How it ended United States victory. At 30 by 42. 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. 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. When the flag arrived at the Smithsonian it was smaller (30 by 34 feet), damaged from years of use at the fort and from pieces being removed as souvenirs. The British were intent on removing any threat from Fort McHenry ahead of an assault to capture Baltimore. Cochrane sent hisnote around nightfall, without any expectationhe would receive a response before the plan hehad in hand would require him to act. Chafingat the need to coordinate with an officer so junior to his rank, all Cochrane could do was reiterate his assessment and make his disapproval known, hoping that it would sway Brooke. The Star-Spangled Banner remained in Flag Hall from 1964 until 1999, when it was moved to the conservation lab. On the back of photograph it states: "Nat. He began his military career during the Quasi War with France in 1799 as an Ensign in the Seventh Infantry Regiment, rising quickly to Second and then First Lieutenant by May 1800. He penned a song that I'm sure you are aware of, you've seen it. [42][43] It was hung in Flag Hall, a three-story central atrium designed for this purpose. Volunteers dug huge entrenchments east of town, and the city militia drilled regularly. 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. The flag wasn't prominently displayed in the South until southern politicians began using it in their campaigns; and . 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. We go, however, to a ball game, we stand in our church services, and we sing the words of that song and they float over our minds and our lips and we don't even realize what we're singing. "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). September 14. ", Three of the 15 stars on the Star-Spangled Banner. 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. Or, maybe it was another flag. MD 12. [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]. 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. 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. Francis Scott Key said what held that flag at that unusual angle were patriots' bodies. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! By early morning of September 14, it was over. Fifteen stars and fifteen stripes (one star has been cut out) Raised over Fort . 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. On September 12, 1814, 5,000 British soldiers and a fleet of 19 ships attacked Baltimore. 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. Courtesy of Christopher Hughes Morton. Today it is permanently housed in the National Museum of American History, one of the Smithsonian Institution museums on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. That same year, Preble had the first known photograph of it taken at the Boston Navy Yard and exhibited it at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, where he stored it until 1876. 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. [11][12], Pickersgill made the flag with assistance from her daughter, two nieces, and an African American indentured servant, Grace Wisher.[13]. 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.. In 1814, the United States flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes. The ships got closer, Francis Scott Key went back up top and he said 'Men, I will shout down to you what's going on as we watch.'. It evokes powerful emotions and ideas about what it means to be an American. First, there were no "colonies" in 1814. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Their vessel had been held in security by Cochranes flagship HMS Surprise out of range of the American guns. 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. [21] It reportedly decorated the hall of the Baltimore Athenaeum during a memorial service for Lafayette in 1834. 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. The stars are arranged in vertical rows, with five horizontal rows of stars, offset, each containing three stars. After the Battle of Baltimore. West Virginia and Nevada joined the Union in 1863 and 1864 respectively. 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". 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. Her son George was even arrested in 1861 for trying to sneak into Virginia to join the Confederate Army. [8] The smaller of the two flags would be the Storm Flag, to be more durable and less prone to fouling in inclement weather. 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. 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've often been fighting back tears during the National Be Y's 7/3/16 7:55pm George Armistead was born April 10, 1780, in Newmarket, Virginia. 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. This is made up. Let me tell you a story. Their bodies were removed and others took their place. You can also view this Smithsonian Channel video on YouTube. [27] It was intended to be exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, but was not displayed because of fears it would be damaged. The Maryland militia commander, Maj. Gen. Samuel Smith, orders Brig. More broadly, a garrison flag is a U.S. Army term for an extra-large national flag that is flown on Sundays, holidays, and special occasions. But the inspiring banner he glimpsed may only have been raised at daylight. 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. Date of Birth - Death April 10, 1780 - April 25, 1818. The origins of the story appear to be a sermon delivered by minister David C. Gibbs Jr. 15-star flag above Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, Md. Spotted something? [9][10] Armistead specified "a flag so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance". 