On Thursday, April 25th at 7 p.m. the Port Deposit Heritage Corporation presents an interesting War of 1812 living history program, “An Evening with Dr. William Beanes.
William Beanes, a well respected Maryland doctor, was captured by the British for his role in arresting and jailing British deserters and stragglers. Following his capture, Georgetown lawyer Francis Scott Key and U.S. Agent for Prisoner Exchange John S. Skinner were charged with securing Beanes release from the British. Before leaving on this mission, Skinner acquired letters from wounded British prisoners of war describing their good treatment at the hands of Americans. British Major General Robert Ross, who had ordered the seizure of Dr. Beans, was initially unwilling to release the doctor. He was later persuaded after reading the letters from the wounded British prisoners.
Although they had accomplished their mission, Beans, Key and Skinner’s return home was postponed when the British decided to attack Baltimore. They were placed on a flag-of-truce ship, anchored at Old Roads Bay on the Patapsco River, eight miles below Fort McHenry.
This should be an interesting program and here is the event poster with more details.
