The Battle of North Point took place concurrently with the British bombardment of nearby Fort McHenry. Having recently burned the nation's capital, British forces moved on to Baltimore; troops landing at North Point in the early morning hours of September 12, 1814, hoped to march into the city, burning and looting homes and businesses along their way. Already a distinguished general with a prolific career, General Ross had recently received notoriety for commanding the capture of Washington, D.C. and personally ordering the burning of the White House, Capital and other important local properties. Commanding the British forces at North Point as they attempted to make their advance, Ross was killed as the battle was just beginning. Two Baltimore teenagers, Daniel Wells (19) and Henry McComas (18), served as privates in Captain Edward Aisquith's Militia Rifle Company, and are credited with his killing. Ross was shot with a musket ball through his right arm and chest, and died shortly afterwards; both Wells and McComas were also killed during the battle. Defender's Day is celebrated on September 12 of each year to mark the decisive and unlikely American victory at Baltimore. In 1858, the remains of Wells and McComas were exhumed and then reinterred under a monument dedicated to them that stands at the corner of Gay and Monument Streets.

September 12, 1889, the incised date on this jug, marks the 75th anniversary of General Ross's death. Shirley & Son was a Baltimore merchant firm operating at that time, and it is probable that multiple jugs were produced to be sold in their shop concurrently with the anniversary.

The unusual, distorted form of this jug has been seen on two other extant Baltimore whiskey jugs. Both of those jugs are much smaller than this example, and bear stamped Baltimore advertising; they are also both clearly by the same maker as this piece, and were pinched on purpose. It is possible that the pinched effect was produced in order to make the jug more easily gripped by the hand.

This is a truly exceptional piece of American stoneware. The important inscription coupled with the extremely unusual form make this one of the finest pieces of Baltimore stoneware to have surfaced in recent years.