News of the war, including the fact that a cousin, Benjamin Nicholson (1788-1813), was killed at the battle of York in Upper Canada, 27 April 1813. Also, "Baltimore has been in great commotion in expectation of a visit from the British, they are again very near us, and their having burned so many little Towns around us, makes them a dreadful foe — most of the females have left the place, and but that Mr Montgomery now Attorney General of Maryland would be here to fight, I suppose if I had had a place of refuge I should have flown too —" Hannah Nicholson Gallatin's distress at the death in Washington of "Black John," a slave or servant; news of Maria's young son, James Nicholson Montgomery, called Nicholson; departure of Albert Gallatin for Russia (where he was to be one of the envoys seeking to negotiate a peace with Britain).