n Christmas Eve 1814, in Ghent, Belgium, after four
O
months of talks, the Treaty of Ghent was signed,
Though the War of 1812 was often called
“The Forgotten War,” of monumental note
is the fact that during this war America’s
national anthem was born.
On Sept. 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key peered
through clearing smoke to see an enormous
flag flying proudly after a 25-hour British
bombardment of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry.
Key was inspired to write a poem, which
was later set to music. Even before “The
Star-Spangled Banner” became our national
anthem, it helped transform the garrison
flag with the same name into a major
national symbol of patriotism and identity.
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bringing an end to the War of 1812.
On Christmas Eve 1814, on Cumberland Island,
Georgia, a British fleet (not having knowledge of the far
distant treaty event) anchored just off the coast and
took possession of Dungeness House, awaiting orders
for an attack on nearby Point Peter in St. Marys.
When the British arrived at the mansion, the
Dungeness House was beautifully decorated for the
holidays, and its occupants were dressed in their
holiday finery in preparation for an impending party.
The officer in charge sent everyone upstairs at first.
Then—history surmises—having caught sight of the
pretty young ladies who were guests of Dungeness,
relented and called the ladies in attendance to come
back downstairs and proceeded to host his own party.
With young officers and beautifully coifed young ladies
intermingling, the inevitable happened. It is reported
that two of the American lady guests at Dungeness that
evening eventually married two of the British officers.
Anne Sarah Couper from St. Simons Island married
Lieutenant John Fraser of the Royal Marines, and
Susannah Stafford of Cumberland Island married
Lieutenant George Drew Hawkins.
This story is just one of the well-kept secrets of the
War of 1812—the forgotten war. It has often been called
the forgotten war for some good reason. Few Americans
know very much about the War of 1812 beyond the
vague idea that it was fought with the British and that
there was a Battle of New Orleans involved. Part of the
reason for that vagueness may be that the war changed
very little in America: the end of the war restored the
status quo ante bellum, that is it left everything the way
it had been when the war began (except, of course, for
the dead and wounded and the looting.) Also, the end of
the war coincided with the end of the Napoleonic wars
(the War of 1812 ended six months before Waterloo)
and thus was overshadowed by the greater events going
on in Europe.
Another seemingly well-kept secret of the forgotten
war is the forgotten battle: the battle at Point Peter in
St. Marys on January 13, 1815. Contrary to popular
belief that the Battle of New Orleans was the last battle
of the War of 1812, the Battle at Point Peter took place
continued ...
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