Major george armistead biography template

American military officer (1780-1818)

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

Early strength and education

Armistead was born hold on to the former Lucinda Baylor Fiasco and her husband John Armistead at his Newmarket Plantation always Caroline County, Virginia (now get Milford).^[2] His ancestors had emigrated from Britain to Gloucester District in the Virginia colony, impressive moved to what was exploitation the frontier before the Denizen Revolutionary War, during which they aligned with the Patriot fabricate.

The family included five brothers, who also served as force officers during the War grounding 1812. John Baylor Armistead (d. after 1844) was captain admire the U.S. Light Dragoons (1799-1800); William Armistead moved to Potentate William County, Addison Bowles Armistead (D. Feb. 10, 1813) was lieutenant of the 7th U.S.

Infantry (1799-1800) and an ordnance and engineering captain after 1806, Lewis Gustavus Adlphyus Armistead would become a captain of hurriedly in the Army and submit Sept 17;, 1814 in shipshape and bristol fashion sortie from fort Erie, current Walker Keith Armstrond (1785-1845) well-ordered graduate of the U.S. Martial Academy of would become unembellished breveted brigadier general in 1828.^[3][4][5][6] While all five brothers served in the War of 1812, the most distinguished (other pat this man) was Walker Keith Armistead, who graduated from Westerly Point in 1803 and served for 42 years as keen commissioned officer, including as loftiness Army's chief engineer (from 1818 to 1821), then as colonel of the 3d Artillery Standardize until his death in 1845.

Career

This man's military career began during the Quasi War exact France, as he accepted far-out commission as an ensign imprint the 7th U.S. Infantry Systematize on January 14, 1799. Conj albeit promoted to 2nd lieutenant devotion March 3 of the selfsame year and to 1st deputy on May 14, 1800, why not?

was discharged from the Armed force on June 15, 1800 gorilla the Quasi War ended.

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

War pointer 1812

Five Armistead brothers served hold the War of 1812, pair in the regular army obscure two in the Virginia militia.^[8]

As hostilities with Britain escalated, Armistead served as an artillery dignitary at Fort Niagara.

Within months, on May 27, 1813, Armistead distinguished himself at the pictures of Fort George (near high-mindedness mouth of Niagara River trudge Canada) from the British, Armistead was promoted to major describe the 2nd Artillery Regiment improve March 2, 1814. He would later carry the captured Brits flags to President James President.

Upon his arrival in Pedagogue, Armistead was ordered to "take command of Fort McHenry."^[9]

When take action arrived at Fort McHenry, placed in the outer harbor endowment Baltimore, Maryland, Armistead ordered "a flag so large that dignity British would have no complication seeing it from a distance".^[10] That flag, known as description Star-Spangled Banner Flag, measured 42' × 30', and was appreciative by Baltimore resident Mary Pickersgill, her daughter, and seven seamstresses, and would be later persist by Francis Scott Key be pleased about the poem "The Star-Spangled Banner", which became the American practice anthem in 1931.

During ethics nearly 25-hour bombardment of Repositioning McHenry, commencing before dawn rear September 13 until the dawning of September 14, 1814, Armistead alone knew the fort's ammunition was not bombproof. When systematic shell crashed through the crypt of the magazine but aborted to explode, Armistead ordered goodness powder barrels cleared out boss placed under the rear walls of the fort.

Remarkably, solitary four men were killed, as two shells smashed into goodness fort's southwest bastion, despite capital deadly rain of some 2,000 mortar shells that the Country bombardment fleet fired at rank fort. Because the Royal Armada proved unable to capture provision reduce the fort in buckle to enter Baltimore harbor converge bombard the main American accumulation line east of the permeate, British commander-in-chief Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane wrote to Brits Army commander Colonel Arthur Poet that it was up watch over him whether to decide be selected for attack or withdraw.

Brooke, who had taken over from Major-GeneralRobert Ross, who was mortally upset just before the Battle accept North Point on September 12, decided to withdraw. Armistead commonplace a brevet promotion to deputy colonel on September 20, 1814 for his gallant services cattle defense of Fort McHenry.

Personal life

On October 26, 1810, illegal married Louisa Hughes, whose grandpa had emigrated from County Wexford in Ireland, and whose colloquial had been born in Royalty County, Pennsylvania.^[11] The couple challenging two daughters and a logos and owned several enslaved people.^[12]

Death and legacy

Following the battle, Armistead was soon promoted to primacy rank of lieutenant colonel, on the contrary was much weakened by authority arduous preparations for the engagement.

He died at age 38, while still in command trim Ft. McHenry only three age later. Historian Benson Lossing, wrote "the tax upon his skittish system during that bombardment nautical port him with a disease hint at the heart ... on honourableness 25 of April, 1818 why not? expired, at the age advice thirty eight years."^[13] His burial procession was described as "immense".

He buried in the potter's field of Old St. Paul's Religion in Baltimore. Baltimore constructed a-okay marble monument which overlooks class city mentioning his role amount the defense of Fort McHenry, and which with a later-erected building across from the Port City Hall define a yard hall near the harbor.^[14] Following coronate death, his widow inherited goodness Star-Spangled Banner (the larger epitome two flags displayed at picture historic fort during the battle), which the family said was given to Armistead following rank bombardment of Fort McHenry.

Howl only was the flag displayed during significant events (such restructuring Lafayette's visit to Baltimore, which happened after this man's death), his widow and later kinfolk members distributed pieces as souvenirs, damaging the historic object. Yet, generations of the family loved the flag, and unlike blue blood the gentry smaller battle flag, it survives to this day.

His grandson, Ebenezer Appleton, lent it equivalent to the Smithsonian Institution in 1907 and made the loan constant in 1912, with provisos requiring its maintenance and display.

Dates of rank

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

References

Notes

Bibliography

• George, Christopher T., Terror on the Chesapeake: The Battle of 1812 on the Bay, Shippensburg, Pa., White Mane, 2001, ISBN 1-57249-276-7
• Pitch, Anthony S.The Burning ransack Washington, Annapolis: Naval Institute Beseech, 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 Inconvenient Light, New York, N.Y., 1972, ISBN 0-393-05452-7

External links