We are very honored here to have such a representation of our armed forces. The handstitched american flag, United StatesArmy Old Guard, and practically every Service Branch represented here today. The United States navy, the United States army, the United States a ring core, as well as our guest from canada and the United Kingdom. [applause] taking the field is the fort mchenry guard, specially trained volunteers that represent the184 garrison of fort mccarron. When the uniform of the regular United States army, representing the core of artillery that was the regular Army Garrison of fort mchenry. What we will do right now they noticed it Army Old Guard, the United StatesArmy Old Guard along with naval detachment from the United States ship constitution, we will now on role the large flag. Unroll the large flag. Old, and you will see what they mean when they say broad stripes and bright stars. Unrolled, iag is will speak to the project that brought this flag that we are going to hoist today. Last year the Maryland Historical society launch the stitching history project. Individuals, bert and kristin spearheaded the project. The first thought was to heirloom uighurs because what they did weavers because what they did was they research from the Smithsonian Institution the accurate weave of the material. There are very few places that can do that. It was a custom job. Weavers didhurs that. Pennsylvania, so the material did, indeed, come from the United States. [applause] the stripes and the blue canton are made out of wool bunting. The stars are made out of cotton. So, they have the authentic material, but the second step was to have it authentically stitched. No sewing machines were used in the making of this flag. Stitchers from0 across the state of maryland re recruited, spending were recruited, spending long hours to handstitch the flag, and a number of them are here today. Lets have one more round of applause for those cheers here chers herers stit today. [applause] hoisting a flag this large is a willnuanced affair, so we rotate this flag counterclockwise. The lines are being set. Just as good leadership mchenry,d with fort and as we are honored to have a number of Permanent Military today, so, too, did the stitching process have leaders and i would like to identify recognize mimi and shelby. They are actually called one was in charge of the blue canton of stars. The other was in charge of stripes. So, they got the nickname stars and the other was nicknamed stripes. We do have a bit of time before the flag is hoisted, but one point of historical accuracy, and you will see this when you sing the starspangled banner, and as part of this we will here and have read all four versus. There will be one verse where you will hear it shines in the stream. We used to think that what they meant was the reflection of the flag in the patapsco river, but that is not what francis got key Francis Scott key that meant. It was a light weave, it is almost translucent. Youll see the beams of light actually shining through the flag. It is the exact effect that this i would 200 years ago thank the Maryland Historical society for loaning the manuscript, which is currently on display in the Visitors Center in this part. You can see Francis Scott keys original cross outs, and that fragile manuscript represents the fragility our young republic had at that time. A young nation, slightly over 30 years old. Against every prediction that the country would fail in a war that was going poorly at the time, out of nowhere came a miraculous victory. While the casualties were fairly light on both sides, the point was a stand had been made, and the tide had been turned. Well, thank you for asking me that question. When you are a park ranger, you thrive on questions from visitors. You do. The weathern asked to hundred years ago, and that is probably one of the most pertinent questions we will receive today because the weather, 200 years ago, was yesterdayke it was and today to the key. It was almost surreal. We know what the weather was like because that reports say it. The british lawbooks were meticulously kept, and they wrote the leather in every whether in every one of those log books. The weather was intermittent showers, blustery, heavy showers, intermittent rain. Ago,arge flag, 200 years was made in Baltimore City by mary young actors guild. Mary young paper skilled. She, her 13yearold daughter, servant,namerican they handstitched that large flag, putting in 12 14our days each month, but they ordered a second flag, a smaller one measuring 17 by 25 feet. We are currently flying that on the pole right now. This is why this moment is so important. Going back to the weather, the 13th was raining. The evening hours and continue to rain, clearing up slightly with the front moving back in at nighttime. Showers up until approximately 3 00 in the morning on the 14th of september. Then, the gradual clearing by dawns early by dawns early light, the cloud had dissipated. The rain was gone, so as you stand here on this original parade ground, you can look on to the gravel path and see the moisture that yesterdays day rain brought forth. Thats exactly as it would have been. The sun is out exactly as it would have been. We cant control the weather, we all know that. Even the Weather Report stated that it was unseasonably cold on that particular day