Was the flag at Fort McHenry held up bodies? Armistead soon hired a 29-year-old widow and professional flagmaker, Mary Young Pickersgill of Baltimore, Maryland, to make a garrison flag measuring 30 by 42 feet with 15 stars and 15 stripes (each star and stripe representing a state). Undoing her work required unbelievable precision. In 1931 the song became the national anthem of the United States. (Man's voice) There was a lawyer once, his name was Francis Scott Key. Among the preparations were upgrades of Fort McHenry, a 32-pound cannon battery along the waters edge, fortifications at Lazaretto Point, and additional batteries arrayed along the banks of the Patapsco. [19] It was flown at Fort McHenry in 1824 at a reception for the Marquis de Lafayette during his tour of America. According to the Smithsonian Archives, this October 1944 photograph shows: "The headquarters area of the United States National Museum storage facilityin Luray, Virginia, near Shenandoah National Park." The government, therefore, turned to the many merchants and private sailors inhabiting its ports, issuing licenses to those who wished to gain financially from capturing enemy vessels. Please select all the ways you would like to hear from Lead Stories LLC: You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. It is unclear if that was done during this battle, but the fact that it was raining made it more likely that a smaller storm flag would have flown during much of the bombardment. Still, the decision for ground troops to either advance or retreat fell to Colonel Arthur Brooke, who had assumed command following the death of the much-esteemed General Robert Ross at North Point the previous day. The Maryland militia commander, Maj. Gen. Samuel Smith, orders Brig. He said 'We're going to remove it from the face of the earth.' At 6:30 a.m.,on September 13, 1814,the first of an estimated 1,800 cast-iron bomb shells were hurled at the masonry walls of Fort McHenry. It is baffling why anyone would fabricate historical facts that would then be assumed to be authentic. With the recent completion of the project, the Star-Spangled Banner will remain an icon of American history that can still be seen by the public. While ordering his men to drive off the American riflemen, Ross is shot in the chest and dies a few hours later. That changed after architects designed the new National Museum of History and Technology, now the National Museum of American History, with space to allow the flag to hang. A large flag, but one not unusual for the time. In 1814, the United States flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes. Through the clouds of the war the stars of that banner still shone in my view, and I saw the discomforted host of its assailants driven back in ignominy to theirships. This British defeat was a turning point in the War of 1812, leading both sides to reach a peace agreement later that year. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! The privateers were armed, and their work was legally sanctioned. Started in 1996, the Star-Spangled Banner preservation projectwhich includes the flag's conservation and the creation of its new display in the renovated museumwas planned with the help of historians, conservators, curators, engineers and organic scientists. Terms of Use He said 'It's full of women and children.' The Americans withdraw to Baltimore and Brooke halts for the rest of the day to consolidate his forces. Remember, there were no colonies, only states, in 1814. Duke closely covered domestic terrorism cases for CNN, including the Oklahoma City federal building bombing, the UNABOMBER and search for Southeast bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. The short video below introduces a method used by Amelia Fowler, who was hired in 1914 to help preserve the flag. The flag and many other treasures were crated up and sent to Luray, Virginia, for safekeeping. Your Privacy Rights Bodies of the dead were not used to hold up the flag pole a 42 by 30 foot flag has to be on a well-anchored pole, not held up by a few dead bodies stacked around it. After landing unopposed, they advance toward Baltimore. "The Star-Spangled Banner is a symbol of American history that ranks with the Statue of Liberty and the Charters of Freedom," says Brent D. Glass, the museum's director. Joining them is the rocket ship HMSErebus, which launches the newly invented Congreve rockets. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Francis Scott Key went down below and told the men what was about to happen. With the construction of the conservation lab completed in 1999, conservators began their work. He said 'If you will, scan the horizon of the sea,' and as he looked he could see hundreds of little dots and he said 'That's the entire British war fleet.' Francis Scott Key stood aboard the deck of an American truce ship on September 14, 1814 and watched the raising of Fort McHenry's large garrison flag over the ramparts. So the old flag survives, bathed in dim light, floating out of the darkness, just as it did on that uncertain morning at Fort McHenry. No, Mary Pickersgill did not make a mathematical error. Major General Robert Ross was sent to command all British forces on the East Coast of the United States, with Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane leading a fleet of warships. Cookie Policy