Description:

War of 1812 1812 - 1815

"The British ... have burnt the Capitol ... made an attack on Baltimore the day before yesterday and had a very smart engagement but was compeled to Retreat to there Shiping..."; it was aboard a British ship in Baltimore harbor on the day this letter was written that Francis Scott Key wrote the "The Star Spangled Banner".

Autograph letter signed "Jesse Timms," three pages, 7" x 8.25", front and verso on two conjoined sheets. No place, September 14, 1814. Addressed on fourth page to "Mr William Robertson / State of Ohio" notations "favd by / Mr Jno Williams" and"Harrison County." Seal tear does not affect any writing. Uniformly soiled. Very good condition.

In full: "Dear Sir I have again taken up pen to write to you which is this fourth time since I have Recd any letter from you, and knowing that you have Recd some of my letters I made up my mind not to write to you again until I heard from you by Letter, in fact I knew not where to write to, but this opportunity by Mr Williams being so good I was compeled to Brake my promise.

I am compeled to say you have treated me as well as all the Rest of your friends with a great deal of disrespect in not writing to let us know that you had Returned from Camp, and of your Situation and where you was home, I was always treated you as a friend and near Relation, and am sorry to say you have not done so by me Since you have been in that Country you Certainly have been undutiful to your poor old Father he has been once to see me since the death of your Mother and complains very much of your not Writing, he has wrote to me Several times beging of me if ever I hear from you to infirm him Imediately by letter. Mrs Bradshaw begs me to give you a little lashing for her - however as we at such a distance from each other and it has been so long since we had the pleasure of being together I will not quarrel with you any more at this time, but if we had you here I think we should be very apt, not only to quarrel but lash you in bargain -

I shall say nothing about the neighbourhood as Mr Williams can inform you times is extremely hard here everything we have to buy is three prices and we can get little or nothing for what we have to sell I yesterday gave $6 for one Bushell of Salt and I have no doubt it will be $10 in a short time, you have heard before this that the British has taken the City and Alexandria and have burnt the Capitol with all the Push of the public Buildings, every man in this County from 18 to 45 has been called on and is now Stationed at Baltimore and ere this I fear many of them gone to their long home, for the British made an attack on Baltimore the day before yesterday and had a very smart engagement but was compeled to Retreat to there Shiping.

Our Loudon Malitia was in the engagement but I have heard no particulars yet it is thought there will be constant fighting there untill the British takes the place or gets convinced they cannot do it - we have 18 or 20,000 men there and the place will not be surrendered without a great deal of Blood shed. I got a man to take my place for which I gave him $110. I had the good luck to get one not 18 years of age or else I should have been amongst them and my tower was for 6 months - my family is not very well at present the Children has been very unwell but are all better except John who was taken very sick this day - Linny was delivered of Another Son the 6th Inst and Calls his name Henry. She is very well at present Rose had a Son Born in May last - another one she had before was a boy and both Black, my family is now got up to the number of 13 and 2 that is out makes the Round Number of 15 -

Tell Sally that her brother James was at my house this Week, and that himself and both her other Brothers are well, James Weighs about 190 - Mr Norris's family is well . John Norriss Junr has been dead about 2 years & James Norriss is at Canada in the Army. I must conclude my letter as it is now half past Eleven OClock at night - Mrs Bradshaw and Anney Joins with me in Love to you and Sally and begs at the same time that you will

Work Something to let us know how you all are. I must conclude my Subscribing my Self your friend and well wisher - Jesse Timms

N.B. When Mr Williams moved out Linncy sent Sally several little Articles and I enclosed a small trifle to her in a letter I should like to know in your next of they were Recd."

That morning, at the dawn's light, aboard British shipping, HMS "Tonnant," in Baltimore Harbor, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the attack on Baltimore on the night of September 13-14, 1814, wrote the poem which became the lyrics of "The Star Spangled Banner."

William Robertson (1783-1874), a slave overseer in Loudoun County, Virginia, moved to Harrison County, Ohio, after 1809. The "Loudoun County Marriage Bonds" lists Robertson as marrying Sarah Fernandis on March 8, 1809; Jesse Timms was Best Man. Robertson's mother was Mary Timms so Jesse most probably was related to Robertson. In 1812, Robertson enlisted under General William Henry Harrison and followed him through several campaigns. This may be why his good friend Robertson didn't answer Timms' four letters.

In 1804, Jesse Timms (1768-1837) became manager of the Oatlands, a 3500 acre wheat plantation in Loudoun County, Virginia. Oatlands was owned by George Carter, great-grandson of Virginia Colonial Governor Robert "King" Carter. The Loudon County Militia participated in the Battle of Baltimore and remained in the area for another week following the British retreat.

In the Loudoun County "Pole Tax on Free Negroes & Mulattoes - males only" records for 1814, "List of Jesse Timms," the names of 11 FN ("Free Negroes") are listed with notations that three slaves are "over 16." Two other names are listed without a FN notation probably meaning they were Mulattoes. Timms' statement "Rose had a Son Born in May last - another one she had before was a boy and both Black, my family is now got up to the number of 13 and 2 that is out makes the Round Number of 15" may reflect the 13 (11 FN + 2 Mulattoes) plus the 2 Rose had. Jesse and Linncy Uln Timms (1781-1835) had three sons and three daughters, each born prior to 1814.

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