The caption reads “A VIEW of the BOMBARDMENT of Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, by the British fleet taken from the Observatory under the Command of Admirals Cochrane & Cockburn on the morning of the 13th of Sept 1814 which lasted 24 hours & thrown from 1500 to 1800 shells in the Night attempted to land by forcing a passage up the ferry branch but were repulsed with great loss.” (Wikimedia Commons public domain)
If someone shares this tale with you — I’m informed that it’s become quite popular in some circles — please don’t pass it on.
Except, perhaps, as an illustration of sloppy and inaccurate historical claims:
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