Valor at St. Leonard Creek

Valor at St. Leonard Creek. Letters from Commodore Joshua Barney. “One of the enemy’s rockets fell on board one of our barges, and, after passing through one of the men (one of only three Americans to die from a British rocket during the entire war in Maryland) set the barge on fire…a barrel of powder and another of musket cartridges, caught fire and exploded, by which several of the men were blown into the water, and one man very severely burned---his face, hands and every uncovered part of his body, being perfectly crisped,. The magazines were both on fire and the commander of the boat, with his officers and crew, believing that she must inevitably blow up, abandoned her, and sought safety among the other barges. At this moment Major (William) Barney (the Commodore’s son), who commanded the cutter Scorpion, hailed his father and asked permission to take charge of the burning boat. Major Barney immediately put himself on board, and by dint of active labor of bailing water into the boat and rocking her constantly from side to side, he very soon succeeded in putting out the fire and saving the boat, to the very great delight as well as astonishment of the commodore.” , –Commodore Barney on an incident on June 6, 1814.

“This morning, at 4 am a combined attack of the artillery, marine corps and flotilla, as made upon the enemy’s two frigates, at the mouth of the creek. After two hours engagement, they got under way and made sail down river. They are now warping around Point Patience, and I am now moving up the Patuxent with my flotilla. My floss (loss) is acting midshipman Asquith killed, and ten others killed and wounded. Mr. Blake the bearer of this, was a volunteer in my barge. He will give you every other information. With respect, BC Joshua Barney,” , Extract of a letter from Commodore Barney to Secretary of the Navy William Jones, St. Leonard Creek, June 25, 1814.

(Inscription under the image in the center) , Action on St. Leonard Creek June 6, 1814 by Irwin Bevan, The Bailey Collection, Courtesy the Mariners’ Museum. Irwin J. Bevan (1852-1940) created 254 watercolors that display his keen knowledge of War of 18 12 naval history. The watercolors may have been a book project that was never published. Funding provided to the Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, Inc. by the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.