Sept 12-15, 1814 American troops defended the city during the Battle of Baltimore. Major General Robert Ross of the British Army had sailed north after burning Washington DC intent on taking Baltimore. The Naval standoff at Fort McHenry was immortalized in The Star Spangled Banner.

Further east at North Point Ross landed his forces to march on the city.

Two young local privates, Daniel Wells and Henry Gough McComas, aged 18 and 19, enlisted in Baltimore and served as privates in Captain Edward Aisquith’s Sharpshooters of the 1st Rifle Battalion of the Maryland Militia during the Battle.

As Maj Gen Ross marched at the head of his men he was shot by Wells and McComas who were, in turn, fired upon and killed by Ross’s troops. Ross died later.

The two young men became martyrs of the battle. They were originally buried at Greenmount Cemetery but were later interred at the Wells  McComas Monument at the north end of the mall on defenders day (Sept 12) 1858.