Fort Mchenry Essay, Research Paper

Fort McHenry

Fort McHenry was an American military installing built on a peninsula in Baltimore seaport in 1799. During the War of 1812 it was attack, September 13- 14, 1814 by a British fleet, an onslaught that inspired Francis Scott Key, a captive aboard a British ship, to compose the & # 8220 ; Star- Spangled Banner & # 8221 ; . Later, Fort McHenry was used as a storage terminal and military prison, Fort McHenry was established as a national park in 1925. It was re-designated a national memorial and historic shrine in 1939.

Fort McHenry, once known U.S. military station on Whetstone Point, Patapsco River, MD. It was foremost occupied for military intents in 1775, and subsequently established as a lasting Federal munition in 1794.

In 1798, Jean Foncin, a Gallic applied scientist, was asked to construct this garrison. In 1799, building began. In 1805, the completion of the garrison was done.

The garrison was named after James McHenry, 1753- 1816. An American ground forces officer, born in Ballymena, Ireland. After functioning on medical staff of Revolutionary forces, 1775- 1778, he became secretary to General George Washington, 1778- 1780 and to Lafayette, 1780- 1781. He was a member of the Maryland senate for two footings, first term, 1781- 1786 and 2nd term, 1791-1796. He besides served in the Continental Congress, 1783-1786. He besides served in the Constitutional Convention, 1787. Last, he served as secretary of war under Washington and Adams, 1796- 1800.

Ft. McHenry became popular during the War of 1812 when, it was under onslaught by the British fleet under the bid under Admiral Cockburn in 1814. During the dark of September 13, Francis Scott Key, an American nationalist, 35 old ages old poet- attorney, held aboard a British vas during the onslaught of the garrison, kept a changeless oculus out to see if the American flag was still winging above Ft. McHenry. When the garrison successfull

y withstood the onslaught, Key was inspired to compose a vocal called “Star- Spangled Banner” which subsequently became the United States national Anthem.

During the American Civil War brotherhood military personnels were stationed at Fort McHenry to assist maintain Baltimore out of the custodies of whose whom would hold Maryland fall in the southern rebellion. The garrison & # 8217 ; s guns were turned at the metropolis. Ft. McHenry was a impermanent prison installation. About 7,000 captives were held at that place merely from Gettysburg. About 15,000 captives were held throughout the war. The executing rate was low, one hanging and two firing squads.

July 20,1912 Fort McHenry was no longer active.

From 1915 to 1917 the City of Baltimore used the site as a city-park and beach.

In 1917 the United States Army used the garrison site to set up U. S. General Hospital No. 2 for returning hurt veterans of World War I. It was the largest military infirmary in the United States with over 100 impermanent edifices. Some of the earliest developments in the Fieldss of rehabilitative and neuro-surgery were made in that infirmary. When the war ended, the demand for the infirmary easy diminished and in 1925 the infirmary was torn down.

In 1925 Fort McHenry was made a national park, and it was transferred to the attention of the National Park Service in 1933. Fort McHenry was redesignated a National Monument and Historic Shrine in 1939. It is the state & # 8217 ; s merely Historic Shrine.

During World War II the Fort served as a Coast Guard Training Center for fire control and port defence.

Important visitants to the Fort include, John Adams ( 1817 ) , James Madison ( 1817 ) , Black Hawk ( Indian head, 1818 ) , Andrew Jackson ( 1824 ) , Robert E. Lee ( 1843 ) , Admiral David Farragut ( 1865 ) , Walter Reed ( 1883 ) , Warren Harding ( 1922 ) , Gerald Ford ( 1975 ) , Jimmy Carter ( 1975 ) , Ronald Reagan ( 1980, 1981, and 1986 ) , George Bush ( 1989 ) , and Bill Clinton ( 1994 ) .