Only Mississippi now flies the Confederate battle flag in an official capacity - the state has incorporated a blue cross with 13 stars over a red background since 1894. Did dead bodies hold up the flag at Fort Mchenry? "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 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. Initially they worked from Mary's home (now a private museum known as the Flag House), but as their work progressed they needed more room and had to move to Claggett's brewery across the street. [32][33], The Armistead family occasionally gave away pieces of the flag as souvenirs and gifts.[6]. Some historians believe that a smaller, 17 by 25-foot storm flag may have flown over Fort McHenry during the rainy evening of the bombardment. Duke also co-hosted a daily podcast with former HLN host Nancy Grace, "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace" and hosted the podcast series "Stan Lee's World: His Real Life Battle with Heroes & Villains." There is so much wrong with this segment of the narration. You can also view this Smithsonian Channel video on YouTube. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Flag Officer Andrew Foote were commissioned to lead a joint expedition to seize the twin forts. Let us know!. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Key started composing a verse about his experience while still onboard the Tonnant, and once he was safely rowed ashore, he edited the work into four stanzas. He said 'It's full of women and children.' 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. To the best of our knowledge, the British did not specifically target the flag. Click here to see it. Each of the eight stars represented a Confederate state in March 1861 when the flag was adopted. 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. The admiral came and he said 'Your people are insane.' Knowing that his fort was a likely British target, Armistead told the commander of Baltimore defenses in July 1813 that he needed a flaga big one. The privateers were armed, and their work was legally sanctioned. Why were the citizens of Baltimore so well prepared for a British attack? The Defenders - Fort McHenry National Monument - National Park Service Initially the British fleet exchanges fire with the forts cannon, but soon withdraw out of range. To the best of our knowledge, the British did not specifically target the flag. This is a far stronger defense than the British expect; they are outnumbered two to one. "[54], Smithsonian National Museum of American History. It will be here within striking distance in a matter of about two-and-a-half hours.' Her son George was even arrested in 1861 for trying to sneak into Virginia to join the Confederate Army. Undoing her work required unbelievable precision. One of the soldiers who was in the fort during the 25-hour bombardment wrote, "We were like pigeons tied by the legs to be shot at. The British were more concerned with defeating Napoleon in Europe than fighting a minor war with the United States. In fact, military posts traditionally lower the American flag at night. In general, lowercase north, south, northeast, northern, etc., when they indicate compass direction. He was on an American truce ship at the time. The ship carried Colonel John S. Skinner, U.S. State Department prisoner exchange agent, and 35-year-old Georgetown attorney Francis Scott Key. Bombardment of Fort McHenry Part 2 Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History, O Say Can You See: The Bombardment of Fort McHenry, Short History of The Star Spangled Banner, Let it Rain Militia: The Critical Battle for the Chesapeake, Bombardment of Fort McHenry | Sep 13-14, 1814, Chesapeake Campaign | Apr 23, 1813 - Sep 14, 1814. When Louisa died in 1861, she passed the flag down to their daughter Georgiana Armistead Appleton over the legal objections of their son. 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! The Star-Spangled Banner flag is on display at the National Museum of American History. (Man's voice) There was a lawyer once, his name was Francis Scott Key. Command of the land forces passes to Col.Arthur Brooke. Victoria "Tory" Altman is an Education Specialist in the Office of Education Outreach. Despite their feelings about disunion, the Armistead family made a specific effort to protect the flag that symbolized a preserved and united nation. Over the years, more than 12 million people peered into the museum's glass conservation lab, watching the progress. That morning the American defenders lower their battered storm flag and raise the large, 30 by 42-foot garrison flag that Major Armistead ordered a year earlier from local flag maker Mary Pickersgill. [46], Due to environmental and light damage, a four-phase restoration project began in May 1999. It was this storm flagnot the garrison flag now known as the Star-Spangled Bannerwhich actually flew during the battle. The British forces did not place "an ultimatum upon the colonies." These are some typical questions people have about customs and rules surrounding African American History Curatorial Collective, the flag's most recent conservation check-up, why the national anthem is so hard to sing, a nationwide sing of the national anthem on Flag Day (June 14, 2014), When lightning strikes: The making and meaning of a patriotic symbol, Rene Fleming's Super Bowl gown: A curatorial jackpot, Pointers from the Flag Code, just in time for Flag Day. 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. Fort McHenry Gets a New Flagpole for Its Star and Stripes These ships fire exploding mortar shellsat high angles into the fort. Major George Armistead, the Forts commanding officer, desired "to have a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance. Georgiana found herself on the wrong side of the battle lines when the Civil War broke out. When markings on the flag were investigated and analyzed, they were found to be from iron corrosion. What if it gets dirty? Courtesy of Christopher Hughes Morton. 