Without this can be done it will only bethrowing the Men's lives away:. The flag we all know as the star-spangled banner is a massive 30 by 42 feet in size and sewn of wool bunting. The flag pole itself was at a crazy angle, but the flag was still at the top. Although other East Coast ports were used by privateers, Baltimore was an especially busy haven for these sailors, who were paid generously for their work. The British set sail for New Orleans. Several of these cuttings from the Star-Spangled Banner have been located over the years, including about a dozen that are owned by the American History Museum. [25] Preble had the flag quilted to a canvas sail, and unfurled it at the Boston Navy Yard to take the first known photograph of it. The Star-Spangled Banner, or the Great Garrison Flag, was the garrison flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor during the naval portion of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812. "I was taking part in a special National Park Service maintenance training program," says Boyd. When markings on the flag were investigated and analyzed, they were found to be from iron corrosion. In this photo from the Smithsonian Archives, Smithsonian collections are crated and covered with a tarp to be transferred to a storage facility in Luray, Virgina, for safekeeping during World War II. The British attack on Baltimore had began in earnest. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Directives from London were clear that once troops went ashore, combat decisions belonged with the army rather than the navy, but such guidance had not anticipated that those soldiers might be under the command of a mere colonel. After the Battle of Baltimore. "There's a legend that the star was buried with one of the soldiers from Fort McHenry; another says that it was given to Abraham Lincoln," says Kendrick. Fifteen stars and fifteen stripes (one star has been cut out) Raised over Fort . The Smithsonian has created a permanent exhibition to document the flag's history and significance, called "The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem". O Say Can You See: The Bombardment of Fort McHenry. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. But not everyone was a fan. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. Its message was clear: The British threat had passed, and Baltimore was saved. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Initially, the British strategy during the War of 1812 had been defensive. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Flag Officer Andrew Foote were commissioned to lead a joint expedition to seize the twin forts. In the first phase, the team removed the linen support backing that was attached to the flag during the 1914 restoration. The larger of the two flags had stripes two feet wide, and stars 24 inches from point to point. To preserve this American icon, experts at the National Museum of American History recently completed an eight-year conservation treatment with funds from Polo Ralph Lauren, The Pew Charitable Trusts and the U.S. Congress. No, Mary Pickersgill did not make a mathematical error. They appeared over time as the iron particles corroded. "Our goal was to extend [the flag's] usable lifetime," says Suzanne Thomassen-Krauss, the conservator for the project. From the early morning hours on September 14, Fort McHenry had withstood a sustained attack by the British fleet, commanded by Admiral Cochrane. In 1814, the United States flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes. He was on an American truce ship at the time. As twilight began to fall and as the haze hung over the ocean as it does at sunset, suddenly, the British war fleet unleashed. He was elated and relieved, certain that God had intervened. [34][36][37] The flag was restored by Amelia Fowler in 1914. A replica 17'x25' storm flag flying over Fort McHenry . On September 12, 1814, 5,000 British soldiers and a fleet of 19 ships attacked Baltimore. [6] It now measures 30 by 34 feet (9.1 by 10.4m). The exploding shells and rocket fire from British warships inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the lyrics to the Star-Spangled Banner.Seeing no way to penetrate American defenses, the British withdrew their troops and gave up their Chesapeake Campaign. [2], With fifteen stripes, the Star-Spangled Banner remains the only official American flag to bear more than thirteen stripes.[3]. This revelation was famously captured in poetry by Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer and amateur poet. The attack on Fort McHenry in Baltimore's harbor was a pivotal moment in the War of 1812 as it successfully thwarted the Chesapeake Bay campaign the Royal Navy had been waging against the United States. Corbis On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in. The American colonies had prisoners and the British had prisoners and the American government initiated a move, they went to the British and they said 'Let us negotiate for the release of these prisoners.' 