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Welcome to Kent
County, Maryland The Battle of Caulk's
Field Source: History of
Kent County Maryland, 1630-1916, Fred G Usilton. The
This battle was fought in the early morning hours of August 31,
1814, on the soil of historic Old
Of the land battles of the war with
Wearying of the rather desultory fighting, at last
The previous year the British had burned Havre de Grace and
Frenchtown at the head of
The
Late Saturday afternoon, August 27th, news reached
Colonel Reed that a frigate was headed up the bay abreast of Swan Point,
and with her were two smaller vessels. A strong southerly breeze filled
their sails and they came bounding up the
That Sir Peter Parker was ordered to make a “diversion” on the
Eastern Shore is verified by the following extract from a letter to the
Admiralty written September 1st., 1814,by Vice Admiral
Cochrane, then on board the flagship “Tonnant” in the Patuxant River.”
Captain Sir Peter Parker on the ‘Menelaus’ with some small vessels was
sent up the
The most important part of “diverting the attention of the enemy”
was to prevent the troops from crossing the bay to the assistance of
Following the instructions of his superior officer, he brought his
vessel to anchor late Saturday night off the mouth of Fairlee Creek.
Sunday morning, August 28th, Captain Parker landed about one
hundred men on the farm known as “Skidmore”, then owned by Mr. John
Waltham, where they burned every building on the farm, together with all
the wheat in the granary as well as in the stacks in the fields. According
to a letter written from Chestertown on September 6th, 1814, to
the “Weekly Star,” published in Easton, Talbot County, Maryland, (a copy
of this old paper can be seen in the library of the Maryland Historical
Society} Mr. Waltham sustained a loss of eight thousand dollars. On the
following Tuesday Morning, August 30th, the farm belonging to
Richard Frisby, Esq., then living in Baltimore, was raided and buildings
burned. His farm of 422 acres in
The night the “Menelaus” dropped down the bay and anchored off the
shore about a mile north of the farm on which Tolchester Beach is now
located, abreast of “Chantilly,” the farm recently owned by Captain
William I. Rasin. The day had been hot and sultry and the ship’s crew, as
well as the marines welcomed the cool evening breezes off the bay as the
vessels swung to their anchors.
Captain Parker had watched from the deck of the Menelaus the golden
path on the waters of the Chesapeake that led straight out to the great
red orb- had watched with thoughtful gaze the great red sun set behind the
hills of the Western Shore. His thoughts were of home and loved ones. Far
away in his home in
“H.M.S.Menelaus
August 30, 1814
My Darling Marianne:
I am just going on desperate service, and entirely depend upon
valor and example its successful issue. If anything befalls me, I have
made a sort of will. My Country will be good to you and our adored
children. God almighty bless and protect you all- Adieu, most beloved
Marianne, Adieu!
Peter Parker
P.S. I am in high health and
spirits.”
That he had a premonition that his end was near is borne out by
this very touching letter to his wife. Certain are we that he realized the
risk he was taking, and as certain are we that he did not shirk what he regarded as his
duty. He had been told by one of the negroes on Mr. Frisby’s farm that
morning that about two hundred militia were encamped behind a woods about
a half mile inland from where his vessel lay at anchor. The negro
intentionally misled them as the troops under Colonel Reed were five miles
away! Sir Peter Parker determined to surprise and capture this body of
soldiers later in the night. It has recently been stated in one of the
weekly papers printed in Chestertown that Sir Peter Parker mad the
statement on leaving the vessel that night that he would eat his breakfast
in “Chestertown or hell.”
This statement is entirely without foundation and is an unwarranted
aspersion on the character of the man. There is no historical evidence
that he even thought of attacking Chestertown. Captain Sir Peter Parker,
his chief officer, Henry Crease, and his lieutenant Pearce together
discussed that evening the proposed attack on the American camp. They
formed their plans and determined to wait until after midnight to land the
soldiers and seamen on the shores of historic old
The night was hot, the breeze had died out and the mist hung over
the water, almost shutting out the shore, along which the little waves
chased one another on the pebbles. The “lap” of the waves and the
occasional plaintive call of a whippoorwill in the woodland bordering the
shore were sounds that added to the oppressiveness of the night.
At Bellair, out in the country about five miles from where the
vessels lay at anchor, Colonel Reed, who had fought the British in the War
of the Revolution, discussed with his officers and a few of the leading
citizens of the county the plans to meet the threatened attack of the
British. He had sent pickets to the bay shore to give warning when there
was a landing made by Sir Peter Parker.
