Baltimore Celebrating Defenders Day This Weekend

From the Baltimore Sun.

This weekend is the 205th anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore and the attack on Fort McHenry.  It will be celebrated where a lot of it took place, at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Site.

September 13 they had a parade to the fort.

September 14 had family-friendly activities from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by an evening of music, photo ops with U.S. Army soldiers, living history exhibitions and a flag-raising, all culminating with  an 8:25 fireworks display.

Today, September 15, there are more family-friendly activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Admission to the grounds is free.  Admission to the fort is $15 and free for kids under 16.

A Great Victory and the "Star-Spangled Banner."  --Brock-Perry

Baltimore's Defenders Day-- Part 2: To Celebrate the Victories At the Battle of North Point and Fort McHenry

The early celebrating of Defenders Day started soon after the event and centered on the American victory at the Battle of North Point on September 12 with people going out to the battlefield for picnics.  Later the celebrations came to include the entire city of Baltimore. with parades and speeches.

Initially the celebration of Defenders Day  was divided between the Battle of North Point and the Star-Spangled Banner Fort McHenry.  It also developed along the role of militia which had been involuntary prior to the War of 1812, to voluntary militia that emerged during the war itself.

there were a lot of politics involved with the militia units and the celebration of the victory.

--Brock-Perry

Defenders Day in Baltimore-- Part 1: Battle of North Point and Fort mchenry

From Wikipedia.

Is a legal holiday on September 12 in Baltimore, Maryland.  It commemorates the successful defense of the city September 12-14, 1814.

In September 1814, just three weeks after the burning of Washington, D.C., the British Army, under Major General Ross landed at North Point, near present-day Fort Howard, and began an advance on the city from the southeast.  They were met almost immediately by American forces, commencing the Battle of North Point.

Later, Fort McHenry was shelled and, of course, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Baltimore Was Saved.  --Brock-Perry

Baltimore's One Really Big Flag-- Part 1

From the September 13, 2013, Baltimore Sun "Fort McHenry captures the glory of Defenders' Day" by Chris Kaltenbach.

In 2012, some 1.5 million people crowded Baltimore's Inner Harbor for the War of 1812 Bicentennial Defenders' Day kickoff. The highlight of the 2013 Defenders' Day weekend will be the hoisting of a replica of that famous Star-Spangled Banner. Fort McHenry and the Maryland Historical Society joined forces for the reproduction.

Sewing on the flag began this past July 4th and more than 1000 volunteers made some 150,000 stitches at the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore to recreate the famous 30-by-42-foot flag.

And the Rockets Red Glare. --Brock-Perry