History Conversations REWIND | Montgomery County and the War of 1812

The War of 1812 was one of the most contentious conflicts in American history, and Montgomery countians were nearly universally opposed to it. Nevertheless, although their properties were spared the war’s horrors, Montgomery’s citizens were not. A sense of honor and proximity to Washington and Baltimore led them to take an active part in a war they deplored: defending freedom of the press against a murderous pro-war mob in Baltimore; joining the ranks of raw Maryland militia at Bladensburg to face the world’s strongest army; and sheltering the flood of terrified Washingtonians and the US President in Brookeville as the enemy burned the capital. This talk describes the role Montgomery County residents played in the War of 1812, between its beginning in June 1812, and the Battle for Baltimore in September 1814. Despite the odds or their personal beliefs, they did their duty—and more. Originally presented at the January 2023 History Conference.

Recording available April 7 – April 13