About twelve o’clock at night one of those pickets brought word to
Colonel Reed and Captain Parker “had landed about one hundred and fifty
men” and was marching eastward out the road past the north end of the “Big
Swamp”. The moon had risen and threw long shadows over the fields, making
objects inthemist less distinguishable than they otherwise would be.
Colonel Reed lost no time but ordered the militia to advance at once. They
proceeded toward the Chesapeake Bay, Crossing the “
To the left of the ridge the main road ran down towards the bay. To
the right of this road a strip of heavy timber stretched away to the west.
Immediately in front of his position Colonel Reed could see the open low
land of “
The following letter written by colonel Reed to Brigadier-General
Benjamin Chambers gives a very excellent description of the arrangement of
the troops as well as a fair account of the engagement and
results:
“Camp at Belle Air.
3d Sept, 1814
“Sir:
I
avail myself of the first moment I have been able to seize from the
incessant labor, to inform you that about half past eleven o’clock in the
night of the 30th ult., I received information that barges of
the enemy, then lying off Waltham’s farm were moving in shore. I concluded
their object was to land and burn houses,etc, at Waltham’s and mad the
necessary arrangements to prevent and to be prepared for an opportunity
which I had sought for several days, to strike the enemy. During our march
to the point threatened it was discovered that the blow was aimed at our
camp.
“Orders were immediately given to the Quarter Master to remove the
camp and baggage, and to the troops to countermarch, pass the road by the
right of our camp and form on the rising ground about three hundred paces
to the left retiring on the road, the artillery in the centre, supported
by the infantry on the right and left.
I
directed Captain Wickes and his Second Lieutenant Beck with a part of the
rifle company to be formed so as to cover the road by which the enemy
marched, and with this section I determined to post myself, leaving the
line to be formed under the direction of Major Wickes and Captain
Chambers.
The
head of the enemy’s column soon presented itself, and received the fire of
our advance party at seventy paces distance, and being pressed by numbers
vastly superior I repaired to my post on the line, having ordered the
riflemen to return and form on the right of the
line.
“The fire now became general along the whole line and was sustained
by our troops with the most determined valor. The enemy pressed our front;
joined in this be threw himself upon our left flank which was occupied by
Capt. Chambers’ company. Here, too, his efforts were unavailing. His fire had
nearly ceased when I was informed that is some parts of our line the
cartridges were entirely expended, nor did any of the boxes contain more
that a few rounds, although each man brought about twenty into the field.
The artillery cartridges were
entirely expended.
Under these circumstances, I ordered the line to fall back to a
convenient spot where a part of the line fortified when the few remaining
cartridges were distributed amongst a part of the line. Which was again
brought into the field, where it remained for a considerable time, the
night preventing pursuit? The
artillery and infantry for whom there were no cartridges, were
ordered to this place,(Belle Air}.
The
enemy having made every effort in his power, although apprized of our
falling back manifested no disposition to follow us up but retreated about
the time our ammunition was exhausted. When it is recollected that very
few of our officers or men had ever heard the whistling of a ball; that
the force of the enemy, as the most accurate information enables us to
estimate, was double ours;
that it was commanded by Sir Peter Parker of the “Menelaus” one of
the most distinguished officers of the British navy composed (as their
officers admitted in subsequent conversation) of as fine men as could be
selected from the British service, I feel justified in the assertion that
the gallantry of the officers and men engaged on this occasion could not
by excelled by any troops.
The
officers and men performed their duty. It is, however, by an act of
justice to notice those officers who seemed to display more than a common
degree of gallantry. Major Wickes and Captain Chambers were conspicuous:
Captain Wickes and his Lieutenant John Beck of the rifle corps, Lieutenant
Enneck (Everest?) and Ensign Wm. Skirven of Captain Chambers’ company
exerted themselves, as did Captain Hynson and his Lieutenant Grant,
Captain Usselton of the brigade artillery and his Lieutenant John Reed and
Morgan Brown. Lieutenant Tilghman, who commanded the guns of the volunteer
artillery in the absence of Captain Hands, who is in ill health and from
home, was conspicuous in his gallantry; his ensign Thomas also manifested
much firmness. I am indebted to Captain Wilson of the Cavalry who was with
me for his exertions and also to Adjunct Hynson who displayed much zeal and
firmness throughout. To Dr. Blake, Dr. Gordon and to Isaac Spence, Esq.,
who were accidentally in camp I am indebted for their assistance in
reconnoitering the enemy on his
advance.
