John Stricker
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General John Stricker (1758–1825) was a Maryland Militia
officer who fought in both the American Revolutionary War
and the War of 1812
. He commanded the Baltimore brigade of the Maryland Militia
in the Battle of North Point
on September 12, 1814, which formed a part of the larger Battle of Baltimore
, and was a turning point in the War of 1812
.
. He was the son of Colonel George Stricker, who served during the Revolutionary War
. The younger Stricker served as a cadet under his father's command, in the 1st Maryland Regiment
, commanded by William Smallwood
. He was present at the battles of Princeton
(January 3, 1777), Brandywine
(September 11, 1777), and Monmouth
(June 28, 1778).
On September 12, 1814, a British
force of around 9,000 men was landed at North Point
in Maryland
, aiming to march upon and capture the city of Baltimore
. Stricker, as Brigadier General and commander of the third brigade of the Maryland Militia
, was ordered to delay the British advance, in order to buy enough time to complete the building of defensive fortifications around Baltimore
.
The fifth regiment
of the Maryland Militia
was assigned the task of holding the right flank of the American forces, and withstood two hours of rocket fire and artillery before eventually being ordered to fall back to the newly constructed line of trenches outside Baltimore
. The British army, many of whom were veterans of Napoleonic Wars
, were surprised by the strong resistance of the Maryland Militia and, having taken around 300 casualties, they withdrew.
The successful defense of Baltimore
was an important boost to American morale and directly contributed to the end of the War of 1812
.
Today The First and Second Battalions of the 175th Infantry, Maryland Army National Guard
, carry on the tradition of the 5th Maryland Regiment
.
General Stricker is buried at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground
in Baltimore.
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard is the Army component of the organized militia of the State of Maryland. It is headquartered at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore and has units at armories and other facilities across the state....
officer who fought in both the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. He commanded the Baltimore brigade of the Maryland Militia
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard is the Army component of the organized militia of the State of Maryland. It is headquartered at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore and has units at armories and other facilities across the state....
in the Battle of North Point
Battle of North Point
The Battle of North Point was fought on September 12, 1814, between General John Stricker's Maryland Militia and a British force led by Major General Robert Ross. Although tactically a British victory, the battle delayed the British advance against Baltimore, buying valuable time for the defense of...
on September 12, 1814, which formed a part of the larger Battle of Baltimore
Battle of Baltimore
The Battle of Baltimore was a combined sea/land battle fought between British and American forces in the War of 1812. It was one of the turning points of the war as American forces repulsed sea and land invasions of the busy port city of Baltimore, Maryland, and killed the commander of the invading...
, and was a turning point in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Early life
Stricker was born on February 15, 1759, at Frederick, MarylandFrederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
. He was the son of Colonel George Stricker, who served during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The younger Stricker served as a cadet under his father's command, in the 1st Maryland Regiment
1st Maryland Regiment
The 1st Maryland Regiment originated with the authorization of a Maryland Battalion of the Maryland State Troops on 14 January 1776...
, commanded by William Smallwood
William Smallwood
William Smallwood was an American planter, soldier and politician from Charles County, Maryland. He served in the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of major general...
. He was present at the battles of Princeton
Battle of Princeton
The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....
(January 3, 1777), Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
(September 11, 1777), and Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
(June 28, 1778).
Battle of North Point
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
force of around 9,000 men was landed at North Point
Battle of North Point
The Battle of North Point was fought on September 12, 1814, between General John Stricker's Maryland Militia and a British force led by Major General Robert Ross. Although tactically a British victory, the battle delayed the British advance against Baltimore, buying valuable time for the defense of...
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, aiming to march upon and capture the city of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. Stricker, as Brigadier General and commander of the third brigade of the Maryland Militia
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard is the Army component of the organized militia of the State of Maryland. It is headquartered at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore and has units at armories and other facilities across the state....
, was ordered to delay the British advance, in order to buy enough time to complete the building of defensive fortifications around Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.
The fifth regiment
5th Maryland Regiment
The designation "5th Maryland" has been held by several units over the years, not all of which necessarily share the same lineage and honors. The first such unit, the 5th Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 composing of eight companies of volunteers from the counties of Queen Anne's,...
of the Maryland Militia
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard is the Army component of the organized militia of the State of Maryland. It is headquartered at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore and has units at armories and other facilities across the state....
was assigned the task of holding the right flank of the American forces, and withstood two hours of rocket fire and artillery before eventually being ordered to fall back to the newly constructed line of trenches outside Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. The British army, many of whom were veterans of Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, were surprised by the strong resistance of the Maryland Militia and, having taken around 300 casualties, they withdrew.
The successful defense of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
was an important boost to American morale and directly contributed to the end of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Today The First and Second Battalions of the 175th Infantry, Maryland Army National Guard
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard is the Army component of the organized militia of the State of Maryland. It is headquartered at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore and has units at armories and other facilities across the state....
, carry on the tradition of the 5th Maryland Regiment
5th Maryland Regiment
The designation "5th Maryland" has been held by several units over the years, not all of which necessarily share the same lineage and honors. The first such unit, the 5th Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 composing of eight companies of volunteers from the counties of Queen Anne's,...
.
Family life
Stricker married Martha Bedford (1763–1816), daughter of Gunning Bedford, of Philadelphia, in 1783. They had six daughters and a son:- Mary (1784–1851)
- Catherine (1786–1860)
- Ann Eliza (1789–1843)
- Julianna (1797-?)
- Charlotte (1798–1826)
- Laura (1805–1877)
- John (1800–1837).
General Stricker is buried at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground
Westminster Hall and Burying Ground
The Westminster Hall and Burying Ground is a graveyard and former church located at 519 West Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Occupying the southeast corner of Fayette and Greene Street on the west side of downtown Baltimore, the site is probably most famous as the burial site...
in Baltimore.
External links
- Article from the Maryland Online Encyclopedia Retrieved November 2011
- Article on the Maryland Militia at the Battle of North Point, at the National Guard website Retrieved November 2011 Retrieved November 2011