2023 Smithsonian Magazine And he said 'Men, I've got news for you tonight. [40][41], In 1964, the flag was moved across the National Mall to the newly opened Museum of History and Technology (now the National Museum of American History). Each of the eight stars represented a Confederate state in March 1861 when the flag was adopted. (Image:93-13286-2 and SIA2008-2449.). These words were written by Key and set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven" by John Stafford Smith, a popular song at the time. This could have resulted from metal buckles or straps or tacks on belts used to hold the flag. He wanted to be sure the British could see the United States colors from their distant warships. Museum collections stored in building having dormer windows. according to scholars at Washington's presidential library. The Surgernor post includes the message "Here is a video I produced several years ago that tells the true story of our National Anthem. The admiral came and he said 'Your people are insane.' https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2019/04/fake-news-our-national-anthem-video-not-true-story-of-star-spangled-banner.html, Fake News: Nancy Pelosi Did NOT Have 150-Year-Old Sign Removed From House Chamber Entrance, Fake News: Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar DID NOT Praise the Destruction of Notre Dame. All that he (Key) could hear was the men down below praying. He said 'Don't they understand this is an impossible situation?' [42], A conservation effort was undertaken in 1982 to protect the flag from damage due to dust and light. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine Visitor Center. An interactive component allows site visitors to closely explore features of the flag in detail, download an audio-descriptive tour of the exhibition for the visually-impaired, and hear the song performed on original instruments from the National Museum of American History's collection. Over the next several years, they clipped 1.7 million stitches from the flag to remove a linen backing that had been added in 1914, lifted debris from the flag using dry cosmetic sponges and brushed it with an acetone-water mixture to remove soils embedded in fibers. This was not updated until April 4, 1818, so Pickersgill sewed on 15 stars. For the next 50 years, with the exception of a brief move during World War II, the Star-Spangled Banner was displayed in what is now the Arts and Industries Building. The colonies were engaged in vicious conflict with the mother country, Britain. Every purchase supports the mission. But by 9:30 a.m., Admiral Cochrane knew his fleet would be mired for the foreseeable future those shore batteries, coupled with a chain-mast boom, sunken vessels, U.S. gun boats and the Lazaretto Battery, presented a formidable harbor defensive line and any infantry assault would lack naval support. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. March 1, 2007 A conservator works on the Star-Spangled Banner in 1914. a star-shaped fort perfectly situated on the Baltimore Harbor. Part of the larger Battle of Baltimore, the Battle of Fort McHenry saw the fort's garrison defeat a British fleet that had been advancing on the city. There were more than 15 states when the flag was made, but there are only 15 stars on the flag. War & Affiliation War of 1812 / American. He said 'We have told them that if they will lower that flag, the shelling will stop immediately and we'll know that they've surrendered and you'll now be under British rule.'. The British were more concerned with defeating Napoleon in Europe than fighting a minor war with the United States. For making the Star-Spangled Banner, Mary was paid $405.90. It has fifteen horizontal red and white stripes, as well as fifteen white stars in the blue field. "But no real evidence has surfaced to support these stories, and the true fate of the star remains one of the Smithsonian's great unsolved mysteries." These ships fire exploding mortar shellsat high angles into the fort. Coming in at 17 x 25 feet, this storm flag was much smaller and was designed to withstand tough weather, such as the raging winds and pouring rain that occurred during the Battle of Baltimore. [23], In 1873, Appleton lent the flag to George Henry Preble, a naval officer who had written a popular history of the American flag. More than 1,500 cannonballs, shells, and rockets are fired, but only inflict light damage thanks to fortification efforts completed before the battle. Huge, vibrant, and rich in history, most Americans are familiar with the story of this particular flag: It's the one that flew overFort McHenrythe morning after the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812 and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that would one day become our national anthem. Tensions were high in the British command infrastructure. He said 'All of the gun power, all of the armament is being called upon to demolish that fort. Robert M. Poole is the magazine's contributing editor. Is the "Our National Anthem" video produced by Robert Surgernor the true story of "The Star Spangled Banner"? The striking visual has pervaded our national imagination: The first rays of a new day reveal the symbol of a nation young but strong standing defiant in the face of our foes. "The Star-Spangled Banner resonates with people in different ways, for different reasons," says Kathleen Kendrick, curator for the Star-Spangled Banner preservation project. Alanstudt.com A t 6:30 a.m., on September 13, 1814, the first of an estimated 1,800 cast-iron bomb shells were hurled at the masonry walls of Fort McHenry. He said 'We will still honor our commitment to release these men, but