Guard, a group of specially trained staff and volunteers that represent the 1814 garrison of fort mchenry. Wearing the uniforms of the regular United States army, representing United States corps of artillery that was the regular Army Garrison of fort mchenry. What we will do right now, the United StatesArmy Old Guard along with naval detachment from the United States ship constitution we will now unroll the large flag. We will unfold it. You will see what they mean when they say broad stripes and bright stars. As the flag is unrolled, i think speak a little bit to the project that brought this particular flag about that were about to hoist today. Last year, the Maryland Historical society launched the stitching history project. Two noted individuals, the ceo of the Maryland Historical society and the director of education spearheaded the project. The first stop was to heirloom weavers because what they did was they researched from the Smithsonian Institution the accurate weave of the material. Theres very few places that can do that. It was a custom job. Heirloom weavers did that. They are in redline, pennsylvania. The material did, indeed, come from the United States. [ applause ] the stripes and the blue 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 plan. Indeed, over 200 stitchers from across the state of maryland were recruited, spending long hours to hand stitch the flag. [ applause ] a number of them are here today. Lets have one more round of applause for those stitchers here today. [ applause ] hoisting a flag this large is a very nuanced affair. Were going to rotate this clock counterclockwise. As the lines are being set. Just as good leadership persevered at fort mchenry, just as we are lucky to have a number of prominent military leaders here today, so did the stitching leaders have two leaders. I would like to recognize mimi and beverly. The stitchers call them, one was in charge of the stars and the other was in charge of the stripes. They have the anymore make its stars and the other was nicknamed stripes. We have a bit of time before the flag will be hoisted. When it is hoisted, one of the importance of historical accuracy you will see this. When you sing the starspangled banner and as part of this program we will read and sing we will hear read all four verses. We will sing all four verses. There will be one verse in which you will hear it shines in the stream. We used to think what they meant was the reflection of the flag in the river. But thats not what Francis Scott key meant. What Francis Scott key meant and what you will see because the sun is so bright today is that the flag, with its light weave is almost translucent. You will see the beams of light actually shining through the flag. Its the exact affect that this flag had 200 years ago. I would also like to thank the Maryland Historical society for loaning the original first draft manuscript of the starspangled banner which is on display in the Visitors Center in the park. You can see Francis Scott keys original crossouts. That 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. Thank you for asking that question. When you are a park ranger, you thrive on questions from visitors. You do. The gentleman asked the weather 200 years ago. Thats actually perhaps one of the most pertinent questions that we will receive today. Because the weather 200 years ago is exactly like it was yesterday and today, to the t. We know what the weather was like because the afteraction reports say t. The british law books, those are meticulously kept law books. They wrote the weather in every one of the different logbooks. The weather for the 13th of september 1814 was intermittent showers, blustery, heavy showers, intermittent rain. The large flag 200 years ago was made in Baltimore City by mary young pickersgil. She, her 13yearold daughter caroline, grace swisher, an africanamerican indentureedder is vent stitched that flag putting in 12, 14hour days for a month. Major George Armstead ordered a smaller flag measures 17 by 25 feet. The 17 by 25 foot flag we are flying on the pole right now. This is why this moment is so important. Going back to the weather. The 13th was rainy. The evening hours it continued 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 gradual clearing. By dawns early light, the clouds 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 rain brought forth. Thats exactly the way it would have been, under the flagpole you can see a small puddle. Thats exactly as it would have been. The sun is out is exactly as it would have been. We cant control the weather. We all know that. Even the Weather Report stated the afteraction report said it was unseasonably cold on that day in september just like it is now. This is a special moment. We will never see this moment again. This is a once in a lifetime moment. To be here in this original fort on this ground. The fives and drums would come in to play Yankee Doodle as the flag was hoisted. And we can hear them coming. After the fives and drums take their station, the United StatesArmy Old Guard president ial salute battery will conduct a battery fire exercise thats symbolic of the battle. In addition to Francis Scott key looking forward the fort to see the flag, keep in mind, there were probably 40,000 people of baltimore looking toward the fort as well. For mary, she took special ownership in a way it was her flag. And you know she was looking from her rooftop hoping to see the large flag. A young United States marine named george bud said the entrenchments on the outskirts of the city, they were looking down toward the fort hoping to see the flag. Now in the distance, we can hear the fives and drums of the fort mchenry guard fife and drum corps dressed as the United States corps of artillery musicians, the regular United States army, they portray the United States army of 200 years ago. Music is central to the story of fort mchenry and the National Anthem. Later in the program, we will hear the musical rendition of our nations anthem performed by the Maryland Defense force band in a way the Maryland Defense is the living legacy of the maryland militia that turned out to assist the regular United States army in defense of the city. Dressed in red, the fort mchenry guard fife and drum corps led by principal musician timothy irtel. Within the short span of 2 1 2 years, timothy, a cadre of loyal young men led by tyler mink, dan austin spent time, Exhaustive Research and archives to search original music and scores. Just as great pains