| The town of St. Michaels was the closest approach to the active regional center of Easton, home of many Chesapeake watercraft seeking safety from the marauding British fleet in the summer of 1813. The Brutish fleet and its complement of Marines are positioned themselves on Kent Island. Militia were garrisoned in the town of St. Michaels and patrolled the shoreline of the Miles river keeping sharp watch for British sails. Four guns were mounted in the breastwork constructed that spring at Parrot Point on high ground at the mouth of the Corsica River. The narrow river forced any ships sailing up the Miles within range of the cannon.
To protect the harbor. a log and chain boom was thrown across the entrance. This defense was also within range of the artillery. Two 6 pounder canon donated by Jacob Gibson, who had rattled the town with his prank attack, were place within the town.
Sent from Kent Island, the HMS Conflict sailed to St. Michaels and anchored off deep water point. Small boats were sent out to chart and sound approaches to the town, allowing plenty of notice of the British intentions. In the early morning of August 10 Th, the assault began. Landing 300 men from barges rowed up the opposite shore. hearing the orders of officers to their troops, the majority of American panicked and fled. The commander of the fortifications, captain William Dodson, and two others, Lieutenant Richard Kennemont and a slave John Stevens, stayed to fire a barrage of canister and scrap metal into the unsuspecting British corps, killing 19. The British rushed the position, narrowly failing to capture the three men, but silencing the canon at that position.
Meanwhile, barges from the brig made for the harbor but were stopped by the log boom. Canons were fired, but the heavy fog made accurate aim difficult, but several barges were hit. The British returned fire, but most of it missed the town as residents had blacked out their homes and hung lanterns high in trees on high ground behind the town. Most of the fire sailed harmlessly over the rooftops. Cavalry and troops were massed to repel British landing that never materialized. After about an hour, British troops withdraw to the HMS Conflict and returned to Kent Island.
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