May 5, 2013: The First Annual Burning of Georgetown, Maryland; a War of 1812 Reenactment: The Legend of Kitty Knight

The First Annual Burning of Georgetown, 

a War of 1812 reenactment

The Legend of Kitty Knight

The British invaded the Eastern Shore of Maryland during the War of 1812.

Their goal was to burn down houses and communities close to the shore to protect their soldiers as they moved about the Chesapeake area.

While the men marched to fight, older men, women and children were left to protect the area.

They were no match for trained British troops and many fled fearing for their safety.

As they approached the hill where two brick houses were located, they were met by Miss Kitty Knight. She stood her ground and pleaded with Admiral Cockburn not to burn the houses.

Her appeal so moved the commodore that he ordered the troops to their barges and left unburned a church and several houses standing there as monuments to her memory for this noble and hazardous act.