The British landed a force of 5,000 troops who marched toward Baltimore and first met heavy resistance at the Battle of North Point which was fought about 5 miles (8 km) from the city.
 The city's defense was under the overall command of Major General Samuel Smith, an officer of the Maryland Militia.
 He dispatched roughly 3,000 men under the command of General John Stricker to meet the British in a forward engagement.
General Stricker was to stall the British invasion force in order to delay the British advance long enough for Major General Smith to complete the defenses in Baltimore.
The land invasion force for the British was led by Ross, who would be killed in the second shift of the American defense by an American sharpshooter (It has been suggested that either Daniel Wells or Henry McComas of Captain Aisquith's rifle company, of the 5th Maryland Militia regiment, were responsible, and both killed shortly afterwards).
With Ross's death the British army came under the command of Colonel Arthur Brooke.
 However, the Americans had already begun to form an organized retreat back to the main defenses of Baltimore, where they awaited a British assault.
The British landed a force of 5,000 troops who marched toward Baltimore and first met heavy resistance at the Battle of North Point which was fought about 5 miles (8 km) from the city.  The city's defense was under the overall command of Major General Samuel Smith, an officer of the Maryland Militia.  He dispatched roughly 3,000 men under the command of General John Stricker to meet the British in a forward engagement. General Stricker was to stall the British invasion force in order to delay the British advance long enough for Major General Smith to complete the defenses in Baltimore. The land invasion force for the British was led by Ross, who would be killed in the second shift of the American defense by an American sharpshooter (It has been suggested that either Daniel Wells or Henry McComas of Captain Aisquith's rifle company, of the 5th Maryland Militia regiment, were responsible, and both killed shortly afterwards). With Ross's death the British army came under the command of Colonel Arthur Brooke.  However, the Americans had already begun to form an organized retreat back to the main defenses of Baltimore, where they awaited a British assault.
Battle of Baltimore