did bodies hold up the flag at fort mchenry

TheBritish army broke camp andbegan its retreat; the last of thefailed naval barges returned to thefleet. But just what did that flag, that for and those defenders endure?. 12. Fifteen stars and fifteen stripes (one star has been cut out) Raised over Fort . Is Fort McHenry free? Yet Key rose on the morning of September 14, 1814 and through the lens of his spyglass saw his nation's 15-star, 15-stripe flag waving defiantly over the fort. Messages Author Time Story of National Anthem TADOW 7/3/16 1:10pm Thanks for sharing this. Advertising Notice The job went out to a 37-year-old widow. [4][5] Each of the fifteen stripes is 2 feet (0.61m) wide, and each of the stars measures about 2 feet (0.61m) in diameter. War of 1812: Big Night in Baltimore 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". The British hated the privateers and so despised the Baltimore that they called it a nest of pirates. They vowed to take revenge. The Great Garrison Flag - Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic [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. She once noted, "[H]ad we given all that we have been importuned for little would be left to show." [44] Years of accumulated dust were carefully vacuumed from the front and back of the flag. The ship carried Colonel John S. Skinner, U.S. State Department prisoner exchange agent, and 35-year-old Georgetown attorney Francis Scott Key. And Key could not "scan the horizon of the sea" since he was on the river, miles from the Chesapeake Bay and the ocean. 15-star flag above Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, Md. Support Outdoor Classrooms at Seven Key Battlefields. The Confederate States of Americas first national flag was also known as the "Stars & Bars." It is on exhibit at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. 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. Again, this is an imaginary conversation. 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. When he saw the garrison flag flying in the morning, he composed a poem he originally titled "Defence of Fort McHenry". The U.S. Navy's first ship, the Constellation, was launched in Baltimore in 1797, and its namesake, the last all-sail warship built (1854) for the navy, has been moored in the city's harbour since 1955; in the late 1990s the ship underwent extensive restoration. The harbors 122 American privateering vessels would ultimately cause some 16 million dollars of damage to the enemy. Prepared to take . Bombardment of Fort McHenry Part 2 In 1814, the United States flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes. the British fleet, consisting of ships of the line, heavy frigates, and The bombardment began at sunrise, not sunset, and continued for 27 hours. The flag wasn't prominently displayed in the South until southern politicians began using it in their campaigns; and . Why Is The Fort McHenry Flag Significant? The hours passed slowly, but in the clearing smoke of "the dawn's early light" on September 14, he saw the American flagnot the British Union Jackflying over the fort, announcing an American victory. Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! 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." "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.". It was another chapter in the ongoing War of 1812. 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. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Let me tell you a story. Privacy Statement "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." On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, relentlessly pounding the American fort for 25 hours. The British were more concerned with defeating Napoleon in Europe than fighting a minor war with the United States. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. "Georgiana was the only child born at the fort, and she was named for her father," says Thomassen-Krauss. We're launching interpretation of African American history at 7 key battlefields, located in 5 states, spanning 3 wars. 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. Their goal was to push through the narrow passage, past Fort McHenry and through to the city itself, in concert with the planned infantry assault from the northwest. The most recent flagpole at Fort McHenry dated to 1989. 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. At dawn on June 14, 1846, a ragtag group of about 30 gun-toting Americans entered Sonoma, a small town in the Mexican territory of Alta California. The garrison flag, according to eyewitness accounts, wasn't raised until the morning. Francis Scott Key pens "The Star-Spangled Banner" On the morning of September 14, the American defenders lowered their battered storm flag and raised the large, thirty by forty-two foot, garrison flag. Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. [25][26] He then put the flag on display at the headquarters of the New England Historic Genealogical Society for several weeks. You can also view this Smithsonian Channel video. 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.. The Battle of Fort McHenry was fought September 13/14, 1814, during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. This fiction was repeated during testimony meeting this - CougarBoard American forces resistedthe dramaticBritish bombardmentof Fort McHenry and proved they could stand up to a great world power. The Confederate Army eventually adopted the Confederate battle flag in order to avoid potentially lethal confusion. 