BGuthrie Photos: MD -- Fort McHenry Natl Monument -- Visitor Center

MD -- Fort McHenry Natl Monument -- Visitor Center:

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. FTMCVC_110109_004.JPG: This is where the old visitor center used to be
2. FTMCVC_110312_007.JPG: I'd never seen one of these water-saving settings on a urinal before. The sign (next) says to "Push Handle Down for Solid Waste". Did I mention this was a urinal? Solid waste...
3. FTMCVC_110312_019.JPG: Fort McHenry -- Birthplace of the "The Star-Spangled Banner" Fort McHenry is the birthplace of "The Star-Spangled Banner," our National Anthem. Its stirring words were written by Francis Scott Key inspired by the American flag defiantly flying over the fort after an intense British naval bombardment during the War of 1812. His words, and the flag they so memorably portray, are powerful symbols of American identity.
4. FTMCVC_110312_024.JPG: The film is a centerpiece of the visitor center. Once it's over, the screen raises and your left with a view of the flag flying over Fort McHenry.
5. FTMCVC_110312_090.JPG: Making History with "The Star-Spangled Banner": History is the coming together of people, place, and time. When Francis Scott Key watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 he was witnessing history in the making. He was also making it himself. In just a few lines, his dynamic words distilled the events, emotions, and ideas of one moment into the expression of a timeless national spirit. This is the enduring appeal of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
6. FTMCVC_110312_111.JPG: "The Star-Spangled Banner" Manuscript Baltimore, Maryland, September 1814 Francis Scott Key This is the earliest known version of the song in Key's handwriting. The strikeouts and revisions give evidence that this is likely the first draft of what would eventually become the National Anthem of the United States. Within days of the bombardment, the song was printed on handbills and broadsides and published in newspapers.
7. FTMCVC_110312_116.JPG: The Making of American Symbols: What do our national flag and National Anthem mean to you? These two prime symbols of American identity provoke in different people a variety of emotional responses. Fort McHenry's unique association with both the flag and the anthem has made the fort not only a place of commemoration, but also a reflection on what it means to be an American.
8. FTMCVC_110312_119.JPG: After the song was written: O! say does that star-spangled Banner yet wave, O'er the Land of the free, and the home of the brave? -- Francis Scott Key, "The Star-Spangled Banner," 1814 Carried by the Tune: The publication of the music together with Key's words increased the popularity of his song even further. Thomas Carr of Carr's Music Store in Baltimore was the first publisher in October 1814, and was responsible for changing the title. The new name, "The Star-Spangled Banner," gave the song a universal and lasting appeal. At that time, it was common to put new words to existing tunes. Key almost certainly had the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven" in mind when he wrote the lyrics. He had already written an earlier song to this melody, as had 80 other authors by 1814. The established popularity of the music helped "The Star-Spangled Banner" to spread so quickly. "To Anacreon in Heaven" was written around 1770 by two Englishmen for a gentleman's social club in London. Ralph Tomlinson, who penned the lyrics, and John Stafford Smith, who composed the music, belonged to the Anacreontic Society, named in honor of the classical Greek poet, Anacreon. Primarily focused on music, members humorously states they were dedicated to "wit, harmony and the god of wine." Opponents of the campaign to make "The Star-Spangled Banner" the National Anthem were later to allege that its music was inappropriate, claiming it was an English drinking song.
9. FTMCVC_110312_122.JPG: 1777: The Stars and Stripes Flag (with 13 of each) is adopted as the official flag of the United States of America. 1794: Congress authorizes a 15-star, 15-stripe flag to take account of two new states (Vermont and Kentucky). This is the type of flag flown at Fort McHenry in 1814. 1812-1815: The War of 1812 is fought between the United States and Great Britain. 1814: The British navy bombards Fort McHenry in an unsuccessful attack on Baltimore. Francis Scott Key writes "The Star-Spangled Banner" in response. 1818: Congress establishes that the flag will retain the original 13 stripes, but gain a new star for every new state. 1861-1865: The American Civil War. 1861: "The Star-Spangled Banner" is voted the most popular patriotic song by readers of Harpers Weekly. The Confederate States of America adopt a new flag and rewrite the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner". 1864: President Lincoln authorizes the use on coinage of the words "In God We Trust" (possibly adapted from "The Star-Spangled Banner"). 1865: 13th Amendment to the Constitution ends slavery throughout the United States. 1876: The country celebrates its 100th birthday with widespread use of American flags and playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." 1889: "The Star-Spangled Banner" is made the US Navy's official tune for flag-raising. 1892: The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag is written for the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in America. 1896: Presidential candidate William McKinley conducts a controversial "flag-waving" campaign, the first time a major political campaign is based primarily on imagery of the American flag. 1896: The first modern Olympic Games are held in Athens, Greece, accelerating the trend towards official national anthems. 