John Stricker
Brigadier General, Maryland Militia

John Stricker was born 15 February 1759 at Frederick, MD. He was the son of Colonel George Stricker, who served during the Revolutionary War.

Stricker served as a cadet under his father's command, in the 1st Maryland Regiment, commanded by William Smallwood. He was present at the Battles of Princeton (3 January 1777), Brandywine (11 September 1777), and Monmouth (28 June 1778).

Battle of North Point

On 12 September 1814, a British force of around 9,000 men was landed at North Point in Maryland, aiming to march upon and capture the city of Baltimore. Stricker, as Brigadier General and Commander of the 3d Brigade of the Maryland Militia, was ordered to delay the British advance in order to buy enough time to complete the building of defensive fortifications around Baltimore.

The 5th Regiment of the Maryland Militia was assigned the task of holding the right flank of the American forces, and withstood two hours of rocket fire and artillery before eventually being ordered to fall back to the newly constructed line of trenches outside Baltimore. The British Army, many of whom were veterans of Napoleonic Wars, was surprised by the strong resistance of the Maryland Militia and, having taken around 300 casualties, they withdrew.

The successful defense of Baltimore was an important boost to American morale and directly contributed to the end of the War of 1812.

Today, the First and Second Battalions of the 175th Infantry, Maryland Army National Guard, carry on the tradition of the 5th Maryland Regiment.

Family

Stricker married Martha Bedford (1763-1816), daughter of Gunning Bedford of Philadelphia in 1783. They had six daughters and a son:

Mary (1784-1851)

Catherine (1786-1860)

Ann Eliza (1789-1843)

Julianna (1797-?)

Charlotte (1798-1826)

Laura (1805-1877)

John (1800-1837).

Death and Burial

Brigadier General John Stricker died on 23 June 1825 in Baltimore, MD. Stricker is buried at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground in Baltimore.