photos by Alexis Ann
The Stonington Historical Society sponsored the sale of commemorative philatelic covers on Saturday, August 9 at the Dime Bank on Cannon Square in the Borough of Stonington. A cover, along with three other cachets, were available, including a pastel painting of the battle, the Centennial medal, and an image of the battle on a ceramic jug. Cover sales benefited the Stonington Historical Society. The cost was $5 apiece with regular postage; $5.50 with the special stamp depicted on the cover.
A card insert gave a brief history of the Battle. The attack was made by Commodore Hardy (ADM Nelsons Captain), and the attacking vessels included the bomb ship Terror, which proceeded from Stonington to Baltimore to fire on Ft. McHenry a month later. There, it fired the rockets that inspired the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.
Ironically, impressment was one of the causes of the War of 1812, and the accurate fire from the two 18-pounders was directed by cannoneer Jeremiah Holmes, who had been trained by the British while impressed in the British Navy for three years.