in september, just like it is now. This is a special moment, well never see this moment again in our life. This is a once in a lifetime moment to be here on this ground. The drums would come in to play Yankee Doodle, after it was hoisted and we can hear them coming. The United StatesArmy Old Guard president ial salute battery will conduct a battery exercise that is symbolic of the battle. [drum roll] keep in my mind, there were probably 40,000 people of baltimore looking towards it as well. For mary, in a way it was her flag and you know she was auto looking from her rooftop, hoping to see the large flag. A young United States marine said they were looking down toward the fort hoping to see the flag. And now in the distance, we can hear the fort mchenry core dressed as musicians, they portray the United States army of 200 years ago. [instruments playing] music essential to the story of fort mchenry and the National Anthem. Later in the program well hear the musical rendition of our National Anthem performed by the Maryland Defense force band. It is the living legacy of the maryland militia that turned out to assist. So too were great pains taken to find hickory made drums, cap heads. Ds calfskin handstitched uniforms. Exhaustive detail. To make the most authentic replication of the United States armys field music from the war of 1812. [applause] one of the lead drummers who helped put the unit together has recently enlisted in the United States arms and in the reserved officer Training Corps program as we speak. [applause] standing in front of the flag, as a noted researcher, park ranger, and great personal friend james c. Bailey. James c. Bailey is the exact build, has similar facial features and ironically the exact same age as major armstead who commanded the fort 200 years ago. He wears a replica of the one that armstead wore on this momentous occasion. [applause] we have about ten minutes until the 9 00 hour. For those who are interested when the flag is hoisted Yankee Doodle is what will be played. The starspangled banner will be played later, but historically on that september morning. The fifes and drums of the garrison played Yankee Doodle. It was really used like a National Anthem before the starspangled banner was adopted. The United States had two pieces of music that it used alternately Yankee Doodle and hail columbia. With the adoption of the starspangled banner, Yankee Doodle is heard now more in historic performances. The gentleman had a question, he said the dawns early light and yet, 9 00, it is not exactly dawn, it has been dawn for a while. One could simply laugh it off, however, Francis Scott key was asking that question. He asked the question, o say can you see by the dawns early light. Language was so important to Francis Scott key. Some visitors were irate when they saw a question mark on an exhibit text panel that we put on. O say does that starspangled banner yet wave for the land of the free and the home of the brave, question mark . He poses that question, o, say can you see. Hes very accurate in his four verses of the starspangled banner. The answer is presented in the second verse where key acknowledges that he saw the flag, which would have occurred at about 9 00 in the morning. If you look at your program. Look at the back of the program, you will find all four verses of the starspangled banner of the National Anthem. We all know verse number one, some of us know verse number four. Almost no one knows the second and third verses and they all do different things, as vinny has already implied. The first one is a statement, beginning actually with a question, o say can you see, and it is very specific about what occurred that day. The second verse is all about the flag. It addresses the flag. The third verse is the most warlike of all, and that really discusses the difficulty we faced at that time and how we had to fight our way out of those difficulties, and the fourth one is really a statement of faith. A lot of what happened in the early days of this republic, when we were still in our adolescence and trying to survive, had to do with our faith. Faith in ourselves. Faith in our ability to sustain what we had created here, and it is that faith, really, that carry the defenders of fort mchenry and others involved in that conflict through to a point where suddenly when it was all over, when this battle ended, when the word went out, the world was suddenly aware that there was a new player on the global stage and it was here to stay. At 8 56, well hear the barrage, again, representing symbolically the bombardment of this fort. As we wait and i think it is important to wait in silence, but as we reflect, think of the power of place, this is not a rebuilt fort, it is not the mockup fort, this is the fort that was there. Sure, our Maintenance Team maintains it, the National Park service as stewards of these treasures keep it in good repair and the United States army itself throughout 100 years maintain the fort replacing wood here and there. But the forts core shape is the original. With this assembly, this fort is not a static Museum Object under a glass case. This is a living fort. This is one of those other milestones in the forts history, in which the fort again, as old as it is, is again, making history, as we see the men and women of our modern military here today. We see