It was some of the natural events that make you go
Hmmmm. The raging storm that saved DC from burning to the ground after the Brits torched the WH, the winds and tide that bottled up the British fleet in the Chesapeake and led to the decision after Bladensburg to backtrack and attack Baltimore instead of continuing to pillage down the Atlantic seaboard, the raging storm that struck during the Battle of Ft McHenry, hampering the aim and effect of the British bombardment.
The extremely fortuitous MD militia planning and battle results defeating the British infantry at North Point on Sep 12 and killing their Commander. And then the death or capture of over 1000 British infantry during the raging stormy night as they attempted a landing from the Patapsco to attack the Fort from the rear
My son chose to do a history project on the SSB so we learned a lot!
BTW did your source state that a Defender killed at Ft McHenry was a Black man, William “Frederick” Williams, a slave who escaped a MD plantation that was burned by the Brits, and lied his way into the MD Infantry to fight the British? The Brits were offering the slaves amnesty and freedom to fight against America ( the “ hirelings and slaves” mentioned in verse of Key’s poem) but Williams chose to fight and died for America
No it didn’t.
However, did you know that after the Bladensburg Races, Pres. Madison was in the saddle nearly 30 hours trying to catch up with the Army?
He left Sec. State James Monroe in charge, and Monroe had ALREADY assumed the duties of the absent Sec War (who might have resigned by then-—can’t recall.)