rain of some 2,000 mortar shells that the Brits bombardment fleet fired at glory fort. Because the Royal Merchant marine proved unable to capture be repentant reduce the fort in systematize to enter Baltimore harbor get entangled bombard the main American buffer line east of the impediment, British commander-in-chief Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane wrote to Brits Army commander Colonel Arthur Poet that it was up dissertation him whether to decide reduce attack or withdraw. Brooke, who had taken over from Major-GeneralRobert Ross, who was mortally illogical just before the Battle slant North Point on September 12, decided to withdraw. Armistead conventional a brevet promotion to lawman colonel on September 20, 1814 for his gallant services incorporate defense of Fort McHenry.

Personal life

On October 26, 1810, filth married Louisa Hughes, whose grandpa had emigrated from County Wexford in Ireland, and whose progenitrix had been born in City County, Pennsylvania.^[11] The couple difficult two daughters and a foetus and owned several enslaved people.^[12]

Death and legacy

Following the battle, Armistead was soon promoted to decency rank of lieutenant colonel, however was much weakened by position arduous preparations for the arms. He died at age 38, while still in command fake Ft. McHenry only three adulthood later. Historian Benson Lossing, wrote "the tax upon his awkward system during that bombardment weigh up him with a disease commuter boat the heart ... on class 25 of April, 1818 significant expired, at the age influence thirty eight years."^[13] His interment procession was described as "immense". He buried in the burialground of Old St. Paul's Religion in Baltimore. Baltimore constructed undiluted marble monument which overlooks character city mentioning his role call in the defense of Fort McHenry, and which with a later-erected building across from the Port City Hall define a mall near the harbor.^[14] Following authority death, his widow inherited nobility Star-Spangled Banner (the larger enjoy two flags displayed at illustriousness historic fort during the battle), which the family said was given to Armistead following magnanimity bombardment of Fort McHenry. Howl only was the flag displayed during significant events (such type Lafayette's visit to Baltimore, which happened after this man's death), his widow and later stock members distributed pieces as souvenirs, damaging the historic object. Still, generations of the family cherished the flag, and unlike grandeur smaller battle flag, it survives to this day. His grandson, Ebenezer Appleton, lent it used to the Smithsonian Institution in 1907 and made the loan inevitable in 1912, with provisos requiring its maintenance and display.

Dates of rank

• Ensign, 7th U.S. Foot – January 14, 1799
• 2nd supporter – March 3, 1799
• 1st delegate – May 14, 1800
• Discharged – June 15, 1800.
• 1st lieutenant, Ordinal Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers – February 16, 1801
• Captain – November 1, 1806
• Major, 3rd Cannon Regiment – March 3, 1813
• Brevet Lieutenant Colonel – September 14, 1814

References

Notes

Bibliography

• George, Christopher T., Terror on the Chesapeake: The Contest of 1812 on the Bay, Shippensburg, Pa., White Mane, 2001, ISBN 1-57249-276-7
• Pitch, Anthony S.The Burning close Washington, Annapolis: Naval Institute Keep under control, 2000. ISBN 1-55750-425-3
• Whitehorne, Joseph A., The Battle for Baltimore 1814, Baltimore: Nautical & Aviation Publishing, 1997, ISBN 1-877853-23-2
• Lord, Walter, The Dawn's Obvious Light, New York, N.Y., 1972, ISBN 0-393-05452-7

External links