You
will be surprised, Sir, when I inform you that in an engagement of so long
continuance, in an open field, when the moon shone brilliantly on the
rising ground occupied by our troops, while the shade of the neighboring
woods under the protection of which the enemy fought gave us but an
indistinct view of anything but the flash of gas guns, that under the
disparity of numbers against us, and the advantage of regular discipline
on the side of the enemy we had not one man killed, and only one sergeant,
one corporal, and one private wounded and those slightly wounded
The enemy left one midshipman
and eight men dead on the field and nine wounded, six of whom died in the
course of a few hours. Sir peter Parker was angst the slain: he was
mortally wounded by a buckshot and died before he reached the barges to
which he was conveyed by his men. The enemy’s force consisted of marines
and musketeers, was in part armed with boarding pikes, swords and pistols,
no doubt intended for our tents, as orders had been given by Sir peter
Parker not to fire.
Many of these arms, with rockets, muskets,etc., have fallen into
our hands, found by the picket guard, under Ensign William Skirven which
was posted on the battle ground for the remainder of the night. Nothing
but the want of ammunition saved the enemy from destruction. Attached are
the names of the wounded; and as an act of justice to those concerned, I
enclose you a list of every officer and soldier engaged in this affair.
Certain information from the enemy assures us that his total loss in
killed and wounded was forty-two or forty three, including two wounded
lieutenants.
I am sir, your most
obedient humble servant,
Phil. Reed,
“Names of the wounded of Captain Chambers’
Company:
John Magnor, Sergeant, slightly in the
thigh Phillip Crane,
Corporal, a ball between the tendons and bone of the thigh, near the
knee Of Captain Page’s
Company: John Clanville, a
private, shot in the arm”
The “Menlaus” and her two companion vessels were withdrawn on
Wednesday night, August 31st, after taking aboard the body of
Sir Peter Parker and the wounded men and a anchorage made across the bay
off Pool’s
Under the date of September 1st, 1814, he says in part:
“With grief the deepest, it becomes my duty to communicate the death of
Sir Peter Parker, Bart., late commander of His Majesty’s ship “Menelaus,”
and the occurrence attending an attack on the enemy’s troops on the night
of the 30th, ult., encamped at
Bellair.”
“The previous and accompanying letters of Sir Peter Parker will, I
presume, fully point out the respect the enemy on all occasions evince at
the approach of our arms.”
“An intelligent black man gave us information of two hundred
militia being encamped behind a woods, distand half a mile from the beach,
and describe their situation so as to give us the strongest hope of
cutting them off and securing the largest part as our prisoners,
destroying the camp, field pieces,etc., and possessing also certain
information that one man out of every five had been levied as a
requisition on the Eastern Shore for the purpose of being sent over for
the protection of Baltimore, and who are now only prevented from crossing
the bay by the activity and vigilance of the tender and ship’s
boats.”
“One hundred and four bayonets with twenty pikes were landed at
eleven o’clock at night under the immediate direction of Sir Peter Parker,
Bart., captain, the first division headed by myself and the second by
Lieutenant Pearce. On arriving at the ground we discovered the enemy had
shifted his position, as we were then informed, at the distance of a mile
farther. Having taken the lookout piquet (picket) immediately on our
landing, we were in assurance our motions had not been discover, and with
the deepest silence followed on for the camp. After a march of between
four and five miles in the country, we found the enemy posted on a plain
surrounded by woods, with the camp in their rear; the were drawn up in
line and perfectly ready to receive us. A single moment was not to be
lost. By a smart fire and instant charge we commenced the attack, forced
them from their position, putting them before us in full retreat to the
rear of their artillery, where they again mad a stand, showing a
disposition to outflank us on the right. A movement was instantly made by
Lieutenant Pearce’s division to force them from that quarter, and it was
at this time, while animating his men in the most heroic manner, that Sir
Peter Parker received hismrtal wound, which obliged him to quit the field
and he expired in a few minutes. Lieutenant Pearce, with his division,sonn
routed the enemy, while that under my command gained and passed the camp.