were taken to find a maker who could make the warp and weave on the flag, so too were great pains taken ton find accurate hickorymade drums, calfspin heads, researching original beadings, 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, shamus has enlisted in the United States army and is in the reserve 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 is the exact same age as major George Armstead who commanded the fort 200 years ago. He proudly wears the authentic uniform, a replica of the one major George Armstead wore on this momentum 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 we will played. The starspangled banner will be played later. Historically on that september morning, the fives and drums of the garrison played Yankee Doodle. It was 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 as heard now more often in historic performances. Hail columbia, for those of you who were here last night became the official march for the Vice President of the United States. The gentleman had a question. He said, Francis Scott key said the dawns early light. And yet 9 00 is not exactly dawn. It has been dawn for a while. One could simply laugh it off as poetic license, which it very well may be. However, Francis Scott key was also asking that question. Key summed up the whole experience. So by dawns early light he asked the question, oh, say, can you see by the dawns early light . Language was so important to Francis Scott key. Some visitors were irate whether they saw a question mark on an exhibit text panel that we put on because it says oh, say can you see by the dawns early light . And then later says, oh, say does that starspangled banner yet wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave . Because key is asking questions. Keys knows he could not see that flag. Thats why he poses the question to everyone else, oh, say can you see the flag by dawns early light . So key is actually 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, the National Anthem. Most people 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 many have implied. The first one is statement, beginning actually with a question, oh, say can you see, and its 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 difficulties 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 faith, faith in ourselves, faith in the maker who made all of us, faith in our ability to sustain what we had created here and it is that faith really that carried the defenders at ft. 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 we will hear the barrage, again, representing symbolically the bombardment of this fort. But as we wait, and i think its important to wait in silence because it affords reflection. But as we reflect, think of the power of place. This is not a rebuilt fort. Its not the mockup fort. This is the fort that was there. Sure, our crack Maintenance Team main tapes it. The National Park service as stewards of these treasures keep it in good repair. And United States army itself throughout 100 years maintained the fort, replacing wood and brick here and there. But the core star shape is original. Probably 55 of the fabric of the fort was here 200 years ago. And with assembly, this fort is not a static museum under a glass case. This is a living fort. And this is another milestone in the forts history and the fort again is making history. And 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 in 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 and bicentennial. And you are a part of the history of this fort. Bicentennial. And you are a part of the history of this for bicentennial. And you are a part of the history of this for bicentennial. And you are a part of the history of this fort bicentennial. And you are a part of the history of this for bicentennial. And you are a part of the history of this fort bicentennial. And you are a part of the history of this forh bicentennial. And you are a part of the history fire [ applause ] o say can you see by the [ applause ] [ 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 over 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 over the land of the free and the home of the brave [ applause ] good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Please be seated. Welcome to our distinguished guests, governor omalley, congressman sarbanes, general powell, rear admiral, rear admiral metric, all of our international friends, particularly from the United Kingdom and canada. Ladies and gentlemen, i would like to thank the following groups for the powerful presentation weve just experienced. First, the fort mchenry guard and the fort mchenry fight and drum corp. Gentlemen, thank you for playing Yankee Doodle just as the garrison did at that exact moment 200 years ago. I would also like to thank the Maryland Defense force band for their musical rendition of the starspangled banner. Mrs. Franchon crews for her beautiful singing of our National Anthem, and the president ial salute battery of the United States army, third infantry regiment, the old guard for symbolically replicating the defense of fort mchenry and the participants of the history project of the Maryland Historical society for hand stitching the replica flag that we hoisted today. This morning represents the culminating moment of the week long bicentennial commemoration of the bat of baltimore and the writing of the National Anthem. The events that occurred on this fort and the river 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 an 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 and a heat so intense that even 35 miles away the flames of the burning federal buildings 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 yet wave, highlights the fears americans felt about losing the war and young democracy. The battle fought here was not a large one in terms of casualties, but its affect on the nation was profound. Keys words capture the importance of the day, this moment when a seemingly invisible 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, key wrote years later. He deflected all praise away from himself and urged people to remember those who defended the fort. Two men who deserve to be remembered this morning represent that crosssection of america that came together behind these walls, lieutenant levi clagett a citizen soldier of the Baltimore Fencibles was killed when a British Shell burst over him, sending a piece of iron through his body. Lieutenant clagett was a member of baltimores upper class, a wealthy merchan