THE FLAG STILL FLEW

Major Armistead had refused to take down the flag or surrender the fort. At dawn's first light, Francis Scott Key saw the huge flag. It was still flying over Ft. McHenry. Baltimore was safe.

What had happened during the night? Why had the night sky suddenly gone dark? Unknown to Key, the courage of Armistead and his Baltimore defenders had convinced the British high command the fight for Baltimore would be too costly.

During the night, both land and sea operations ceased. The British withdrew from the battle. For many years thereafter, while they were still alive, the surviving Baltimore defenders marched in a parade to commemorate the city's freedom. (This link, to an 1880 photograph, demonstrates some of those men lived a very long time.)

Four months later, the Americans and the British negotiated the Treaty of Ghent. The War of 1812 was over. Britain and America never fought each other again.