The Guns That Won the Battle
These cannons represent the largest guns that defended the fort during the War of 1812. Cannons from this battery fired 18 and 36 pound iron balls almost a mile and a half. Heated cannonballs or “hot shop” proved especially devasting to wooden ships. For most of their bombs and rockets missed the fort. After 25 hours they sailed back into the Chesapeake Bay—unwilling to come within range of the fort’s deadly artillery.
Marker can be reached from Fort Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
