Second Battle of St. Michaels

Second Battle of St. Michaels
Part of the War of 1812
Date August 26, 1813 Location near Saint Michaels, Maryland 38°48′47″N 76°14′59″W / 38.812968°N 76.249684°W / 38.812968; -76.249684 Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United Kingdom	United States
Commanders and leaders
George Cockburn Thomas Sydney Beckwith	Perry Benson
Units involved
Royal Navy * 1st Bn Royal Marines * 2nd Bn Royal Marines British Army * 102nd Regiment of Foot	12th Maryland Brigade * 4th Maryland Regiment * 26th Maryland Regiment * 9th Cavalry District
Strength
Land: 2,100	Land: 500
Casualties and losses
unknown	14 captured

The Second Battle of St. Michaels was a raid conducted on Maryland's Eastern Shore by British soldiers during the War of 1812. The raid occurred on August 26, 1813, at points between Tilghman Island and the town of St. Michaels, Maryland. Local militia defended against the raiders.

The Maryland Eastern Shore communities had access to the Chesapeake Bay, which was the main shipping route to important American cities such as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. St. Michaels was one of the communities with access to the bay, and was a target for the British because of its shipbuilding. About two weeks earlier, the town was successfully defended by artillerists from the local militia when British forces attacked on August 10 in the Battle of St. Michaels.

A large British force landed on the shore at Auld's Point early in the morning on August 26. After marching to the main road, the force split into a small group of 300 and a large group of about 1,800. The small group moved toward Tilghman Island in pursuit of a militia company. Two merchant vessels were burned and a small number of militiamen were captured. Most of the militia fled to safety. The larger group of British moved toward St. Michaels. They were confronted by Maryland militia numbering less than one third of the size of the British force. After a short exchange of artillery and musket fire, the British mysteriously withdrew.