yet again, 200 years later, the fort is again serving the nation, a new chapter is being written and the history of this fort and 100 years from now, people will look back and say what did they do back in 2014 to commemorate the bicentennial. And you are part of the history of this fort. [cannons firing] fire firing] [music] [applause] o say can you see by the dawns early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, oer the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming . And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there; o say does that starspangled banner yet wave, oer the land of the free and the home of the brave . [applause] [drum roll] [instruments playing National Anthem] [applause] good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Please be seated. Welcome to our distinguished guests, governor omalley, general, admirals. All of our international friends, particularly from the United Kingdom and canada, and ladies and gentlemen, i would like to thank the groups for the powerful demonstration we have just experienced. The fort mchenry guard and fort mchenry drum corps. [applause] gentlemen, thank you for playing Yankee Doodle. Just as that exact moment 200 years ago. I would like to thank the Maryland Defense force band, for their musical rendition of the starspangled banner. Ms. Cruz for our her beautiful singing of our National Anthem and the salute battery of the old guard for symbolically replicating the defense of fort mchenry and the participants of the stitching history project for the american Historical Society for hand stitching the replicated flag that we hoisted today. [applause] this morning represents the culminating moment of the weeklong bicentennial collaboration of the battle at baltimore and the writing of the National Anthem. The events that occurred 200 years ago are the reason that were here today. Being here on this ground, on this morning, in this year, enables us to connect to a place, a moment in time, and a historical event. The simple act of raising a flag, Francis Scott keys emotions about that flag put forth on a simple humble document would transform the way americans viewed this nation for the next 200 years. Before the war of 1812 began, the young United States saw itself as an emerging country, seeking its own identity and status in the world. The conflict forged a new identity in a heat so intense that even 35 miles away the flames of the burning Federal Building could be seen. The outcome of the war, the future of the nation was in doubt. Francis scott keys questioning, o say does that starspangled banner banner yet wave, highlights the fear that the americans felt about losing the war and the young democracy, the battle fought here was not a large one in terms of casualties, but its effect on the nation was profound. Keys word capture the importance of the day. This moment when a seemingly invincible navy had been turned back and americans proved steadfast in defending their country. Francis scott key did not desire fame for the song he wrote, as a matter of fact, he did not even write his name to it. Let fame not to me be given but rather for the inspirers of the song he wrote years later, he deflected all praise away from himself and urged people to remember those who defended the fort. Two men who deserved to be remembered this morning represent that crosssection of america that came together behind these walls. Lieutenant levi clagget, a citizen soldier of a unit called the Baltimore Fencibles was killed when a piece of iron went through his body. He was a member of baltimores upper class, a wealthy merchant and today his name is embossed on the battle monument. A monument which still stand in downtown baltimore and has become a symbol of the city itself. The other defender was private William Williams. Born enslaved in Prince Georges County under the name frederick hall, he escaped from slavery and changed his name to William Williams and joined the United States army. He, too, was mortally wounded here. This morning, like 200 years ago, a crosssection of america stands in this fort represented by all of you and by those who will read all four verses of keys song. The words paint a picture of what it was like to be with key on that september morning in 1814. It is my privilege and honor to introduce the following individuals who will read each a verse of the starspangled banner. Caroline christensen, student, fort mchenry volunteer, representing the youth and future of our nation. Ms. Cruz, American International boxing champion, singer and aspiring olympian. General colin powell, a statesman, and iconic american and mr. Vernacke who endured the loss of his brother of the tragic events on september 11th, 2001. Ms. Caroline. O say can you see by the dawns early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, o o er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming, and the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there, oh, say does the starspangled banner yet wave, oer the land of the free and the home of the brave. [applause] on the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, where the foes haughty host in dread silence reposes. What is that which the breeze, oer the towering steep, as it fitfully blows half conceals, half discloses . Now it catches the gleam of the mornings first beam, in