1914: To mark 100 years since Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," commemorations are held at Fort McHenry. The fort site becomes a city park. 1914-1918: World War I. The United States enters the conflict in 1917. 1916: President Wilson signs an executive order for the US Army and Navy to use "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the National Anthem. 1918: The Star-Spangled Banner" is played at the baseball World Series. 1920: The 19th Amendment is ratified, giving women the right to vote. Activists use the flag in their hard-fought campaign. 1923-1924: The "Flag Code" is established as guidance for handling and displaying the flag. 1925: Fort McHenry is made a National Park. 1929: The Wall Street Stock Market crashes, triggering the Great Depression. 1931: A popular campaign led by Ella Hauk Holloway, National Society US Daughters of 1812, and The Honorable John Charles Linthicum of Maryland succeeds in making "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official National Anthem for the United States. 1939: Fort McHenry is re-designated by Congress as the nation's only "National Monument and Historic Shrine." 1939-1945: World War II. America enters the conflict after the Japanese attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. 1942: The Flag Code promoting respect for the flag becomes federal law. 1950-1953: Korean War. 1955-1975: Vietnam War. US involvement begins in 1955. 1960: The 50th star is added to the flag on July 4 to mark Hawaii becoming a state. It is the 27th version of the flag. 1968: The assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr triggers a massive wave of riots across America. Senator Robert F Kennedy, front runner candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, is assassinated. 1968: John Carlos and Tommie Smith stage a Black Power protest during the playing of "The Star-Spangled banner" at their medal ceremony during the Olympic Games in Mexico City. 1968: Defamation of the flag is criminalized by federal law. Activist Abbie Hoffman is arrested in Washington, DC for wearing a shirt made from a flag. 1976: The United States celebrates its Bicentennial (200th anniversary), reinvigorating the flag, anthem and other national symbols. 1980: Intense Cold War rivalry between the world's two superpowers is symbolized by their clash in the ice hockey final of the Winter Olympics. The USA beat the USSR to take gold. 1989: The US Supreme Court rules that flag burning the other "profanities" are protected freedom-of-speech rights under the 1st Amendment. 2001: Terrorist attacks destroy the World Trade Center in New York, damage the Pentagon in Washington DC, and crash a plane in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The flag symbolizes American resolve in a time of crisis. 2008: Olympian Michael Phelps sings the National Anthem during his 8 gold medal ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 2014: The 200th anniversary of Francis Scott Key writing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the bombardment of Fort McHenry.
10. FTMCVC_110312_133.JPG: Commemorative Coin: United States, 1989 This bronze coin was made to commemorate the 175th Anniversary of "The Star-Spangled Banner." It depicts Francis Scott Key viewing the flag during the Bombardment of Fort McHenry. Many similar commemorative coins were commissioned over the years.
11. FTMCVC_110312_143.JPG: Medallion Newark, New Jersey, 1914 Whitehead & Hoag Co. The flag and Francis Scott Key's image are featured on this bronze medal, awarded by the Boy Scouts of America to participants in the National Star-Spangled Banner Centennial celebration at Fort McHenry in September 1914. This particular medal was given to John Howard Edwards Sr. (1898-1973) of Baltimore.
12. FTMCVC_110312_167.JPG: Spreading the Word: Francis Scott Key's song achieved instant popularity. In an era of slow communication, it spread across the nation with impressive speed. Key finished writing the song at his hotel in Baltimore on the evening of September 16, 1814. He showed it to his wife's brother-in-law, Joseph Nicholson, who immediately delivered it to the offices of the Baltimore American and Commercial Daily Advertiser. This first printing under the title "Defence of Fort M'Henry" was a broadside sheet, handed out in the streets. It stated that the song should be sung to the tune of "Anacreon in Heaven." In a matter of hours, the whole city was singing it. The song's popularity prompted a more official published printing in the Baltimore Patriot and Evening Advertiser, on September 20. The song spread quickly. By September 22, it had also appeared in a New York City newspaper, the Mercantile Advertiser. Newspapers in at least nine of the 18 states in 1814 had published the song within six weeks, reaching north to New Hampshire and as far south as Georgia.
13. FTMCVC_110312_178.JPG: Patriotism and Place: Fort McHenry provides a unique touchstone both to the dramatic origins of the National Anthem and to American identity. Commemorative events were held at the fort immediately after 1814. One such event in 1824 honored Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette in a special ceremony that tied the birth of the nation in 1776 to its preservation during the War of 1812. When the last active artillery unit left in 1912, the fort's future seemed in doubt. Baltimore safeguarded the fort as a city park, until the army reclaimed it for use as a hospital during World War I. In the struggle to save the fort, local campaigners, led by John Charles Linthicum, a prominent Maryland congressman, kept up the pressure for a commemorative site. In 1925, Congress made Fort McHenry a national park. Its 1939 redesignation as a "National Monument and Historic Shrine" was unique, reflecting the recognition of the site as a tangible place of ongoing commemoration and special pilgrimage.
