Baltimore American

City: Baltimore

County: Baltimore

State: Maryland

Originating on May 14, 1799 as the Baltimore American and Daily Advertiser, the Baltimore American was one of the most influential newspapers in Baltimore. During the debates over the U.S. Constitution, the American espoused anti-federalist sentiment, but these views eventually gave way to a grudging support of the Constitution. During the War of 1812, the paper continued to operate without interruption until September 1814, when the publisher suspended publication for ten days to assist in the defense of Baltimore against the British. After the war, the paper continued to grow in statute, circulation, and prosperity. The paper was staunching pro-Union during the secession crisis, and during the Civil War gave the Union cause its full editorial support. Baltimore American reporters traveled with the Army of the Potomac, giving the paper an advantage over its rivals in collecting and publishing war news.

Clayton Coleman Hall, Baltimore: Its History and Its People (New York: Lewis, 1912), 1:702-703.