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. This family tradition continued through 1880 with Armistead's grandson giving away the last documented piece, says Thomassen-Krauss. O Say Can You See: The Bombardment of Fort McHenry. Courtesy of Christopher Hughes Morton. Each of its 15 stars measures about two feet across and each of its 15 stripes are about two feet wide. Tensions were high in the British command infrastructure. By noon it started to rain. The Star-Spangled Garrison Banner The privateers were armed, and their work was legally sanctioned. And they said 'How many ships?' The British were intent on removing any threat from Fort McHenry ahead of an assault to capture Baltimore. When California Became Its Own Nation - History Ross, hearing the skirmishing, rides forward to assess the situation. These flags can be gifted through . He traveled to Baltimore only to seek freedom for a friend, Dr. William Beanes, a civilian taken prisoner after he argued with British troops who had tried to plunder his Upper Marlboro, Maryland, home, according to Smithsonian magazine. This is what it looks like on social media: The true story of the Star Spangled Banner is inspiring, as it was written after a key battle near the end of the War of 1812. [19][20] Some years, it was flown at Baltimore's celebration of Defenders Day, the anniversary of the battle. 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. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Spotted something? Star-Spangled Banner Back on Display After coming to the Smithsonian, the Star-Spangled Banner has only left the National Mall once. Fort McHenry was a military post, not a shelter for women and children. The narrator is apparently minister David C. Gibbs Jr. At 30 by 42. She received another $168.54 for sewing a smaller (17 by 25 feet) storm flag, likely using the same design. Did dead bodies hold up the flag at Fort Mchenry? It has fifteen horizontal red and white stripes, as well as fifteen white stars in the blue field. The video implies this was during the American Revolution, which began in 1775 (although some argue the first battle was fought in October 1774) and officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783. They said 'We've left them a way out,' and he said 'What's that?' 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). Superior British weapons pounded the fort from newly designed bomb ships anchored safely out of range of the fort's own guns. Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans once more felt their homeland might be under real physical threat. "The Star-Spangled Banner resonates with people in different ways, for different reasons," says Kathleen Kendrick, curator for the Star-Spangled Banner preservation project. [27] It was intended to be exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, but was not displayed because of fears it would be damaged. 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. 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." 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.' In 1813,Mary Pickersgill, a Baltimore flagmaker, was commissioned to make two flags for Fort McHenry. American Lawyer Francis Scott Key, held on a British warshipfor a prisoner negotiation during the frightening siege, feared that the fort had succumbed to the bombardment. Armistead's report after the battle mentions four killed, 24 wounded, and "superficial" damage done to the public buildings. [29][30], Georgiana Appleton died in 1878 and left the flag to her son, Eben Appleton. At 9:00 a.m., Fort McHenrys massive garrison flag measuring an imposing 30'x 42' was raised over the ramparts, as four young fifers and drummers played the national tune Yankee Doodle. Aboard the frigate HMS Hebrus, a young midshipman remembered: And as the last vessel spread her canvas to the wind, the Americans hoisted a most superb and splendid ensign on theirbattery, and fired at the same time a gun of defiance.The great ensign, receiving the sun's early light, could be seen plainly for miles. A large flag, but one not unusual for the time. 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. To the best of our knowledge, the British did not specifically target the flag. inaccurate stories, videos or images going viral on the internet. He says 'It's predominantly not a military fort.' No, Key was a lawyer in Washington, D.C. [34][36][37] The flag was restored by Amelia Fowler in 1914. Although she lived in Maryland, a Union state, her sympathies lay with the Confederate cause. "The fact that it has been entrusted to the National Museum of American History is an honor.". She recommends you brush up on more flag facts by learning about the flag's most recent conservation check-up and finding out why the national anthem is so hard to singbefore joining us in a nationwide sing of the national anthem on Flag Day (June 14, 2014) in honor of its 200th birthday. The most-viewed version of the video is a post (archived here) published on July 4, 2014, under the title "Our National Anthem." And Francis Scott Key said 'What do you mean?' 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. The failed bombardment of Fort McHenryforces Brooke to abandon the land assault on Baltimore. In 1912, Georgiana Armistead Appleton'sson Eben Appleton decided to give the Star-Spangled Banner to the Smithsonian as a permanent gift. As twilight began to fall and as the haze hung over the ocean as it does at sunset, suddenly, the British war fleet unleashed. [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]. As for those "hundreds of little dots," the British naval forces in the area numbered about 50 vessels. The video opened: (Written text on screen) We guarantee that you will NEVER feel the same way again when you sing this song at a sporting event after you hear this story! 