14. FTMCVC_110312_181.JPG: "As a perpetual symbol of our patriotism, the flag of the United States shall hereafter be displayed at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine at all times during the day and night." -- President Harry S Truman, 1948, declaring Fort McHenry the first site in the country to fly the flag 24 hours a day by presidential proclamation
15. FTMCVC_110312_183.JPG: A Song for America: "The words of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' are lovely; they are an inspiration from start to finish... God bless Francis Scott Key." -- Ella Hauk Holloway, President of the National Society US Daughters of 1812, 1932. Mrs. Holloway orchestrated the campaign to make "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official National Anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a potent symbol that has long provoked intense debate. Although widely regarded as a national song or the national air after 1814, it took 117 years to become the official National Anthem. At the outbreak of the Civil War, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was adopted as a rally cry of the Union. By the 1890s, patriotic organizations began to promote public singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and practice of standing during its playing. Form 1910, various attempts to get the song officially recognized as the National Anthem also began. Opposition was just as passionate in favor of other contenders, including "My Country 'Tis Of Thee," "America the Beautiful," and "Hail Columbia." After World War I, pacifists argued that Key's lyrics were too warlike and, in the words of opponent Augusta E. Stetson, "born of intense hatred of Great Britain and wedded to a bar-room ballad composed by a foreigner." However, the song was already the official choice for military ceremonies, and the weight of its popular appeal proved overwhelming. On march 3, 1931, President Hoover signed a bill making "The Star-Spangled Banner" America's official National Anthem. Nevertheless, many people continue to question the song's meanings and ask how and for whom America is the "land of the free." "It says 'The land of the free and the home of the brave' and this is not the land of the free... I'm not going to sing it any more." -- Sylvia Woods, a 10-year-old African American girl in 1919, explaining to her school principal why she was refusing to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner"
16. FTMCVC_110312_187.JPG: "The salute to the flag fosters a spirit of unity and loyalty among the future citizens of the land, regardless of the many racial stocks from which these children have sprung." -- National Geographic, October 1917
17. FTMCVC_110312_189.JPG: Stars and Stripes: As American nationalism grew in 1800s and early 1900s, so did the use of the flag as a national icon. The Stars and Stripes had not been so widely used in the early years of the Republic, but its association with "The Star-Spangled Banner" made it more popular. In 1848, the US Army began carrying the flag into battle, and during the Civil War the Stars and Stripes was a highly visible symbol of the hope for a reunified nation. In the 1890s new patriotic organizations promoted flags for schools, the introduction of the Pledge of Allegiance and regulations against "misuse" of the flag. In their eyes, the flag was a bulwark against threats to American identify from mass immigration and organized labor. By the 1960s, the American flag was seen by some to reflect a narrow and exclusive vision of American identify. In protest, they burned or defaced flags, prompting Congress to criminalize such behavior in 1968. This legislation was repeated after the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag burning was an expression of freedom of speech. These struggles over the flag's meaning are testaments to its enduring power as a national symbol.
18. FTMCVC_110312_259.JPG: In the Heat of Battle: Francis Scott Key's song emerged from his dramatic personal experience of the British attack on Baltimore. In the summer of 1814, after two long years of war with America, the British increased their destructive military campaign in the Chesapeake, raiding along the coastline and attacking Washington, DC. They hoped to divert US troops from invading Canada and strengthen their position at the peace negotiations. In early September, Key accompanied John Skinner, US Exchange Agent for Prisoners, on a special mission to negotiate the release of a friend, Dr. William Beanes, being held captive. They learned from British commanders of plans to attack Baltimore. The British detained Key and his companions aboard the American truce vessel until after the battle to prevent them from alerting the American forces. From the ship about three or four miles distant, Key watched helplessly during the 25-hour British bombardment. He knew friends, families and fellow citizens were fighting for their homes and lives. To his astonished joy he saw the American flag still flying on September 14. Moved to record the events, Key wrote a few lines of verse as the British fleet withdrew. Upon returning to Baltimore, he completed a song, little knowing the lasting impact his words would have on the nation. "Does not such a country and such defenders of their country deserve a song?" -- Francis Scott Key, recalling his reasons for writing "The Star-Spangled Banner," from a speech given in 1835
