the fort's southwest bastion, despite a deadly rain of some 2,000 mortar shells that the British bombardment fleet fired at the fort. Because the Royal Navy proved unable to capture or reduce the fort in order to enter Baltimore harbor to bombard the main American defense line east of the city, British commander-in-chief Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane wrote to British Army commander Colonel Arthur Brooke that it was up to him whether to decide to attack or withdraw. Brooke, who had taken over from Major-General Robert Ross, who was mortally wounded just before the Battle of North Point on September 12, decided to withdraw. Later life Following the battle, Armistead was soon promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Much weakened by the arduous preparations for the battle, he died at age 38, only three years later; according to historian Benson Lossing, "the tax upon his nervous system during that bombardment left him with a disease of the heart ... on the 25 of April, 1818 he expired, at the age of thirty eight years." His funeral procession was described as "immense" and his name was immortalized by the construction of a marble monument which overlooks the city. Family Armistead's brother, Brevet Brigadier General Walker Keith Armistead, graduated from West Point in 1803. He was chief engineer of the Army from 1818 to 1821 and then served as colonel of the 3d Artillery Regiment until his death in 1845. He had a total of 42 years of service as a commissioned officer. A nephew of Armistead's, Lewis Armistead, the son of Walker Armistead, was a well known Confederate General in the American Civil War who died at the Battle of Gettysburg. The Star-Spangled Banner was given to Armistead following the bombardment of Fort McHenry, and was passed down through the family. His grandson, Ebenezer Appleton, lent it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1907 and made the loan permanent in 1912. Dates of rank Ensign, 7th U.S. Infantry – January 14, 1799 2nd lieutenant – March 3, 1799 1st lieutenant – May 14, 1800 Discharged – June 15, 1800. 1st lieutenant, 2nd Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers – February 16, 1801 Captain – November 1, 1806 Major, 3rd Artillery Regiment – March 3, 1813 Brevet Lieutenant Colonel – September 14, 1814 References Notes Bibliography George, Christopher T., Terror on the Chesapeake: The War of 1812 on the Bay, Shippensburg, Pa.,