A National Anthem is Penned in the Quest to Maintain Independence

 

A National Anthem is Penned in the Quest to Maintain Independence

“And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.”

“Defence of Ft. M’Henry” by Francis Scott Key

On the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland, there is an iconic fort overlooking the Chesapeake Bay which defended the United States during the war of 1812 from British attack and also gave the United States of America its national anthem. That landmark is Fort McHenry where Francis Scott Key penned the Star Spangled banner after the American victory over the British on September 13-14, 1814.

The site, maintained by the National Park Service consists of a visitor’s center and the star shaped fort as well as manicured grounds next to the Baltimore harbor.

On the grounds, there is a museum dedicated to the battle and Francis Scott Key. There are interactive exhibits that describe the progress of the war with the British actually capturing Washington, DC a month earlier and burning the White House in hopes of regaining control of the United States. After that, the British army proceeded up the Chesapeake to Baltimore in hopes of capturing that city.

Visitors can browse through the star shaped fort built during the American Revolution and get a guided tour by a park ranger who will point out the battle progress along the Chesapeake Bay. The fort has a courtyard in the center with barracks and military administrative buildings around the perimeter. The fort served as a prison during the American Civil War, was a hospital during World War I and a Coast Guard base during World War II.

It is a very popular tourist attraction with school groups and scout groups coming from all over the United States. There were busses with children wearing T-shirts and sweatshirts from the American west such as California and Idaho as well as Maryland school children sporting Baltimore Orioles and University of Maryland merchandising. The park service employees enlist the help of the young people with a giant flag folding ceremony in which all may hold a part of the enormous flag and learn proper flag etiquette.

Francis Scott Key, born and educated in Maryland, was a lawyer and a deeply religious man who objected to the war of 1812, however, being a patriot, he decided to enlist to help the war effort. The British army captured a prominent physician, Dr. William Beanes and Key, being a well-known lawyer, was asked to assist in the doctor’s release. He and Colonel John Skinner, a government agent arranged for a prisoner exchange by agreeing to meet the Royal Navy on September 5, in a small American flag-of-truce vessel on the Chesapeake Bay.

During the battle, Key was on a boat with Dr. Beanes and Colonel Skinner. After twenty-five hours of continuous bombing, the British decided to retreat since they were unable to destroy the fort as they had hoped or advance towards Baltimore. Realizing that the British had ceased the attack, Key looked toward the fort to see if the flag was still there. To his relief, the flag was still flying! Quickly, he wrote down the words to a poem which was soon handed out as a handbill under the title “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” Later the poem was put to music and the Star Spangled Banner became the national anthem in 1931.

The Star Spangled Banner eulogizes the American victory in the War of 1812 which resolved many issues left over from the American Revolution. Today, Americans sing the Star Spangled Banner at sporting events and patriotic ceremonies and hold their hands over their hearts because of the lasting legacy that Francis Scott Key penned after the attack on Fort McHenry.

About the Author: Eileen Sateriale is a Government worker who writes in her spare time. She lives in Methuen, Massachusetts.

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