2023 Smithsonian Magazine However, the citizens and militia of Baltimore had been preparing for such an assault for more than a year. "The Star-Spangled Banner resonates with people in different ways, for different reasons," says Kathleen Kendrick, curator for the Star-Spangled Banner preservation project. However, scholars continue to debate whether the storm flag flew during 25-hour bombardment. 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. In fact, the number of stars on the flag actually grew during the war from 34 to 36. This is a far stronger defense than the British expect; they are outnumbered two to one. This is a longer version of the same story posted in 2008. Despite a stalwart initial defense, the Americans begin to give way to the British regulars. This could have resulted from metal buckles or straps or tacks on belts used to hold the flag. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, An Unparalleled Preservation Opportunity at Gettysburg Battlefield. But when he sees the large flag flying over the fort on the morning of September 14, he knows the fort held. As its guardian and devoted champion, she encouraged its display at patriotic celebrations. He served as a co-historian for the Smithsonian Institutions Saving the Star-Spangled Banner Project, and for the National Park Services The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail study. 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. 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 is so much wrong with this segment of the narration. The British were more concerned with defeating Napoleon in Europe than fighting a minor war with the United States. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. 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. After the battle, the flag came into the possession of Major Armistead. The intent was never to make the flag look as it did when it first flew over Fort McHenry, she says. 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?' Museums often lend objects and artifacts to each other in order to tell more complete stories. Bonus fact in response to a question from the comments: The Star-Spangled Banner flag does not have burn marks on it. In the first phase, the team removed the linen support backing that was attached to the flag during the 1914 restoration. South Carolina's confederate flag hasn't been flying since the Civil War. 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. This British defeat was a turning point in the War of 1812, leading both sides to reach a peace agreement later that year. 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. 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. Is Fort McHenry open Covid? He sent sent amessage, via Admiral Cockburn, to Cochrane regarding how the two could act in concert together, one by land, one by sea. 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. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. George Washington never said that. Initially the British fleet exchanges fire with the forts cannon, but soon withdraw out of range. Key was not sent by the American government to negotiate a prisoner exchange. Because of this conflict and the protractedness of it, they had accumulated prisoners on both sides. The admiral came and he said 'Your people are insane.' It is a made-up quote, according to scholars at Washington's presidential library. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. "Was," because this object at hand, the original Star-Spangled Banner, is no. "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. according to scholars at Washington's presidential library. The bombardment, known as the Battle of Baltimore, came only weeks after the British had attacked Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol, the Treasury and the President's house. 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. It was this storm flagnot the garrison flag now known as the Star-Spangled Bannerwhich actually flew during the battle. 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. 1. 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.' It was Englands most powerful naval armament, floating siege ships capable of inflicting severe damage and further supported by the rocket ship HMS Erebus with her 32-pounder Congreve rockets, and several light draft frigates and brigs. CNN moved Duke to Los Angeles in 2009 to cover the entertainment beat. They carried with them. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. Fort McHenry, a large star fortress built in 1800, guards Baltimores inner harbor at a bend in the Patapsco River. He was on an American truce ship at the time. On August 19, 1813, the flag was delivered to Fort McHenry. There was no group of prisoners held in the cargo hold of the ship from where Key watched the battle. Scott S. Sheads is a retired ranger-historian and Historic Weapons Officer at Fort McHenry National Historic Site and Shrine in Baltimore, Md., a position he took up in 1979. He said 'That's, that's a large fort.' It was, of course, the huge American flag that flew over Baltimore's Fort McHenry on a hot summer night in 1814. They appeared over time as the iron particles corroded. Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. [46], Due to environmental and light damage, a four-phase restoration project began in May 1999. Support Outdoor Classrooms at Seven Key Battlefields. Constitution Avenue, NW In 1834, Key spoke at a public gathering in Frederick, Maryland where he was born and now rests in peace offering his only personal remarks about those three days in September 1814. Over the years, more than 12 million people peered into the museum's glass conservation lab, watching the progress. On the appointed day in a row boat, he (Key) went out to this boat and he negotiated with the British officials and they reached a conclusion that men could be exchanged on a one-for-one basis. 