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. With the construction of the conservation lab completed in 1999, conservators began their work. The British plan to land troops on the eastern side of the city while the navy reduces the fort, allowing for naval support of the ground troops when they attack the citys defenders. There were more than 15 states when the flag was made, but there are only 15 stars on the flag. Bonus fact in response to a question from the comments: The Star-Spangled Banner flag does not have burn marks on it. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. Was the flag at Fort McHenry held up bodies? Each star was stitched into place on one side of the flag and the cloth on the reverse side was then cut away to reveal it. They appeared over time as the iron particles corroded. He said 'What's the matter with them?' [14][15] When the British ships were unable to pass the fort and penetrate the harbor, the attack was ended. Gen.John Stricker to delay the advance by provoking an engagement. Cookie Settings, Courtesy of the National Museum of American History, Photo by Thomas Arledge, courtesy of the National Museum of American History, Courtesy of the Flag House and Star-Spangled Banner Museum, Courtesy of the Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, MD, Courtesy of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts, Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States, Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Otherand the Birds Loved It, The True Story of the Koh-i-Noor Diamondand Why the British Won't Give It Back. 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. [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. 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. In February 1815, the storm flag was lost to history after being replaced by a new one from the Schuylkill Arsenal in Philadelphia. On the back of photograph it states: "Nat. It is on exhibit at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. He said 'That's, that's a large fort.' 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. Cochrane sent hisnote around nightfall, without any expectationhe would receive a response before the plan hehad in hand would require him to act. The British naval arc stretched across the Patapsco two miles below Fort McHenry, keeping distance from the forts powerful 36-pounder French naval shore batteries. [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). By early morning of September 14, it was over. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. This is a far stronger defense than the British expect; they are outnumbered two to one. The hissing rockets and the fiery shells glittered in the air, threatening destruction as they fell,later recalled a young British sailor, in a description that sounds straight out of a poem, Whilst to add solemnity to this scene of devastation, the rain fell in torrents the thunder broke inmighty peals after each successive flash of lightening, that for a moment illuminated the surrounding darkness.But with no coordinated infantry assaults, Cochrane began to draw down his thrust. In 1907, Eben Appleton lent the flag to the Smithsonian, and it was put on display at the National Museum (now the Arts and Industries Building). 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. 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. Still, only a handful could navigate the shallow waters of the Patapsco River, where Fort McHenry was located. Or, maybe it was another flag. Everything was made ready at Fort McHenry to defend Baltimore. It was Fort McHenry, a star-shaped fort perfectly situated on the Baltimore Harbor. When Confederate soldiers carried their national flag into battle, its stars and stripes led to confusionespecially when the smoke and wind of battle wrapped the flag around its staff. MD Fort McHenry Battle Facts and Summary - American Battlefield Trust Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. The Americansassemble 10,000 men and 100 cannon astride the Philadelphia Road, blocking the British advance toward Baltimore. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! South Carolina's confederate flag hasn't been flying since the Civil War. Barges were stretched across the watery approaches creating choke points, and channels were left open to lure the British ships into kill zones. But when he sees the large flag flying over the fort on the morning of September 14, he knows the fort held. Fort McHenry Gets a New Flagpole for Its Star and Stripes Key put his thoughts on paper while still on board the ship, setting his words to the tune of a popular English song. Their vessel had been held in security by Cochranes flagship HMS Surprise out of range of the American guns. Around 3:00 p.m., he attacks the American positions. It is a made-up quote, according to scholars at Washington's presidential library. Key was not sent by the American government to negotiate a prisoner exchange. The Defenders - Fort McHenry National Monument - National Park Service [53] The framed remnant came with a faded, hand-written note attesting it was "A piece of the Flag which floated over Fort McHenry at the time of the bombardment when Key's (sic) composed the Song of the Star Spangled Banner, presented by Sam Beth Cohen. Victoria "Tory" Altman is an Education Specialist in the Office of Education Outreach. The flag currently has only fourteen starsthe fifteenth star was similarly given as a gift, but its recipient and current whereabouts are unknown.[7]. Recognizing its need for repair, the Smithsonian hired Amelia Fowler, an embroidery teacher and well-known flag preserver, in 1914 to replace the canvas backing that had been added in 1873. It evokes powerful emotions and ideas about what it means to be an American. 21230, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Get the latest History stories in your inbox? Most of us have memorized it as a child, but we've never really thought about what it means.