it will be merely academic after tonight, it won't matter.' Or, maybe it was another flag. Wayne Boyd, the park's Acting Maintenance Chief, discovered hidden rot in the existing flagpole, prompting the need for a replacement. Militarily, Baltimore was a far more important city than Washington because of its thriving port and strategic location. More than two hundred years since the perilous fight" over Baltimore, the legacies of the Old Defenders of Baltimore of 1814 are remembered annually on Defenders' Day.And the American flag now with 50 stars rather than 15 flies, by presidential proclamation, over Fort McHenry day and night. At the time, the practice of adding stripes (in addition to stars) with the induction of a new state had not yet been discontinued. The garrison flag is raised every morning at reveille, but on this daySeptember 14, 1814its presence has special significance. But just what did that flag, that for and those defenders endure?. The failed bombardment of Fort McHenryforces Brooke to abandon the land assault on Baltimore. There is conflicting evidence as to which flag, the larger garrison flag or the smaller storm flag, flew over the fort during the battle. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. First, there were no "colonies" in 1814. It is on exhibit at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Key's tactics were successful, but because he and his companions had gained knowledge of the impending attack on Baltimore, the British did not let them go. [48], Following the reopening of the museum on November 21, 2008, the flag is now on display in a two-story display chamber that allows it to lie at a 10-degree angle in dim light. Brooke collects the main body of the British troops and presses forward. The most recent flagpole at Fort McHenry dated to 1989. I've often been fighting back tears during the National Be Y's 7/3/16 7:55pm May God bless America on our Independence Day!" It was eventually retitled The Star-Spangled Banner. The composition was sung at patriotic gatherings and political events for more than a century before President Herbert Hoover proclaimed it the national anthem of the United States in 1931. In 1813,Mary Pickersgill, a Baltimore flagmaker, was commissioned to make two flags for Fort McHenry. The bombardment turned to Fort McHenry on the morning of September 13, and continuous shelling occurred for 25 hours under heavy rain. You'll also see Duke in many news documentaries, including on the Reelz channel, CNN and HLN. The Confederate Army eventually adopted the Confederate battle flag in order to avoid potentially lethal confusion. [32][33], The Armistead family occasionally gave away pieces of the flag as souvenirs and gifts.[6]. Please read this story before you angrily message this writer with accusations he is anti-American. A week earlier, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer, had boarded the flagship of the British fleet on the Chesapeake Bay in hopes of persuading the British to release a friend who had recently been arrested. Bodies of the dead were not used to hold up the flag pole a 42 by 30 foot flag has to be on a well-anchored pole, not held up by a few dead bodies stacked around it. As part of her work on the upcoming Smithsonian Channel filmA Star-Spangled As part of our blog series about the Star-Spangled Banner leading up toRaise It Up! "We're aware of at least a dozen more that exist in other museums and private collections," says Kendrick. The Battle of Fort Henry, Tennessee occurred as part of a Union plan to open a water route into the Confederate heartland by capturing Forts Henry and Donelson. It is likely that they kept the flag hidden in their home in Baltimore for the duration of the war, but Margaret Appleton Baker, Georgiana's daughter, told theNew York Heraldin 1895 that the flag had actually been sent to England. In the case of the Star-Spangled Banner, however, that will likely never happen. The Star-Spangled Banner has a sibling, and we have no idea where it is. This delay gives the American defenders in Baltimore time to bolster their defenses. The narrator is apparently minister David C. Gibbs Jr. The Baltimore Patriot newspaper soon printed it, and within weeks, Key's poem, now called "The Star-Spangled Banner," appeared in print across the country, immortalizing his wordsand forever naming the flag it celebrated. A spokesperson for Speaker Pelosi confirmed via phone that the claim the flag gifted to Floyd's family is exclusively reserved for military personnel is false. "STAR-SPANGLED BANNER" "The Star-Spangled Banner," the national anthem of the United States, was inspired by the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in the harbor of Baltimore, Maryland, during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). The British hoped the loss of both Washington and Baltimore would cripple the American war effort and force peace. [22] It was displayed outside Armistead's son's home for the 1844 Whig National Convention. Despite attempts to fire back, the British ships were just out of range of the Fort's cannons, and so by 11:00 a.m., General Armistead gave orders to slow things down to save ammunition. It is a made-up quote, according to scholars at Washington's presidential library. Commissioned by Major George Armistead, commander of Fort McHenry. During the War of 1812, the people of Baltimore believed that the British would attack the city. They made the stars, each measuring two feet in diameter, from cottona luxury item at the time. It's in most hymnals throughout our churches. And when the museum reopens in summer 2008, the Star-Spangled Banner will be its centerpiece, displayed in its own state-of-the-art gallery. But the Star-Spangled Banner is more than an artifactit's also a national symbol. These flags can be gifted through . The prayer 'God, keep that flag flying where we last saw it.'