One of the field pieces was momentarily in our possession, but obliged to
quit it from superior numbers. The marines under Lieutenant Beynon and
Lieutenant Poe formed our centre, and never was bravery more
conspicuous.”
“Finding it impossible to close on the enemy from the rapidity of
their retreat, having pressed them upwards of a mile, I deemed it prudent
to retire towards the beach, which was effected in the best possible
order, taking with us from the field twenty-five of our wounded, the whole
we could find, the enemy not even attempting to regaint he ground the had
lost. From there prisoners (cavalry) taken by us we learnt their force
amounted to five hundred militia, a troop of horses and five pieces of
artillery, and since, by flags of truce, I am led to believe their numbers
much greater. Repelling a force of such magnitude with so small a body as
we opposed to them will, I trust, speak for itself, and although our loss
has been severe I hope the luster acquired to our arms will compensate for
it.”
The engagement upon the soil of old
Colonel Philip A Reed, who commanded the
Having seen service in the Revolutionary War, having risen from
private to the rank of Captain, Philip Reed returned to his home in
Captain- afterwards known as Judge_ Ezekiel F. Chambers commanded
the first company of the regiment under Colonel Reed. He was born in
Chestertown on the 28th of February, 1788, acquired his
collegiate education at the famous old
At the election of 1824, he was sent to the upper house of the
Joseph Wickes was second in command, with the rank of Major. He was
a brother-in-law of Captain Chambers, and from him was descended two of
Time will not permit reference to other men who took parting the
defence of old
Caulk’s Field farm was in possession of Mr. Isaac Caulk at the time
of the battle. He had inherited the property. It was part of a tract known
as “Arcadia,” which was granted as 1600 acres to Michael Miller, one of
the first vestrymen of old St. Paul’s Church, Kent County. This particular
part of “
On the initiative of
the late Rev. Chris. T. Denroche, in 1902, then rector of St. Paul’s
Parish in Kent, a handsome granite battle marker was placed beside the
main road that leads from Chestertown to Tolchester on “Caulk’s Field”.
Assisting Mr. Denroche in raising the necessary funds to erect the marker
were Capt. Columbus A Leary, Charles C. Hopper, Fred G. Usilton, L.B.
Russell of Kent, Col. Wm M Marine, James E. Carr, Jr., Mr. Thomas Hill,
and W H Gill of Baltimore.
That there can never be offence given to those who by chance should
pass that way the monument bears the following
inscription: “ERECTED TO
COMMEMORATE THE PATRIOTISM AND
FORTITUDE OF THE VICTOR AND THE
VANQUISHED” LIST OF SOLDIERS Among the old
papers now in the library of the Maryland Historical Society we find a
List of officers and men who were in the action at Caulk’s Field on the
night of the thirtieth of
August last under Colonel Reed, in the issue of October
4th, 1814, of the Republican Star or General Advertiser,
published at Easton, Talbot County Maryland. The name of the companies and
the men in each company are as
follows: Of Captain
Chambers’ Company: Ezekiel F
Chambers, Captain Thomas Eunick,
Lieutenant William Skirven,
Ensign Alford, Aaron
Haley, James Bordley,
Thomas
Jones, John Benton,
Benjamin
Kennard, Richard Chambers,
David
Kemp, John (Drummer) Chambers, Benjamin
Lee
Kennard, Thomas J Crane, Philip
Lassell, William S Coleman,
Isaiah
Lassell, William C Coleman,
James
Magnor, John (Sergeant) Comegys,
Lemuel
Mansfield, James Constable,
Robert
Miller, James D Coleby,
Edward
Notts, William Dugan, Thomas
Rumney, Samuel Dunk,
Alexander
Russell, Theophelus Deal, Samuel
Robinson, James Elliott,
William
Toulson, Andrea Falls, David
Usselton, John Floyd, Samuel
Vickers, James
Gooding,
James
Vickers, Jesse Haltzman,
George
Wickes, Joseph (4th) Hickenbottom,
James
Wickes, Thomas Herbert,
Zabedel Of Captain Hand’s
Company: (Captain Hand was
too ill to serve). Volunteer
Artillery Henry Tilghman,
Lieutenant Richard S Thomas,
Ensign Barnes,
Robert
Nicholls, Jeremiah Brown, James
F
Parsley, Arthur Copper, Henry
Ringgold, James, Jr Eccleston, John
B
Redue, Joseph Edwards,
James
Robertson, Henry Elbert,
Samuel
Seymour, Richard Gibbs, Joseph
Staveley, Wilson Hyland, William,
Tonson, Nathaniel Hague,
William
Taylor, Thomas James, Thomas
J
Vickers, Thomas Maslin, James
Wilcox, James Middleton,
James
Wilmer, Lemuel Martin,
William
Wilmer,John R Mcguire,
Robert Of Captain Wickes
Rifle Corps: Simon Wickes, Jr.