19. FTMCVC_110312_262.JPG: A War Commentary: "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a personal commentary in which Key lays bare his emotions during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, his opinions on the war and his beliefs about what Americans are fighting to defend -- land, freedom and home. The vivid language of the first verse evokes the intensity of the bombardment and Key's great fear that the battle might be lost. The "broad stripes and bright stars" of the flag have been his glimmer of hope through the long night. He strains to see if it is still there. In the second verse, Key conjures up the eerie, tense calm after the storm of battle. As the sun rises, "The morning's first beam" finally reveals the American flag still flying "in full glory" above the fort. Key's great relief at the longed-for victory pours out. The third verse is an angry tirade against the British. Keys mocks their failure to crush America and destroy "a home and a country." Instead, the British have suffered heavily in "the terror of flight." Here, Key's words express pride in his nation as well as rage against the enemy. In the final verse, Key honors the citizen-soldier and thanks God for intervening on America's behalf, by stating "Of thus be it ever, when free men shall stand" and describing America as the "heav'n rescued land." "Every word came from his heart, and for that reason, even more than from its poetical merit it never fails to find a response in the hearts of those who listen to it." -- Chief Justice Roger B. Taney (Key's brother-in-law), 1857
20. FTMCVC_110312_269.JPG: "As the last vessel spread her canvas to the wind, the Americans hoisted a most superb and splendid ensign on their battery, and fired at the same time a gun of defiance." -- Robert Barnett, midshipman aboard the British ship HMS Hebrus as the fleet withdrew from Baltimore, September 14, 1814
21. FTMCVC_110312_271.JPG: Francis Scott Key -- Convictions and Contradictions: Francis Scott Key was a man of contradictions in an era of equally complex social and political issues. In 1814, Key was a well-connected Maryland lawyer from Georgetown with both an uncle and friends in Congress. A talented poet and eloquent speaker, he argued against a war in which he feared that America might be shedding blood needlessly. Yet he saw the necessity of defending his homeland as a member of the militia. Key also tried to reconcile being a slaveholder with his firm belief in justice and the teachings of his Christian faith. He believed slavery was wrong in principle and freed some of his own slaves. However, he feared the social and economic consequences of mass emancipation, favoring a more gradual process of sending free blacks to a colony in Africa. He argued legal cases for slaveholders, but also for the rights of free African Americans seeking freedom. A contemporary even said he was "ready to brave odium or even personal danger in their behalf." These contradictions resonate in Key's famous words. He wrote of the "home of the free," but knew that millions lived enslaved in the United States. His song commemorated a violent battle, yet he detested the blood of war. Such are the complexities of the man and his moment.
22. FTMCVC_110312_280.JPG: "Enthusiasm was a distinguishing trait of his character; and, as he always identified himself with his subject, he was able to enlist on his side, the feelings of his audience." -- From obituary of Francis Scott Key in The Baltimore Sun, January 13, 1843
23. FTMCVC_110312_283.JPG: Francis Scott Key and the Birth of "The Star-Spangled Banner" "The Star-Spangled Banner" was born at dawn on September 14, 1814, in the aftermath of battle. A long day and night of intense British bombardment had finally ended. The attack on Fort McHenry had failed and Baltimore was saved. As the American defenders of the fort hoisted a huge flag, one eyewitness was moved to commemorate their courage in a song. Francis Scott Key was the poet, and his words became the National Anthem.
24. FTMCVC_110312_291.JPG: Bombarding the Fort: Of the over 50 warships of the British invasion fleet, only 17 made up the bombardment squadron. However, their weaponry was surprisingly powerful. Each of the five bomb ships could fire 190-pound shells over a mile high and two miles distant, dropping them over the fort where they exploded. The ship HMS Erebus fired Congreve Rockets that could set an entire building on fire. Although these shells were very inaccurate, they had a great psychological impact. Francis Scott Key described such weapons with the words, "the Rockets' red glare, the Bombs bursting in air." (1) Replica of a British Congreve Rocket: Developed by William Congreve, these rockets were introduced in 1804. The iron cylindrical case filled with black powder was a propulsion unit. Its fiery trail blazing across the sky was the "Rockets' red glare" of Key's song. The warhead contained gunpowder, burning tar and shrapnel. (2) Congreve Rocket casing: England, about 1812 Similar to those fired at Fort McHenry, this rocket was launched from HMS Menalaus and destroyed the farmhouse of a Mr. Frisby in Kent County in Maryland's Eastern Shore. To claim compensation from Congress, Frisby hired Georgetown lawyer Francis Scott Key and won his case. (3) Bomb fragment England, about 1812 Fragment of an exploded British mortar shell, one of the "Bombs bursting in air." At up to 190 pounds when whole, these shells were five times heavier and much more destructive than the biggest cannonballs available to the American defenders. (4) Bomb fragment England, about 1812 Another fragment of an exploded British mortar shell, one of the "Bombs bursting in air" over Fort McHenry. Note the scorch marks on the outer side. (5) Carcass shell England, about 1812 Fired from the HMS Volcano, this type of shell was a fire bomb. Its holes allowed a burning stick mixture of tar and resin to spill out. The British hoped to burn the city of Baltimore with such shells.
25. FTMCVC_110312_297.JPG: They were still working on some of the displays
26. FTMCVC_110312_306.JPG: Bar shot Late 1700s Fired from a cannon, the shot was designed to destroy the rigging of enemy ships. Bar shot was used by both sides during the naval battles and privateer skirmishes of the war.
27. FTMCVC_110312_319.JPG: Grapeshot Baltimore, Maryland, about 1813 Fired from a cannon, the twelve iron balls in a canvas covering would scatter over a wide area and prove devastating to a ship's rigging and seamen at close range.