. In addition to the gigantic 42 x 30 foot garrison flag (now the Star-Spangled Banner), Pickersgill and the young women who helped her also sewed a smaller "storm flag." [29][30], Georgiana Appleton died in 1878 and left the flag to her son, Eben Appleton. While the conservators worked, the public looked on. He said 'The thing that sets the American Christian apart from all other people in the world is he will die on his feet before he will live on his knees.'. The relief and awe he feels inspire him to write a poem, "Defense of Fort McHenry," which is later be set to the tune To Anacreon in Heaven. Renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner," the song officially becomes the national anthem of the United States in 1931. The most-viewed version of the video is a post (archived here) published on July 4, 2014, under the title "Our National Anthem." For example, it claims the song was written during the American Revolution, although it was penned more than three decades later in September 1814 -- in the final months of the War of 1812. Did dead bodies hold up the flag at Fort Mchenry? Around midday, while the British halt for a meal, Stricker orders 250 riflemen and cannon to draw the British toward his forces. Bodies of the dead were not used to hold up the flag pole- a 42 by 30 foot flag has to be on a well-anchored pole, not held up by a few dead bodies stacked around it. The star-spangled banner may not have been run up the flagpole until first light on September 14. "Georgiana was the only child born at the fort, and she was named for her father," says Thomassen-Krauss. She is also thought to have begun the tradition of giving pieces of the flag away to honor her husband's memory, as well as the memories of the soldiers who defended the fort under his command. The flag wasn't prominently displayed in the South until southern politicians began using it in their campaigns; and . The job went out to a 37-year-old widow. Because of the flag's size and the dimensions of the glass case it was displayed in, the public never saw the entire flag while it was housed in this location. [21] It reportedly decorated the hall of the Baltimore Athenaeum during a memorial service for Lafayette in 1834. It was with huge surprise and joy that as dawn broke, he saw, not the Union Jack flying above the fort, but the American flag. [8] The smaller of the two flags would be the Storm Flag, to be more durable and less prone to fouling in inclement weather. 12. Let me tell you a story. At that time, it was the practice to add one star and stripe for each new state joining the Union. Historians are not sure how the Armistead family came into possession of the flag, but upon Armistead's death in 1818, his wife Louisa inherited it. And they said 'We want to send a man by the name of Francis Scott Key. This is a longer version of the same story posted in 2008. The British hated the privateers and so despised the Baltimore that they called it a nest of pirates. They vowed to take revenge. A Brief History of Steamboat Racing in the U.S. Texas-Born Italian Noble Evicted From Her 16th-Century Villa. They were holding the American prisoners in boats about a thousand yards offshore. Several feet of fabric have been lost from the flag's fly end, from cuttings that were given away as souvenirs and gifts, as well as from deterioration from continued use. You can also view this Smithsonian Channel video on YouTube. The bodies holding up the flag pole story is about as ridiculous as it is insulting to the four killed, and twenty four wounded (of which several would later die) as a result of the battle. [32] For the next 29 years, he allowed it to be displayed only once, in 1880, when it was paraded through the streets of Baltimore for the city's sesquicentennial celebration. Their bodies were removed and others took their place. As internationally intriguing as her story is, there is no evidence to support Margaret's recollections and historians agree the flag probably remained in Baltimore. "I gave the flag to the National Museum with the firm and settled intention of having it remain there forever," he wrote, "and regarded the acceptance of the gift by the Authorities of the Museum as evidence of their willingness to comply with this condition", Eben asked Walcott to ensure that any "citizen who visits the museum with the expectation of seeing the flag be sure of finding it in its accustomed place.". Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use), The Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired our national anthem, A View of the Bombardment of Fort McHenry. A severe indisposition, the effect of great fatigue and exposure, has prevented me heretofore from presenting you with an account of the attack on this post.
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