What is the history of the War of 1812 in Patterson Park?
Patterson Park, known as Hampstead Hill in the early 1800s, was the site of Baltimore’s major defensive position against a British land invasion in the War of 1812. In 1827, Hampstead Hill was converted into a public park now known as Patterson Park. Although historians have long known of the park’s association with the Battle of Baltimore, our project will be the first archaeological exploration in the park to focus on the battle and the War of 1812. Learn more about the history of Patterson Park.
Why look for War of 1812 history in Patterson Park?
In the fall of 1814, British forces mounted a two-pronged attack on Baltimore: the British navy lay siege to Fort McHenry and the harbor while land forces marched on Baltimore from the east. With short notice, Baltimoreans prepared a tremendous defense position against the land invasion along Hampstead Hill. The preparations included digging extensive trenches, creating earthen berms, mounting cannon, and stationing upwards of 20,000 troops to meet the British troops.
What is archaeology? What is battlefield archaeology?
- Archaeology is the study of the ancient and recent human past through material remains. It is a subfield of anthropology, the study of all human culture. An archaeological site is any place where physical remains of past human activities exist. There are many, many types of archaeological sites. A site can be as small as a pile of chipped stone tools left by a prehistoric hunter or as big as a place like Fort McHenry.
- Battlefields and sites, like Patterson Park, associated with wars fought on American soil help provide a means for Americans to understand and interpret various periods in our country’s history. Battlefield archaeology is a subspecialty of archaeology that can help us understand the history of the battle and help us preserve the site for future generations.
What questions are we trying to answer?
Where were the earthworks located on Hampstead Hill?
The most basic question to be answered about the defenses of the city is the location of the earthworks. Locating them accurately is important for at least three reasons. First, once their location is determined they can be protected from future development activity in the park. Second, mapping them with regard to the terrain will reveal the design of the defenses, showing how the defenders took advantage of the terrain in laying out the entrenchments. Third, mapping will allow for better interpretation of the site.
How did the city construct the earthworks?
Excavating sections across the remains of the earthworks should provide information about their construction. Most basically, how deep was the ditch, how tall and thick the berm? This has considerable impact on how we perceive the battle and especially the choices made by the British commanders. If they were looking across the field at truly formidable earthworks, that would put their decision not to attack in a different light than if most of the fortification was low and weak. Excavation might also reveal other details, such as the slope of the fortifications and whether there were cannon platforms in the bastions.
Can we find any other features like privies or magazines?
One of the Civil War maps shows a structure labeled ‘Magazine of 1812’ just behind the bastion in Patterson Park. A magazine was usually dug to a considerable depth to protect the ammunition and the men stationed around it, so this feature is quite likely to survive. Other possible features include privies or pits dug to bury trash.
Did the people who built and camped on the earthworks leave behind any evidence that we can find?
Baltimore was defended by thousands of men who camped around the city for weeks, aided by numerous citizens. Such a large number of people might leave considerable evidence of their presence. Artifacts often found around military camps include bullets and bullet molds, other bits of armaments, buttons and other uniform fragments, horse tack, tobacco pipes, and bottle glass. Discovery of such artifacts dating to 1814 would provide a fascinating connection to the past. If a significant deposit of material dating to 1814 is located, for example in a backfilled privy or a section of the fortification ditch, this might provide information on how the militia of 1814 traveled and camped, how they were equipped, and what they carried with them.
At Patterson Park there has probably been significant disturbance to surface deposits because of landscaping for the park, planting, the construction of roads and paths, and the building of the Observatory and other structures. The park was also occupied by Union regiments during the Civil War, which adds a further layer of disturbance. However, a combination of magnetometry, metal detecting, and hand excavation will be attempted to search for surviving intact features and areas.