Mike and Roxanne travel east

Fort McHenry Sep 4, 2007

September 4, 2007 8:00 48211 Sunny skies, already 74, promises to be another hot one!

We stopped for diesel in Baltimore, 48261 499.4 $2.79 a gallon, that is the cheapest we have seen since last May.

Our first stop today is Fort McHenry. For some reason Britain could not understand America's need for independence and even after the Revolution and the American win Britain kept trying to impose sanctions on the U.S.

England and France had been fighting since 1793 and both nations began confiscating American merchant ships and cargoes in an effort to prevent supplies from reaching enemy ports. Britain was also impressing American seamen.

The declaration of war against England on June 18 1812 was to preserve "free trade and sailor's rights." For nearly two years the Americans were mostly an annoyance to the British could not pay much attention until after Napoleon's defeat in April of 1814.

In August, 1814, a joint British army and navy force of 5,000 sailed up Chesapeake Bay, won the Battle of Bladensburg and succeeded in burning Washington D.C. They then turned their attention towards Baltimore.

15,000 troops were stationed in and around Baltimore with many of them at Fort McHenry. The Fort is not so famous for the battle as it is for another event, which took place there.

Dr. Beanes has been taken prisoner by the British for breaking a promise. Francis Scott Key, his friend and a lawyer was sent to negotiate with the British for his release. Both were on a British ship just prior to the battle for Baltimore. Key secured Beanes release but both were transferred to an American truce ship for the duration of the battle. Here they were able to watch throughout the night as the battle raged on shore.

In the morning light as Key noticed the U.S. flag still flying over the fort he penned the immortal words to "The Star Spangled Banner." The Americans had won and the British sailed from the harbor.

Fort McHenry never came under fire again even though it continued as an active military post for the next 100 years, serving throughout the Civil War as a detainment camp for confederate prisoners and during WWI as an Army hospital.

In 1925 Fort McHenry was made a National Park and in 1939 it was redesignated as a National Monument and Historic Shrine.

We hit the Visitor Center and are just in time for the movie. It relates the story of Fort McHenry from Dr. Beanes' view and is very good. As the movie ends, the volunteer returns asks us to stand, face right, and put our hands over our hearts. As the curtain opens you are facing a huge flag, flying in the breeze and the Star Spangled Banner is playing, you are asked to sing along.

The National Anthem always gives me goose bumps, but his time especially so. It is a fitting conclusion to go out and walk among the remains of the fort.