Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine – Baltimore, Maryland
“O say does that star spangled banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” These immortal words were penned by Francis Scott Key in Baltimore harbor when he viewed the flag flying over Fort McHenry following a bombardment by the British.
In August 1814 the British troops landed at Benedict, Maryland, and headed for Washington, DC. They were met by an American force of mainly untested militia. Washington’s residents and officials, including the President, took flight. Dolly Madison supervised the hasty removal of White House treasures. The British reached Washington the same evening, took souvenirs, and set the White House on fire. They also burned the Capitol, the Treasury, and the War and State Department buildings.
U.S. Capitol Building following burning by the British in 1814.
The destruction of the capital was a severe blow to American morale and the President’s authority. It did not mark the end of the war. The British withdrew the next day, heading to Baltimore and richer pickings.
The failed bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 13, 1814, forced the British to abandon their land assault on the crucial port city of Baltimore. This British defeat was a turning point in the War of 1812, leading both sides to reach a peace agreement later that year.
A peace treaty to end the war was agreed upon in Ghent, Belgium on December 24, 1814. While the treaty was crossing the Atlantic the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, marked the final action of the war when a superior British army suffered severe defeat by Andrew Jackson’s frontier forces. The War of 1812 officially ended on February 16, 1815, when the treaty was approved by the Senate and ratified by President Madison. While neither side could claim victory, America might claim to have won the peace. A draw against the world’s most powerful superpower was symbolic and suggested America’s future potential on the world stage.
Entrance gate to the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.
As we approached the visitor center a view of the fort was open to the right side of the car.
The visitor center is clad in zinc and meant to blend in with the surrounding environment with minimal architectural features. Further, it does not compete with the nearby fort that is low-slung and horizontal in orientation.
Within the visitors center were exhibits providing information about the Star Spangled Banner and the War of 1812. After a brief movie describing crucial events that occurred here, the movie screen retracted into the ceiling and a view of the fort was provided through a large window wall.
The wooden breastwork looking out over Baltimore Harbor.
A ravelin with a barrel arched vault inside.
The scarp wall and coping was part of the fort defense. Above it was a parapet and behind it a banquette (firing step) and gun platform. The innermost part of the fort was the parade ground.
The powder magazine protects ammunition from gunfire.
Model of the cross brace to create strong lateral stability for the iconic flag pole at Fort McHenry. The original cross brace is on display at one of the buildings in the fort complex.
The barracks provide an area for the housing of troops.
The sally port provides a defensible entrance to the fort. From inside is access to the bombproofs through doors to either side where troops are held.
The bombproof is a brick structure with earth fill and air shafts meant to protect troops from enemy artillery fire. These were built immediately after the bombardment of 1814, when it became obvious that such protection was needed. Fort McHenry was never shelled again, meaning the bombproofs were never used for their intended purpose.
As we left the fort, in the distance we could see the broken span of the Francis Scott Key bridge. This had fallen earlier in the year we visited when struck by a cargo ship.
As we prepared to leave we took the Junior Ranger oath as the final moment of our memorable visit.