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." She once noted, "[H]ad we given all that we have been importuned for little would be left to show." Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. This was not updated until April 4, 1818, so Pickersgill sewed on 15 stars. When Major George Armistead, the fort's commander, expressed the desire for a very large flag to fly over the fort, General John S. Stricker and Commodore Joshua Barney placed an order for two oversized American flags. They said 'We want to send a man out to discuss this with you.' Robert M. Poole is the magazine's contributing editor. There is conflicting evidence as to which flag, the larger garrison flag or the smaller storm flag, flew over the fort during the battle. If you want to know the true and remarkable history of the origins of the American national anthem, we suggest you click here for the Smithsonian magazine account or here for another account of the battle of Fort McHenry. In 1814, the United States flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes. according to scholars at Washington's presidential library. Why Is The Fort McHenry Flag Significant? We're launching interpretation of African American history at 7 key battlefields, located in 5 states, spanning 3 wars. [38][39], During World War II, from 1942 to 1944, the flag, along with many other objects in the Smithsonian's collection, was kept for safekeeping at a warehouse at Shenandoah National Park. 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. That night, Key finalized the four stanzas of the Defense of Fort McHenry., Three days later, the poem was printed on a broadside alongside the melody to a popular English tavern 1780 tune, To Anacreon in Heaven.A thousand copies were distributed to the garrison of Fort McHenry: A young militia soldier wrote his family We have a Song composed by Mr. Key of G[eorge] Town which was presented to every individual in the fort.By mid-autumn, further pnntmgs contained musical notations and a new title: The Star-Spangled Banner.. [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. On land, defensive positions were established along North Point to prevent British troops from advancing. Volunteers dug huge entrenchments east of town, and the city militia drilled regularly. Terms of Use Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812 Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world He had successfully negotiated with the British for the release of an American prisoner but was held onboard because an assault was imminent. 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. Fort McHenry, a large star fortress built in 1800, guards Baltimores inner harbor at a bend in the Patapsco River. The prayer 'God, keep that flag flying where we last saw it.'. [21] It reportedly decorated the hall of the Baltimore Athenaeum during a memorial service for Lafayette in 1834. Messages Author Time Story of National Anthem TADOW 7/3/16 1:10pm Thanks for sharing this. Separating fact from fiction about 'The Star-Spangled Banner' To the best of our knowledge, the British did not specifically target the flag. They carried with them. Is Northern capitalized? [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. 15-star flag above Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, Md. Corbis On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in. The flags were finished on August 19, 1813. (Image:93-13286-2 and SIA2008-2449.). Star-Spangled Banner Back on Display Francis Scott Key said what held that flag at that unusual angle were patriots' bodies. They allowed the Americans to return to their own vessel but continued guarding them. 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.' Battle of Baltimore | Summary You'll also see Duke in many news documentaries, including on the Reelz channel, CNN and HLN. The Great Garrison Flag - Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic ", The Star-Spangled Banner's history starts not with Francis Scott Key, but a year earlier with Maj. George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website. 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. Your people will either capitulate and lay down the colors of that flag that you think so much of, or you see that fort right over there, Fort Henry?' Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. The failed bombardment of Fort McHenryforced the British to abandon their land assault on the crucial port city of Baltimore. But when he sees the large flag flying over the fort on the morning of September 14, he knows the fort held. Mary Young Pickersgill [47] Planning and executing a cleaning treatment for the flag following scientific analysis was the third phase. As he (Key) went back up on board to arrange for their passage to the shore, the admiral came and he said 'We have a slight problem.' He says 'It's predominantly not a military fort.' When California Became Its Own Nation - History He said 'That's, that's a large fort.' We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The Americans withdraw to Baltimore and Brooke halts for the rest of the day to consolidate his forces. And what he found had happened was that flag pole and that flag had suffered repetitious direct hits, and when hit had fallen, but men, fathers, who knew what it meant for that flag to be on the ground, although knowing that all of the British guns were trained on it, walked over and held it up humanly until they died. The flag's design was last approved by Congress in 1794, providing for 15 stripes and 15 stars. At 30 by 42. In spite of their different motivations for serving, all of the men had one thing in common the protection of Baltimore from destruction. [34][35] In 1912, Appleton formally donated it to the Smithsonian. O Say Can You See: The Bombardment of Fort McHenry. Although this flag has been around for 200 years now, there is more to this story that begs to be told. [22] It was displayed outside Armistead's son's home for the 1844 Whig National Convention. After coming to the Smithsonian, the Star-Spangled Banner has only left the National Mall once. Made in Baltimore, Maryland, in July-August 1813 by flagmaker Mary Pickersgill. There were 15 American states. The larger of the two flags would be the Great Garrison Flag, the largest battle flag ever flown at the time. During the War of 1812, the people of Baltimore believed that the British would attack the city. 