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. From the early morning hours on September 14, Fort McHenry had withstood a sustained attack by the British fleet, commanded by Admiral Cochrane. 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. Each of the eight stars represented a Confederate state in March 1861 when the flag was adopted. 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). It can cause a student to incorrectly answer an American history test question and might make you look foolish when discussing history with better-informed friends. In January of 1862, Brig. Being held by the British on a truce ship in the Patapsco River, Key observed the battle from afar. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. Joining them is the rocket ship HMSErebus, which launches the newly invented Congreve rockets. 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. Let us know!. 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. The imposing Fort McHenry, at the mouth of the inner harbor, provided the linchpin for the American defenses. The Star-Spangled Banner is one of the most recognizable icons of the United States. : Editor-in-Chief Alan Duke co-founded Lead Stories after ending a 26-year career with CNN, where he mainly covered entertainment, current affairs and politics. On the morning of September 14, when the flag was seen flying above the ramparts, it was clear that Fort McHenry remained in American hands. These troops were able to draw fire from the fort, but did not draw troops away from Baltimore. The Confederate States of Americas first national flag was also known as the "Stars & Bars." How long did the star-spangled banner wave? And they said 'How many ships?' 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. On September 7, 1814, Key, accompanied by American prisoner-of-exchange officer John Skinner, boarded the Tonnant, flagship of the British fleet, where Beanes was being held. At the time, the practice of adding stripes (in addition to stars) with the induction of a new state had not yet been discontinued. 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. "It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone," Key wrote later. In 1814, the United States flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes. [42], A conservation effort was undertaken in 1982 to protect the flag from damage due to dust and light. How the flag that flew proudly over Fort McHenry inspired an anthem and made its way to the Smithsonian. Francis Scott Key went down below and told the men what was about to happen. [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. [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. Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. The museum removed 1.7 million stitches (a previous preservation attempt) from the Star-Spangled Banner. He (Key) said 'You can't shell that fort.' Tensions were high in the British command infrastructure. The prayer 'God, keep that flag flying where we last saw it.'. In fact, military posts traditionally lower the American flag at night. Then, in that hour of deliverance and joyful triumph, my heart spoke, and Does not such a country and such defenders of their country deserve a song?' In general, lowercase north, south, northeast, northern, etc., when they indicate compass direction. 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. He says 'It's predominantly not a military fort.' The fort suffered only light damage from the 1,500 cannonballs, rockets and shells fired upon it. Undoing her work required unbelievable precision. Print by J. Bower, Philadelphia, 1816. The flag that flew during that episode in history became a significant artifact. 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". Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Most of us have memorized it as a child, but we've never really thought about what it means. [6] It now measures 30 by 34 feet (9.1 by 10.4m). 2. 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. 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. This flag flew from 1861 to 1863. You are free.' The most-viewed version of the video is a post (archived here) published on July 4, 2014, under the title "Our National Anthem." He has published several books and numerous articles. [31], Eben Appleton was highly protective of the flag and disliked the attention it brought him. American forces resistedthe dramaticBritish bombardmentof Fort McHenry and proved they could stand up to a great world power. [19], Louisa occasionally allowed the flag to be used for civic occasions. 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. He convinced the British to release Beanes. And it's never leaving. The Surgernor post includes the message "Here is a video I produced several years ago that tells the true story of our National Anthem. 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. The star-spangled banner may not have been run up the flagpole until first light on September 14. 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. Lead Stories is a U.S. based fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, misleading, deceptive or How and when this occurred is unclear. 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. Corbis On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in. Often lost in the near-mythic symbolism attached to this moment in the American consciousness is the fact that Fort McHenrys commander, Major George Armistead, did not order the flag hoisted in a special act of triumph or defiance. He said 'We're going to remove it from the face of the earth.' From the harbor below Fort McHenry, these events were witnessed without understanding that they were standard practice by those aboard a Baltimore packet vessel, President, now serving as the U.S. flag-of-truce vessel. Command of the land forces passes to Col.Arthur Brooke. 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.

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