British into firing over the town. Some even say that the only house hit by the British was the house of shipbuilder William Merchant. However, Benson's report said "Some of the houses were perforated....", and did not mention any deception. More doubt can be placed on the legend since it was probably already daylight by the time the British fired at the town. Preservation The St. Michaels Historic District has over 300 structures. William Merchant's home, now known as the Cannonball House, in addition to being part of the historic district, has been part of the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. The battle, also commemorated by the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, is discussed by two local museums: the St. Michaels Museum at St. Mary's Square, and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Notes Footnotes Citations References Further reading External links The Town That Fooled the British, St Michaels MD - YouTube St. Michaels Harbor - YouTube (31 seconds) War of 1812 Chesapeake Campaign... - U.S. Army St. Michaels St. Michaels 1813 in Maryland St. Michael's St. Michael's Talbot County, Maryland August 1813 events