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). Most of us have memorized it as a child, but we've never really thought about what it means. 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. While the Star-Spangled Banner was in Preble's care, Georgiana allowed him to give away pieces of the flag as he saw fit. The 1,000 Americans at Fort McHenry are commanded by Maj.George Armistead. The failed bombardment of Fort McHenry forced the British to abandon their land assault on the crucial port city of Baltimore. May God bless America on our Independence Day!" "Louisa wanted Georgiana to have it.". The Confederate States of America chose a pattern for their national flag that is strikingly similar to the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag of the Union. which was built in 1798. While ordering his men to drive off the American riflemen, Ross is shot in the chest and dies a few hours later. 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. 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. Also, there were no large groups of American prisoners held in the cargo hold of boats. 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. Thanks to these early and exhaustive plans, the British were repulsed at Fort McHenry in 1814 and abandoned their Chesapeake Campaign. Quick Facts about the Star-Spangled Banner Flag. If you want fictional war accounts, we recommend Game of Thrones. Over the next six weeks, Mary, her daughter, three of Mary's nieces, a 13-year-old indentured servant and possibly Mary's mother Rebecca Young worked 10-hour days sewing the flag, using 300 yards of English wool bunting. The bombardment began at sunrise, not sunset, and continued for 27 hours. Seeing the flag flying over Fort McHenry on the morning of September 14, 1814, after the battle ended, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry". It evokes powerful emotions and ideas about what it means to be an American. 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. [16] Historians suggest that the storm flag flew through the night, and the garrison flag was hoisted in the morning, after the British retreated.[17]. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. He said 'What's the matter with them?' We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. Today, it's in a special low-light chamber where you can see it 364 days per year. Museum collections stored in building having dormer windows. 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. Did bodies hold up the flag at Fort McHenry? His brother-in-law, commander of a militia at Fort McHenry, read Key's work and had it distributed under the name "Defence of Fort M'Henry." Around 3:00 p.m., he attacks the American positions. Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. Fifteen stars and fifteen stripes (one star has been cut out) Raised over Fort . Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas; catalog "Political & Americana Auction, November 30, 2011; New England Historic Genealogical Society, Dictionary definition of "garrison flag" at www.merriam-webster.com, Naval Telecommunications Procedures: Flags, Pennants, and Customs, August 1986, section 304, p. 3-1 at www.ushistory.org, "The Star-Spangled Banner: Making the Flag", "The Star-Spangled Banner: Family Keepsake", "The Star-Spangled Banner: Congratulations", "The African American Girl Who Helped Make the Star-Spangled Banner", "A hundred years ago: The centennial of the Star-Spangled Banner", "Star-Spangled Banner becomes permanent part of USNM collection", "The 'Star-Spangled Banner' goes on view in grand style", Science News "Old Glory, New Glory: The Star-Spangled Banner gets some tender loving care", "Smithsonian Seeks $300,000 to Save Dorothy's Ruby Slippers", Washington POST "Reopening, in All Its Old Glory", "Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas: Brady Camera and Kennedy Rocker Take Top Bids in Americana Auction", Interactive image of original flag which includes a zoom to view detail, Research project to preserve the flag's fabric using LED technology, The original flag at the National Museum of American History, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Star-Spangled_Banner_(flag)&oldid=1148360196, This page was last edited on 5 April 2023, at 18:21. During the Battle of Baltimore on September 13 and 14, 1814, heavy thunderstorms over Fort McHenry prevented the flying of the flag we know today as the Star Spangled Banner. They said 'We've left them a way out,' and he said 'What's that?' The situation was complicated by the long lag time in communications. Visitors are allowed a clear view of the flag, while it remains protected in a controlled environment. They were infamous bomb ships, with names that hawked of their ominous purpose HMS Devastation, Meteor, Aetna, Volcano and Terror capable of hurtling a 200-pound shell one mile high before it plunged in its downward arc over the Patapsco River to its target. The most-viewed version of the video is a post (archived here) published on July 4, 2014, under the title "Our National Anthem." The bombardment turned to Fort McHenry on the morning of September 13, and continuous shelling occurred for 25 hours under heavy rain. But not everyone was a fan. Francis Scott Key said he remembered what George Washington had said. 