Battle of Fort McHenry - The Armistead Report

This is part of the original report which Lt. Col. George Armistead prepared regarding his defense of Ft. McHenry on September 24, 1814. It was the battle which caused Francis Scott Key such worry during the night. As the sun rose the following morning, and Key saw the huge garrison flag was still flying over the fort's ramparts, he penned America's future national anthem.

The Library of Congress provides the following information about Armistead's report:

The British fleet was closing in on Fort McHenry, a garrison strategically located to defend Baltimore from a direct water assault. The British were convinced that the fall of Fort McHenry was only a matter of time.

In this report, American Lt. Col. George Armistead described a bombardment that continued, largely unabated, for 25 hours. With the British fleet positioned just out of range, the 1,000 men inside the fort withstood the fiery bombardment. When the British ships moved closer, Armistead let fly with all the firepower he had. By 9 a.m. on September 14, the British Army and Navy were in retreat.

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