28. FTMCVC_110312_325.JPG: The War of 1812 -- A Forgotten Conflict? The defense of Fort McHenry was one event in a wide-ranging war between the United States and Great Britain, in which both sides were supported by American Indian allies. Known as the "War of 1812," the conflict actually lasted almost three years between 1812 and 1815. Sometimes called a "forgotten war" of American history, neither side could claim outright victory. For the young United States, however, it strengthened a sense of national identity and enhanced the country's status on the world stage. "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just." -- Francis Scott Key, "The Star-Spangled Banner", 1814
29. FTMCVC_110312_328.JPG: The Road to War: The War of 1812 began in June of that year when the United States declared war on Britain. The causes were complex, dividing the nation. Broadly, American and British interests clashed at a time when Britain was still fighting its long, global war against Napoleonic France. The various causes of the War of 1812 can be divided into four areas: (1) Maritime Issues: Since 1803, the British navy had forcibly drafted approximately 6,000 American merchant sailors into its service. This practice of "impressment" violated America's neutrality and the rights of its citizens. The British government's Orders-in-Council also required all neutral trade with Europe to pass via England, in response to French decrees prohibiting neutral trade with Britain. The result was that in 1807-1812, Britain and France together seized about 900 American merchant ships. (2) Western Expansion: The British posed a potential obstacle to rich land opportunities on America's western and northern borderlands. War might bring the tempting prize of British Canada and put an end to British support of American Indian resistance of westward expansion. (3) Politics: The Democratic-Republican Party was in power, but split into factions. A war would rally the party together and stifle its opponents, the anti-war Federalists. (4) National Honor: Many Americans were outraged by the trampling of their national rights. War was an opportunity to win back America's prestige and uphold the legacy of the Revolution.
30. FTMCVC_110312_331.JPG: "I honestly don't know what we are up to here -- we remain always in the same situation -- between two fires. One day it seems we will have a war with France, another day with England. Our government is weak and the nation divided over this matter." -- Rosalie Stier Calvert of Bladensburg, Maryland in a letter to her father in Europe, November 1, 1809
31. FTMCVC_110312_339.JPG: A Widespread War: America aimed to seize British Canada and inflict damage on British ships and trade elsewhere. The American three-pronged attack on Canada ultimately failed. Some spectacular successes in 1813 against the British and their American Indian allies did secure America's northwest frontier. But in the key strategic areas along the Niagara frontier and St. Lawrence River, the British prevailed. Partly to draw off American forces from Canada, the British attacked America's east coast. The British naval blockade stretched the entire length of the coast by 1814. It provided highly effective in damaging America's commerce and largely keeping its warships confined to harbor. In the Chesapeake Bay, the British navy destroyed American ships and supplies and attacked coastal trade. Washington DC was burned, but Baltimore held off an attack. On the high seas, American warships won a series of duels that embarrassed the Royal Navy. Once the British blockade was in place, however, the fight was largely left to America's far-roaming privateer ships. They took a heavy toll on British merchant shipping, just as British ships did on American sea trade. In the southwest, General Andrew Jackson won a stunning victory against the British outside New Orleans in early 1815. However, this had little impact on the war as the conflict was almost over and a peace treaty nearly finalized.
32. FTMCVC_110312_355.JPG: Britain and France at War: Britain and France, along with their allies, fought a series of wars between 1793 and 1815 called the "French Revolutionary Wars" and the "Napoleonic Wars." In an attempt to secure its Revolution at home, France's new leaders had launched military attacks on its neighbors. These soon evolved into wars of conquest and imperial expansion that propelled Napoleon Bonaparte to power. Great Britain was France's chief opponent and was the world's most powerful economic and naval power. Maritime trade was vital to both nations, turning a European war into a global struggle across the seas. The importance of American sea trade made it a target for both France and Britain. They plundered American ships in order to undermine each other's economies. However, neither country wished to get entangled in a distracting side war against the United States. In fact, by spring 1812 the British government was seeking to avoid such a conflict. At the same time that the American Congress declared war on Britain, the British Parliament was about to repeal the measures restricting American trade with Europe. To those Americans fired up for a fight, however, this was too little, too late.
33. FTMCVC_110312_358.JPG: War Fever: The declaration of war on Britain occurred against a backdrop of intense public debate an a divided Congress. The Federalists had pursued a policy in the 1790s of "preparedness" for any potential new war. Using new taxes and a national bank, they invested in the army, navy, and coastal defenses. Their pro-British foreign policy was intended to ensure peace with England and protect American commerce. The Democratic-Republicans took office in 1801 and reversed these unpopular policies. America was now more exposed to rough British treatment on the high seas, including the impressment of her sailors. When an American Indian uprising against land seizures broke out in the Northwest Territory in 1811, many Americans were convinced the British were behind it. President Madison and the "War Hawks," a small but powerful group of Democratic-Republicans, began calling for war with England, one which many saw as a "second war of independence." The Federalists and some Democratic-Republicans were not convinced. One commented, "The war fever has its hot and cold fits." However, strength of feeling ran high against the British practice of impressment and its restrictions on American trade. Amidst appeals to defend "free trade and sailors' rights," the war vote narrowly passed. It was the closest such vote in American history. On June 18, 1812 American was once again at war with the world's mightiest empire.