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. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 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. No, that's not true: The video posted and shared many times on social platforms is filled with major historical inaccuracies and is about as fictional as a "Game of Thrones" episode. No, Mary Pickersgill did not make a mathematical error. In the case of the Star-Spangled Banner, however, that will likely never happen. Now, as preparations for a British attack proceeded, the three-story-tall flag waved atop the 90-foot flagpole at Fort McHenry, its bold red, white and blue geometry unmistakable. Because of this conflict and the protractedness of it, they had accumulated prisoners on both sides. Support Outdoor Classrooms at Seven Key Battlefields. "We're aware of at least a dozen more that exist in other museums and private collections," says Kendrick. Francis Scott Key, jubilant with the fact that he had been successful, went down below in the boats and what he found was a cargo hold full of humanity, men. But when darkness arrived, Key saw only red erupting in the night sky. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans once more felt their homeland might be under real physical threat. By early morning of September 14, it was over. Tensions were high in the British command infrastructure. Using a storm flag in those conditions would have been standard practice. In the first phase, the team removed the linen support backing that was attached to the flag during the 1914 restoration. No, Mary Pickersgill did not make a mathematical error. a star-shaped fort perfectly situated on the Baltimore Harbor. This included scientific studies with infrared spectrometry, electron microscopy, mechanical testing, and determination of amino acid content by a New Zealand scientist, and infrared imaging by a NASA scientist. This delay gives the American defenders in Baltimore time to bolster their defenses. "It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone," Key wrote later. The birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner, Fort McHenry still stands as it did when "the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. At the time, the practice of adding stripes (in addition to stars) with the induction of a new state had not yet been discontinued. Key was inspired by the sight of a lone U.S. flag still flying over Fort McHenry at daybreak, as reflected in the now-famous words of the "Star-Spangled Banner": "And the rocket's red . By noon, Brooke had come within two miles east of the American lines, surveying any opportunities for an infantry breakthrough, but found none. There were more than 15 states when the flag was made, but there are only 15 stars on the flag. Lead Stories is a U.S. based fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, misleading, deceptive or The second phase consisted of the most comprehensive, detailed examination of the condition and construction of the Star-Spangled Banner to date, which provided critical information for later work. But the Star-Spangled Banner is more than an artifactit's also a national symbol. I GUARANTEE you, if you watch this video, you will never think of our National Anthem in the same way again. When he saw the garrison flag flying in the morning, he composed a poem he originally titled "Defence of Fort McHenry". Baltimore privateers were responsible for as much as one-third of all captured British vessels during the war. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. The commander in chief had no way of knowing that in response to his latest note, Brooke had, in fact, ordered the infantry retreat from Baltimore to begin by dawn. These flags can be gifted through . Which US states still fly the Confederate flag? - Diario AS The narrator refers to Fort Henry, which did not exist. Between 12th and 14th Streets 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. They were holding the American prisoners in boats about a thousand yards offshore. [19] It was flown at Fort McHenry in 1824 at a reception for the Marquis de Lafayette during his tour of America. The garrison flag, according to eyewitness accounts, wasn't raised until the morning. 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. There were about 25 American casualties. Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! The restoration was completed in 2008 at a total cost in excess of $21 million. The Story Behind the Star Spangled Banner - Smithsonian Magazine Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! The British attack on Baltimore had began in earnest. Is Fort McHenry open Covid? At 4:30 a.m., the American batteries fell silent, followed at 7:30 a.m. by the last British bomb to arc over the Patapsco River toward Fort McHenry. Star-Spangled Banner This family tradition continued through 1880 with Armistead's grandson giving away the last documented piece, says Thomassen-Krauss. Regulations of the War Department: Each morning began with a round from a six-pounder and musical accompaniment as the flag was lifted aloft. You can also view this Smithsonian Channel video. Whether or not Francis Scott Key actually visited Fort McHenry that day, he would have not seen a stack of "patriots' bodies" holding the flag pole upright. "It's exciting to realize that you're looking at the very same flag that Francis Scott Key saw on that September morning in 1814. It was another chapter in the ongoing War of 1812.
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