Matilda O’Neill Wood (Image: Maryland Center for History and Culture)
“Heroine of Havre de Grace”
1796-1867
In the late spring of 1813, the British Navy under Rear Admiral George Cockburn was in the midst of a campaign of plunder and destruction along the upper eastern shore of Maryland, looting and destroying settlements and fisheries up and down the coast. Familiar places such as Frenchtown, Georgetown, Fredericktown, Poole’s and Tilghman’s islands, among many others, felt the full fury of the marauding British forces.
In the pre-dawn hours of the 3rd of May, Admiral Cockburn’s formidable Squadron, including his flagship, HMS Maidstone, lay at anchor off Turkey Point just across the Susquehanna Flats from Havre de Grace. From smaller launches and barges in the flats, Cockburn’s guns began shelling the sleepy little town of Havre de Grace at dawn, raining down rockets, shrapnel and solid shot throughout the village. On the southern outskirts of the town lay a small breastwork of six cannon on Concord Point referred to by townspeople as the “Potato Battery.” Though some debate within the historical research community exists as to the true location and actions of this battery, there is no debate as to the heroic efforts of John O’Neill, a 2nd Lieutenant in the Maryland Militia and resident of Havre de Grace, in attempting to drive off the British Marines headed across the flats in small barges.
The battery, manned by a few local militia members, mostly aged and ill-trained citizens, opened fire as the Royal Marines approached in the early morning hours, but British return fire forced the assembled militia, save Lt. O’Neill, to abandon their position and flee for refuge. Lt. John O’Neill was steadfast, determined to do all he could to stave off the British and defend the town. Loading one of the cannon on his own, he fired, but the recoiling piece ran over his leg injuring him. Determined in spite of his injured leg, he fell back into town and along with another townsman from the nail factory, continued firing his musket at the British troops until running out of ammunition. Retreating to the town commons, Lt. O’Neill was captured and taken prisoner by the British and brought onboard the HMS Maidstone, flagship of Admiral Cockburn’s squadron. The British troops then ransacked the town, burning several businesses in their wake.
Admiral Cockburn believed that his squadron was intentionally fired upon by an armed mob while “peacefully” sailing past Havre de Grace and since John O’Neill and the other militia members were not in uniform, they should be executed “for their overt acts against armed forces of His Britannic Majesty.” He sentenced Lt. O’Neill and the other prisoners to be shot at dawn the following morning.
Heroine of Havre de Grace
Upon hearing the dreadful news of her father’s capture, 15-year-old Matilda O’Neill summoned the courage and patriotic passion she inherited from her father and set out to rescue him from his imminent fate. Legend has it, that without a word to anyone, Matilda commandeered an empty skiff at the dock and rowed out to the HMS Maidstone, climbed the Jacob’s ladder and requested an audience with Admiral Cockburn; it is more likely that she convinced a delegation of the town magistrates to let her join them on their mission of mediation, but her passion and courage are to be admired regardless. When escorted to Admiral Cockburn, she pleaded with him to release her father as he was merely doing his duty when he fired on the British boats headed towards town.
Admiral Cockburn responded to her request by stating that John O’Neill was merely a civilian, and as such, had no right to fire on the British. Matilda countered that her father was an officer in the state militia and told the admiral that she would produce her father’s commission if it would clear the charges against him. Members of the state militias rarely responded in uniform in local emergencies unless called to formation before an action. Admiral Cockburn agreed to wait for her to row back to town and retrieve her father’s commission papers. Determined to persevere, Matilda succeeded and returned with her evidence. Admiral Cockburn kept his word and ordered that Lt. John O’Neill be released.
In tribute to her courage and tenacity, the Admiral presented to Matilda a gold-lined tortoise shell snuff box and according to legend said, “Keep this for remembrance of Admiral George Cockburn, who admires loyalty and bravery in his enemies as he rewards the same virtues in his men.” That very same handsome token of respect from a senior British Naval Officer to a 15-year-old courageous village girl was gifted to the Maryland Historical Society by a granddaughter of Matilda’s and remains in their possession today. Matilda received an additional honor when her snuff box design was used to create one of several engraved scenes on Harford County’s gift of a pair of silver entrée dishes, presented along with other silver service pieces from all of the counties to the US Navy for service on the armored cruiser USS Maryland in 1906. The complete service was transferred to the newly commissioned battleship, USS Maryland in 1921 and is currently displayed in the silver room of the state capitol in Annapolis.
Matilda would grow to marry a man named John Wood, raise a family and lead a somewhat quiet life; perhaps in her mind she would relive her heroic adventure from time to time as she reminisced about her childhood and the horrifying events that unfolded that spring day in 1813. She would pass into eternal life on the 18th of Sept 1867 and lies with members of her family in quiet slumber in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore City.
Honoring Matilda
As with her father John O’Neill’s headstone, Matilda’s headstone also contains a short, but descriptive epitaph that leaves the curious visitor with the question, what did she do to earn the everlasting distinction of, “Heroine of War 1812?” There is nothing posted to enlighten the passersby as to her story. Matilda’s heroism is remembered on the memorial cannon and plaque at the Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace, but virtually nothing outside of town, including the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail system, offers those interested in her story any insight to her courageous act.
As a lasting tribute to her memory and heroism, we obtained generous donations from the Office of Harford County Executive, Barry Glassman, The Maryland Society of The War of 1812, the Maryland Chapter of the National Society United States Daughters of 1812, and others to commission a memorial plaque for her gravesite that tells her story to all that may pass her way. The memorial consists of a treated bronze plaque mounted to a granite base placed in front of her headstone. Matilda is interred with her daughters Susan, Mary, and Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s husband William Welsh’s family. Elizabeth’s father-in-law, William Sr., was a 14-year-old private in the 5th Regiment, “Independent Blues,” Maryland Infantry during the War of 1812; he would later become one of the founding members of the Maryland Society of The War of 1812.
We would like to thank all those whose generous donations and time helped us to complete this important project to recognize an important figure in the history of the Northern Chesapeake region.