34. FTMCVC_110312_362.JPG: "The war has raised our reputation in Europe ... and it excites astonishment that w should have been able for one campaign to have fought Great Britain single handed ... I think it will be a long time before we are disturbed again by any of the powers of Europe." -- James Bayard, American peace negotiator, in a letter to his son, December 24, 1814
35. FTMCVC_110312_364.JPG: Triumphs and Catastrophes: Despite some impressive victories in the War of 1812, America was rarely far from defeat and disaster. Fighting ranged across several fronts, on land and sea. America took the war to the British in Canada. Britain brought the war home to America, along its eastern and southern coasts. The Americans were hampered by internal problems. President Madison was a weak and uninspiring war leader, who was slow to replace incompetent military commanders or to unite his own party. The war was unpopular, reflected in poor rates of enlistment and high rates of desertion in the army and navy. With notable exceptions, the volunteer citizen militias were an unreliable alternative. Finally, the Federal government failed to raise enough money to pay for the war. America faced a professional, disciplined British navy and army, battle-hardened by 20 years of warfare. For every American warship, Britain could boast 30. For most of the war, the British were also engaged in fighting France. Victory over Napoleon in 1814 allowed the British to turn their full attention on the United States. Yet America did resist this mighty foe. Some stunning victories were won in battle, and American privateers significantly damaged Britain's trade. Successes, however, were matched by failures, and the war ended in stalemate and a negotiated peace.
36. FTMCVC_110312_368.JPG: "We have considered ourselves of too much importance in the scale of nations. It has led us into great errors." -- Daniel Sheffey, US Representative, Virginia Federalist
37. FTMCVC_110312_370.JPG: The Chesapeake Campaign: By early 1814, Napoleon was temporarily defeated in Europe. The British could seize the initiative in their American war, launching a counter-offensive in Canada and turning their vengeful attention to America's vulnerable heartland. During the summer, 50 British warships and 4,500 seasoned troops from the battlefields of Europe assembled in the Chesapeake. The British aim was to hurt both the economy and morale of the United States, while drawing away American troops and resources from the campaign in Canada. Intending the whole region to suffer, British forces eyed Washington and Baltimore as the biggest prizes. The effects of the British naval blockade were already being felt as food supplies in most cities fell and prices skyrocketed. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of the region's prime export, tobacco, were confiscated or destroyed. Merchant vessels were seized, together with their valuable cargoes of iron, lumber, and foodstuffs. Plantation owners in the Tidewater region also lost much of their human "property," as the British offered freedom to enslaved African-Americans, fueling fears of a slave uprising. These massive economic losses were accompanied by reports of British troops looting and destroying property. To the American inhabitants it seemed the redcoats were an unstoppable wave. When the raiders turned their sights on poorly defended Washington, there was good reason to panic. "It is hateful to see the poor Yankees robbed, and to be the robber." -- Lieutenant Colonel Charles James Napier, a British commander in the Chesapeake, 1813
38. FTMCVC_110312_376.JPG: t us to speak of them with respect." -- Augustus J. Foster, the British Minister (ambassador) to the United States, 1815 "The freedom achieved by their swords, and the institution established by their wisdom, are now left in our hands... For the price of that blood which sealed the independence of this great, this powerful, this Independent Republic." -- Robert H Goldsborough, Senator for Maryland, commenting in 1827 on the veterans of the War of 1812
39. FTMCVC_110312_379.JPG: The Cost of War: This is a replica "hogshead," a shipment barrel which could hold over 1,300 pounds of tobacco. It is a symbol of the immense cost of the war in the Chesapeake region. The economy in southern Maryland centered on its main export, tobacco, and the slave labor that was the backbone of the cash crop. The British offensive against trade in the region was one of the most destructive of the war, with 30 farms and 16 tobacco towns and warehouses seized or destroyed. In one month alone, during the summer of 1814, the British confiscated 402 tobacco hogsheads and destroyed another 2,500, a loss equivalent to many millions of dollars today. The campaign affected other exports, shipbuilding and enslaved labor. Americans feared that the British were stirring up a widespread slave revolt, as the British had offered freedom to runaways in the form of enlistment or resettlement. About 2,600 people gained their freedom by going over to the British, most of whom settled in Canada or Trinidad. Economically, America was damaged by the war. Exports dropped by almost 90 percent and imports by 75 percent. However, throughout the conflicts, both official and illegal trade with the British continued. On both sides, some people put profit before patriotism.
