Near Fairlee in Kent County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Battle of Caulk’s Field

War of 1812

Photographed by William Pfingsten, October 18, 2007

1. Battle of Caulk's Field Marker

Inscription. Kent County Militia under Lt. Col. Philip A. Reed marched from Belle Air (Fairlee) to meet British Forces here on August 31, 1814. The British with 15 killed, were repulsed and their commander, Sir Peter Parker, mortally wounded. American losses were slight.

Erected 1964 by Maryland Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Events • War of 1812. In addition, it is included in the Maryland Historical Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1814.

Location. 39° 12.102′ N, 76° 11.227′ W. Marker is near Fairlee, Maryland, in Kent County. It is on Rock Hall Road (Maryland Route 20) 0.3 miles north of Tolchester Beach Road ( Route 21), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8167 Rock Hall Road, Chestertown MD 21620, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic,

on the Delmarva Peninsula,

in the Tidewater,

and in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

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North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Caulk’s Field Monument (approx. 0.7 miles away); Royal Navy and Royal Marines Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Battle of Caulk's Field Bicentennial Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); St. Paul's Oak Tree (approx. 1.1 miles away); Kent Meeting House (approx. 1.3 miles away); Bass Propagation Lake (approx. 2.3 miles away); Rude Awakening (approx. 2.7 miles away); Tolchester Beach Amusement Park (approx. 3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fairlee.

Additional commentary.
1. Battle of Caulk’s Field Marker
The wording on the marker appears incorrect. In conversation with local historian Stanley Quick, I realised that what is stated on the monument is a misreading of Lt. Col. Philip Reed's after-battle report, which was written from Belle Air (Fairlee), and gave the impression he and his troops had marched

Battle of Caulk’s Field Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Pete Skillman, March 20, 2026

2. Battle of Caulk’s Field Marker - wide view

from that location to meet the British. In fact, the militiamen were camped nearer the beach, at Georgetown Crossroads, and made a retrograde march a few hundred yards to meet the British at Caulk's Field.

— Submitted August 24, 2009, by Christopher T. George of Baltimore, Maryland.

Caulk's Field Monument sign at the the corner of Tolchester Road and Caulk's Field Road image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Allen C. Browne, December 28, 2012

3. Caulk's Field Monument sign at the the corner of Tolchester Road and Caulk's Field Road

Credits. This page was last revised on March 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2007, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 4,151 times since then and 68 times this year. Last updated on May 26, 2024, by Kevin Vincent of Arlington, Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on October 20, 2007, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 2. submitted on March 20, 2026, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. 3. submitted on January 10, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.