Protecting the Homefront

Protecting the Homefront. Star-Spangled Banner Historic Trail. , Following the Chesapeake and Leopard affair in 1807 where American sailors were impressed into British service, there was outrage on the Eastern Shore. One of the three American sailors forcibly taken aboard the HMS Leopard was John Stachan, a native of Queen Anne’s County. , Militia companies formed across the Eastern Shore including the 35th and 38th Regiment of the Maryland Militia in Queen Anne’s County and were led by prominent local citizens. These troops were involved in the Battle of Slippery Hill August 13, 1813., Commanding Officer 38th Regiment: Lt. Col. Thomas Wright , Wright was ill at time of the British attack and turned command over to Major William H. Nicholson., Commanding Officer on the Field at Queenstown: Major William Hopper Nicholson , Commanding Officer of the Queen Anne’s County militia at time of the attack on Queenstown. Well respected and from a distinguished Eastern Shore family, Nicholson was the Queen Anne’s County Register of Wills., In Command of the Artillery; Capt. Gustavus Tidmarsh Wright , The son of Robert Wright, a former Maryland Governor and Congressman from Queen Anne’s County. Gustavus had a reputation for fighting, drinking and dueling. , In Command of the Troop of Horse (Cavalry): Capt. Thomas Emory , Great horsemanship was a boast that a number of men on the Eastern Shore could make, few did. However, when it came to combining patriotism, leadership and horsemanship, no man could surpass Thomas Emory. , In Command of the Slippery Hill Picket Guard: Capt. James Massey , Greatly respected by his men, Massey commanded the Slippery Hill Picket Guard on August 13, 1813. He was a local plantation owner and later purchased the Bowlingly Estate in Queenstown which was sacked by the British during the action., Commanding Officer of the 35th Regiment: Lt. Col. James Brown , Most of the companies under Brown served in Chestertown in early 1813 and were assigned to protect Queen Anne’s County waterways.