Captain Joseph Brown,
First Lieutenant John Beck Second
Lieutenant Airy, John
Pearce, John Beck,
Peregrine
Rolinson, Levin Beck, John
Coleman,
Samuel
Stokes, Horation Dowling,
Eliphar
Smith, James Fricks,
Richard
Smith Richard Fellingham,
Robert
Swift, Elisha Hartley,
Thomas
Tharp, James Hyland John
Urie, Henry Jones, John
Wickes, Samuel C Kennard,
Richard
Yates, James Lamb,
William Of Captain
Griffith’s Company: Samuel Griffith,
Captain Joseph Thomas,
Lieutenant Baker, Samuel
De Course, Barney Brown, Hiram
Harriss, Jonathan Crouch, John
Jones, David Crouch, James
Kendall, William Dank, Henry
Simmonds, George G Of Captain
Hynson’s Company: Thomas B Hynson,
Captain Richard Grant,
Lieutenant Hague,
William
Shaw, james Love, Robert
Warum, John Whaland,
Peregrine Of Captain Page’s
Company: Samuel Wickes,
Lieutenant Mierritt Miller,
Ensign Ashley,
George
Eagle, James Alloway,
Gabriel
Frisby, William Beck, Elisha
Glanville, John Benton,
Thomas
Hynson, Benjamin Bryan,
Stephen
Humphrey, John Coleman,
Ezekiel
Legg, James Clark, Jesse
Miller, William Cleaves,
Nathan
Simons, William Crouch,
Thomas
Spencer, Thomas Collins,
Robert
Warum, Abraham Dudley,
Nicholas
Yearley, John Jr. Dunn,
John Artillery
Company Acquilla M
Ussleton, Captain John Reed,
Lieutenant Morgan Brown,
Lieutenant Apsley, William
Jr
Nicholson, Edware Apsley,
Dulaney
Pennington, Benedict Carroll,
Philip
Rasin, Siras Cannon,
Edward
Rasin, Philip, Jr. Dugan, John
Stewart, Henry J Foreman,
Ezekiel
Ussleton, James Gedley,
Joseph
Ussleton, William T Hatcherson,James
Wickes, Mathias Leatherberry,
Charles
Weaver, William Part of Caulk’s Field Story The British
official list of their killed and wounded reported by Henry Crase, acting
commander were, Killed, Sir Peter Parker, Baronet; Capt. JT Sands,
midshipman; R Friar and R Robinson, quartermasters; J Perren, swabber; T
Dorris, sailmaker; G Hall, ordinary seaman; J Evans, sergeant of marines;
W Hooper, W Davis, R Johnson, W Rogers, W Powell, and R Jones, marines, a
total of 14 acknowledge to have been killed. The wounded were reported to
be: T Fitzmaurice, moatswains mate, severely; J McAllister, J Mooney,
seamen, severely, M Cullen, seaman, slightly; J Cooper and J Malcom,
seamen, severely; A McArthur, captain of the forecastle, severely Noel,
seaman, slightly; T Taffield, quartermasters mate, severely; M halligan,
quartermaster gunner, slightly; B G
Beynon, lieutenant of marines, severely; G Poe, similar officer,
slightly;J List, J Harvey, J Schriber, G Morrell and W Smith, marines,
slightly; W Golatham, E Turner and W Pritchard,marines and J Manderson, a
seaman; J Rowe,landsman, and G Hobbs, captain of the foretop, severely. A
total of 28 admitted to have been wounded, some of whom subsequently
died. The Americans buried the fallen
British by the roadside, where a hedge now grows in thrifty luxuriance.
About the year 1830, a small boy (the late The late
Incidents Preceding the Caulk’s Field
Battle The success
attending the operations of the British during the early part of 1814
encouraged them to carry out the determination of the Admiralty to strike
some formidable blow. The army under Maj. Gen. Sir Robert Ross Consisted
of 4000 picked troops and these were landed in the  ©2007 Genealogy Trails |
