Ross was riding gayly along by the side of Cockburn, laughing and jesting about making Baltimore his winter quarters, when on their left there suddenly rang out the sharp crack of a rifle, while a little puff of smoke curled up from the great black rock almost two hundred paces distant.

“Oh!” groaned the general, and jerking his rein, until his horse reared in the air, his chin fell on his chest, and he began to sink from the saddle.  Cockburn caught him and called for assistance.  They hurried him back to the boats, where he might have surgical aid; but he died before the boats were reached.

Fernando Stevens heard the sharp report on his right, as Ross fell, and, turning his eyes in that direction, saw the smoke slowly curling up from the muzzle of Sukey’s rifle.

“Say, Fernando, I ought to count three or four for that one, shouldn’t I?” Sukey coolly asked.  “He was a big one.” [Footnote:  The reader will pardon this slight deviation from history.  The real slayers of General Ross were two Baltimore mechanics, Wells and McComas, both of whom fell in the conflict on the same day, and to whose memory a monument has been erected by the citizens of Baltimore.]

The British were thrown into momentary confusion by the sudden death of General Ross; but Colonel Brooke rallied them, and Fernando’s riflemen fell back until they joined General Stricker’s men.

The British came on and a severe fight, which lasted two hours, ensued, when Stricker ordered a retreat to his reserve corps.  There he reformed a brigade and fell back toward the city, as far as Worthington’s Mill, where they were joined by General Winder and some fresh troops.

Fernando witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry during that terrible night, when Mr. Francis S. Key, a prisoner on board an English vessel, composed the song which immortalized him,—­“The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Not only Baltimore, but all the Chesapeake and coast was threatened by the British.  Cruisers by the score were threatening almost every seaport town.

The day after the unsuccessful bombardment of Fort McHenry, General Smith sent for Fernando Stevens, and when he was in the general’s head quarters, that officer said: 

“Captain Stevens, I would like to have you do a little detached duty.”

“General, I am willing to do whatever you wish.  You can command me at your pleasure.”

“There is a cruiser on the coast threatening a little town where some government stores have been placed for safety.  Will you undertake the defence of the town?”

“Certainly; I will do the best I can; but success will depend on my means.”

“How many men have you?”

“One hundred and fifty.”

“I will send fifty marines with you.”

“But artillery?”

“There are some nine-pounders and one long thirty-two at the village. 
Muster your men, hasten there at once, and do the best you can.”