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Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings

	FORT MCHENRY NATIONAL MONUMENT AND HISTORIC SHRINE Maryland	Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
About 3 miles from the center of Baltimore, off U.S. 301 and Md. 2, on East Fort Avenue; address: 2400 East Fort Avenue Baltimore, MD 21230-5393. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

This national shrine, where the flag flies day and night by Presidential proclamation, commemorates that surge of inspiration, amid "bombs bursting in air," that impelled Francis Scott Key to create the classic expression of U.S. ideals and patriotism contained in our national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." The morning after a day—and night—British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814, during the War of 1812, the inspired Key, glimpsing the U.S. flag above the embattled ramparts of the fort, penned his immortal lines.

As early as the War for Independence, military authorities recognized the strategic importance of the Baltimore peninsula, located on the Patapsco River. In 1776, to protect Baltimore Harbor, they constructed Fort Whetstone, a temporary fort. In the 1790's, when war with France seemed imminent, both the Federal Government and the citizens of Baltimore contributed funds for the construction at the same site of a permanent harbor defense, consisting of outer batteries and a star fort. It was named Fort McHenry, in honor of James McHenry, Secretary of War between 1796 and 1800.

Late in the War of 1812, following Napoleon's defeat in 1814 and the temporary restoration of peace in Europe, the British sent large numbers of troops, including "Wellington's Invincibles," to the United States. Most of them moved into the Great Lakes area. Some, before participating in an attack on New Orleans, were sent to the Chesapeake Bay area. After the easy capture of Washington, the British army moved toward Baltimore, larger and of more commercial significance, where they planned to join naval forces in a joint attack.

View of the parade ground from the sally port, Fort McHenry, Maryland. In 1814 the British bombardment of the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

On September 12, 5,000 troops disembarked at North Point, down-river from Fort McHenry, and moved rapidly to Baltimore. On North Point Road they clashed with U.S. troops. The next morning the British moved to within 2 miles of Baltimore, and at the same time 16 warships dropped anchor in the Patapsco River and commenced a 25-hour bombardment of the fort. Because most of the U.S. garrison was stationed on outerworks, casualties, at the fort itself were only 4 killed and 24 wounded. The critical hour came shortly after midnight on the 14th, when a sizable force of British sailors tried to penetrate the Ferry Branch, a channel on the Patapsco River on the vulnerable south side of the city. But half of them mistakenly entered the North West Branch, the channel opposite the fort. U.S. forces detected them and drove them off, as well as the rest of the group at the Ferry Branch. Because the U.S. troops had sunk the hulks entering the North West Branch, the British commander, prevented from entering the channel, withdrew his land troops to their transports. The Battle of Baltimore was over and the British repulsed. They moved to the island of Jamaica for rendezvous with other troops before attacking New Orleans, where Andrew Jackson defeated them.

"The Star-Spangled Banner" reflects the emotions of Francis Scott Key as he watched the 25-hour attack on Fort McHenry from the decks of a U.S. truce ship, detained by the British fleet. During the day, able to see the flag waving defiantly over the ramparts, he was reassured. As long as the British continued to fire, he knew the fort was continuing to resist. Then shortly after midnight the firing ceased, and he feared that the fort had surrendered. He was unaware that the bombardment had been halted to enable a landing force to storm the fort. Anxiously he waited for daylight, and at dawn saw the flag again. On the back of a letter, he penned the first version of the poem that became the national anthem. When released, he had a revised copy printed in handbill form. Soon people were singing the poem to the music of a popular English song, "To Anacreon in Heaven." As time passed, the song increased in popularity. In 1931 Congress made "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official national anthem.

Fort McHenry.

Although the strategic importance of Fort McHenry decreased after 1814, it continued to play a part in the Nation's emergencies. During the Mexican War the Maryland Volunteer Artillery mobilized at the fort, and during the Civil War Confederate prisoners, as well as Baltimore residents suspected of Southern sympathies, were detained there.

Fort McHenry was first established in 1925 as a National Park and redesignated by Congress in 1939 as a National Monument and Historic Shrine. It includes the pentagonal brick fort and surrounding area of slightly more than 43 acres. The visitor center interprets the history of the site. Buildings within the fort serve as museums; of special interest are exhibits of the flag and its evolution. A numbered self-guiding tour of the fort includes all principal features.