On Sept. 12, 1814, the British army attacking Baltimore halted 2 miles from the city in front of the strong defenses commanded by U.S. Gen. Samuel Smith. The British paused to regroup because their commander, Gen. Robert Ross, had been killed earlier in the day by an American sharpshooter. As the army waited, attention was turned toward the five-sided, brick Fort McHenry, mounting 57 guns and commanded by Maj. George Armistead.
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