40. FTMCVC_110312_386.JPG: The Destruction of Washington: The government was slow to realize the pressing danger to America's capital in 1814. Officials did not expect the British to bother coming so far inland to a city without major commerce. They underestimated the British desire for aggressive retaliation. American successes at sea and attacks in Canada, including the burning of York (now Toronto), wounded British pride. The preparation of Washington's defenses was inadequate and hurried. British troops landed at Benedict, Maryland, and headed for the city. At Bladensburg on August 24, they were met by an American force of mainly untested militia. The Americans were routed, retreating so hastily that the event was mocked as "the Bladensburg races." Washington's residents and officials, including the President, took flight. First Lady Dolley Madison supervised the hasty removal of White House treasures. Panicked War Department clerks saved the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and much of George Washington's official correspondence. The British reached Washington the same evening. Entering the White House, officers ate an abandoned supper, took souvenirs and set fire to the building. Soldiers also burned the Capitol, the Treasury and the War and State Department buildings. The destruction of the capital was a severe blow to American morale and the President's authority. But it did not mark the end of the war. The British withdrew the next day, heading for Baltimore and richer pickings.
41. FTMCVC_110312_390.JPG: The Battle for Baltimore: America's third most populous city, Baltimore was a wealthy port and a base for American privateers. If the British could capture it, they would severely damage America's war effort and strengthen their negotiating position. As at Washington, they would also be free to loot and burn the city. The stakes were high for both sides. Unlike Washington, however, Baltimore was prepared. Major General Samuel Smith had assembled a strong force of citizen-soldiers and regulars and built earthwork defenses against what he knew would be determined British advance. The British army landed at North Point early on September 12 and marched toward the city. It pushed back a force of American militia, but with heavy losses, including British commander Major general Robert Ross. Pushing on, the British were in sight of the city defenses the next day and waited for the naval bombardment to do its work. The British fleet attacked Fort McHenry, attempting to destroy it so they could bring ships closer to the city. A 25-hour bombardment failed to knock out the fort, however, and British ships suffered from the stout American return fire. Early on September 14, the British reluctantly called off the attack and withdrew their troops. The defense of Baltimore boosted American morale and marked the end of the Chesapeake Campaign. The importance of the battle in the larger war effort was acknowledged by a British peace commissioner, who wrote, "If we had either burnt Baltimore or held Plattsburg, I believe we could have had peace on our own terms."
42. FTMCVC_110312_395.JPG: The Defense of Fort McHenry: Fort McHenry stood between the British and their intended destruction of Baltimore. If they took the fort, the city would fall. The fort's location and heavy guns meant it guarded the entrance to the city harbor up the Northwest Branch of the Patapsco River. Ships sunk across this entrance helped blocked access, and they were supporting gun batteries at other nearby forts. Under the command of Major George Armistead, Fort McHenry was defended by over 1,000 men, including many citizens of Baltimore. British bomb and rocket ships under Admiral Cochrane began shelling Fort McHenry at 6am on September 13, 1814. They fired over 1,500 bombs and rockets during a 25-hour period, 400 of which landed near or in the fort. Despite the ferocity of the bombardment, only four American defenders were killed. Early on September 14, Cochrane launched an attack up a different branch of the river, the Ferry Branch, hoping to draw off American forces facing the British troops outside the city. When this failed under heavy American return fire, British hopes faded. Around dawn, the British withdrew American soldiers at Fort McHenry took down their small "storm flag" and hoisted the larger flag that Francis Scott Key saw and immortalized as "The Star-Spangled Banner." Through Key's stirring words, the resolve shown in this successful defense of homeland came to symbolize a national spirit. "Between their loved home and the war's desolation!" -- Francis Scott Key, "The Star-Spangled Banner," 1814
43. FTMCVC_110312_399.JPG: A Flag for Fort McHenry: The Star-Spangled Banner flag of Francis Scott Key's song was fittingly born amidst the Baltimoreans' preparations to defend the city. Major George Armistead, commander at Fort McHenry, commissioned the flag a year before the British attack. Armistead was a seasoned soldier who had participated in the American capture of Fort George on the Niagara River in 1813. Aware of Fort McHenry's vital strategic and symbolic importance, he asked for a flag so large "that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance." On August 19, 1813 a local seamstress, Mary Young Pickersgill, received the commission to make an "American ensign" measuring 30 x 42 feet and using "finest quality bunting." It was a major undertaking, for which Mary was assisted by her daughter, nieces, and possibly an enslaved servant. The flag was so large they had to assemble it on the floor of a brewery near Mary's workshop. Her total fee of $574.44 was a very large sum of money at the time and included the production of a smaller flag, which may have been the "storm flag" flown during the night of the British bombardment in 1814.
44. FTMCVC_110312_402.JPG: People at War: A wide variety of people were caught up in the Battle for Baltimore. African-Americans were among Baltimore's 15,000 defenders. Protecting Baltimore was a mix of regular soldiers and sailors plus militia. Troops came from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia, as well as from Maryland. Citizen-soldiers from the city itself were defending not only American soil, but also their businesses, homes and families. The British forces were mainly professional enlisted volunteers, with some impressed sailors. Approximately 200 African-Americans who had escaped slavery during the Chesapeake Campaign fought for the British in the battle.
