The Flag was Still There

“We sir, are ready at Fort McHenry to defend Baltimore against invading by the enemy. This is to say, we are ready except that we have no suitable ensign to display over the Star Fort, and it is my desire to have a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty seeing it from a distance” Major George Armistead (17-18).

The Book

The Flag, the Poet, and the Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner, by Irvin Molotsky, is an easy to read book that dives into the stories surrounding our national anthem. Molotsky provides a brief background into the war including the reasons American declared war on Great Britain and the major events. Throughout this tumultuous time Mary Young Pickersgill was asked, by Major George Armistead, to sew a massive American flag. With the help of many, the flag was completed in six weeks. It weighed eighty pounds, was thirty feet tall, and forty-two feet long.

Francis Scott Key was a lawyer who was asked to help an American citizen, imprisoned by the British. The American was being held on a ship in the Chesapeake Bay just outside of Baltimore. While on the ship, Key witnessed the British attack Fort McHenry through a naval bombardment that lasted twenty-four hours. At the end of the bombardment, Fort McHenry still stood and Pickersgill’s flag was proudly raised. Key saw that flag and wrote a poem: The Star-Spangled Banner.

Molotsky’s book is packed with details surrounding the British attempt to invade Baltimore, details of the main characters, the preservation of Pickersgill’s flag, and how Key’s poem became the national anthem. I enjoyed reading this book and learning many new things. The only drawback is that Molotsky includes many editorial comments that are not necessary. The book shines when he lets history speak for itself.

The Place

Fort McHenry is a part of the National Park Service and is located southeast of Baltimore, Maryland. Visitors can tour the fort and learn more about the War of 1812 at the Visitors Center. When I visited Fort McHenry as a kid, we were able to see an interactive model that explained the types of defenses that were used. These included sunken ships that prevented the British Navy from coming too close.

The fort is surrounded by large cannons that can seem intimidating up close, but it is incredible to think of their power. A tour of the fort reveals what it was like to live there, especially during the bombardment by the British. The flag pole that held the “Star-Spangled Banner” is still at the fort and visitors can imagine the eighty pound flag flapping in the wind.