45. FTMCVC_110312_405.JPG: The End of the War: By late 1814, neither an exhausted American nor a frustrated Britain could see much to gain from further fighting. The two sides finally agreed to a peace treaty in Ghent, Belgium on December 24. In previous negotiations, an end to impressment had been the key American demand, rejected by Britain. At Ghent, the Americans finally dropped the issue. In fact, none of the maritime concerns from before the war were featured in the final agreement. Instead, it simply called for a return to the status quo that existed in 1811. Each side also promised to make peace with the American Indians and restore lands and rights affected since 1812. Disputed parts of the American-Canadian border would be resolved, and both sides promised to do their best to stamp out the slave trade. The final actions of the war took place as the treaty was making its way across the Atlantic. At the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, a superior British army suffered a severe defeat by Andrew Jackson's frontier forces. The War of 1812 formally ended on February 16, 1815, when the treaty was approved by the Senate and ratified by President Madison. Neither side could claim victory, but American might claim to have won the peace. A draw against the world's most powerful superpower was hugely symbolic and suggested America's future potential on the world stage. "The Americans have had the satisfaction of proving their courage they have brought us to speak of them with respect." -- Augustus J. Foster, the British Minister (ambassador) to the United States, 1815
46. FTMCVC_110312_417.JPG: American Legacies of the War: Above all, the War of 1812 saw the rise of a new sense of American national destiny. The United States never again attempted to conquer Canada, but obstacles to American westward expansion were removed, as the British abandoned their treaties with American Indians in the northwest. The participation of a number of Indian nations as allies of the British provided a ready-made excuse for the US government to speed up the forced removal of eastern tribes to lands beyond the Mississippi River once the conflict ended. The war has also proved the need for better communications, spurring road and canal building. Military spending increased to build up the army, navy and coastline defenses. Foreign policy became bolder. Focusing on battle successes, many Americans in the years after 1815 talked of the War of 1812 as a triumph. So why is it now called a "forgotten war"? It was not a clear victory. Perhaps it was also a failure. None of America's stated war aims were achieved, and the arguments for war were neither clear nor undisputed. Later, more significant conflicts including the Civil War, World War I and World War II superseded it. Nevertheless, what the War of 1812 did bequeath to the nation was a renewed national spirit that made those later victories possible.
47. FTMCVC_110312_420.JPG: "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the War of 1812: The War of 1812 stirred up American nationalism in the years that followed, most evident in the increased appearance of national emblems and singing of national songs. It seem to many that the words of "The Star-Spangled Banner" had perfectly captured everything that the American flag should represent -- courage, hope, homeland and freedom. Americans looked afresh at their flag and saw in it a new sense of who they were and where they were headed. While other patriotic songs also grew in popularity, the direct association of "The Star-Spangled Banner" with the flag and the dramatic circumstances which had inspired its writing, gave it an unassailable appeal. It spoke to moments in the War of 1812 of true heroism, not only in the defense of Baltimore, but in other battles, both on land and water. America had shown just what it was really capable of when leadership, discipline and spirit all fell into place. Indeed, never again would America fight as the underdog. Perhaps the final word on the War of 1812 should be given to Francis Scott Key, who summed up for many the sense that America was destined for great things. :"Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land /Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation." "The war had given the Americans what they so essentially lacked, a national character founded on a glory common to all." -- Louis Serrier, French Minister (ambassador) to the United States, 1815
48. FTMCVC_111125_01.JPG: August 15-16, 1812 Siege and surrender of Fort Detroit [I photographed this because I was documenting a spelling error ... see the next sign.]
49. FTMCVC_111125_13.JPG: Casualties Killed: Unkown [sic] British Forces Wounded: 2 Captured: Unkown [sic] Killed: 7 Wounded: Unkown [sic] Captured: 2,193
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2011 photos: Trips this year: Civil War Trust conferences (Savannah, GA, Chattanooga, TN), New Jersey over Memorial Day for my birthday (people never seem to visit New Jersey -- it's always just a pit stop on the way to New York. I thought I might as well spend a few days there. Despite some nice places, it still ended up a pit stop for me -- New York City was infinitely more interesting), my 6th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco). Ego strokes: Author photos that I took were used on two book jackets this year: Jason Emerson's book "The Dark Days of Abraham Lincoln's Widow As Revealed by Her Own Letters" and Dennis L. Noble's "The U.S. Coast Guard's War on Human Smuggling." I also had a photo of Jason Stelter published in the Washington Examiner and a picture of Miss DC, Ashley Boalch, published in the Washington Post. Equipment this year: I mostly used the Fuji S100fs camera as well as two Nikon models -- the D90 and the new D7000. Mostly a toy, I also purchased a Fuji Real 3-D W3 camera, to try out 3-D photographs. I found it interesting although I don't see any real use for 3-D stills now. Given that many of the photos from the 1860s were in 3-D (including some of the more famous Civil War shots), it's odd to see it coming back. Number of photos taken this year: just over 390,000.
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