Endurance and Strength

Endurance and Strength

Pull up a chair and sit awhile

September 14, 2026

Dear Friend:

At the southern tip of Locust Point, a historic neighborhood and peninsula in Baltimore, Maryland, lies Fort McHenry. The geography is especially interesting because the peninsula extends into the Patapsco River and Baltimore Harbor, placing Fort McHenry in a strategic position to protect the entrance to Baltimore Harbor.

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is the historic fort in Baltimore Harbor best known for the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812.

It is especially famous because Francis Scott Key watched the British bombardment of the fort from a ship in the harbor on September 13–14, 1814. When he saw the large American flag still flying over the fort at dawn, he was inspired to write the poem that became “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

A few interesting details:

• The flag that inspired Key was enormous—about 30 × 42 feet.

• The British bombarded the fort for roughly 25 hours with rockets and mortars.

• Key saw the flag at dawn on September 14, 1814   

• His poem was later set to the tune of a popular English song, becoming the U.S. national anthem in 1931.

• The fort itself is still remarkably recognizable, with its distinctive five-pointed star-shaped design.

One of the lesser-known and rather fascinating facts about the Battle of Baltimore is that Fort McHenry was not actually the main target of the British attack at first.

The British had just burned Washington, D.C., including the White House and Capitol, and they intended to attack Baltimore next. But Baltimore's defenders had constructed an extensive network of fortifications, trenches, and artillery positions around the city. The British decided that taking the city by land would be too costly, so they concentrated on attacking Fort McHenry from the water.

Here's the part I particularly love:

The flag was not just a symbol—it was a deliberate message.

Major George Armistead had ordered the enormous flag made before the battle, and it was intended to be visible from a great distance. During the bombardment, the fort flew a smaller storm flag because of the weather. On the morning of September 14, the defenders raised the enormous 15-star, 15-stripe garrison flag. Its size made it visible for miles, providing unmistakable evidence that Fort McHenry had not fallen. The British had spent the night bombarding the fort. And when dawn came, the flag was still there.

Francis Scott Key would capture that moment in the words:

“Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.”

That is the moment Francis Scott Key saw from the ship—and that is what became the opening inspiration for the national anthem.

And there's another little detail that often gets lost:

The British fleet fired an estimated 1,500–1,800 rounds at the fort during the bombardment, but the fort's defenders largely stayed under cover and waited it out. The British fleet did bombard the fort from offshore, but the real strategic problem for them was that the fort's guns and defensive position prevented the fleet from forcing its way past Fort McHenry into Baltimore Harbor. So the battle was, in a sense, a test of endurance. The British could bombard Fort McHenry, but they couldn't make it surrender.

One hundred and thirty years later, on another continent, American soldiers would again find themselves facing overwhelming odds.

The Battle of the Bulge — 1944

World War II

The Battle of the Bulge began on December 16, 1944, when the Germans launched a massive surprise offensive through the Ardennes. Six days later, on December 22, the Germans demanded that the Americans surrender.

General McAuliffe's response was one word: “Nuts!”

It was the same kind of response the defenders of Fort McHenry had given 130 years earlier—not with words, but by refusing to surrender.

The American forces at Bastogne were surrounded, badly outnumbered, short of supplies, and fighting in terrible winter weather.

One thing that is sometimes overlooked is how awful the conditions were. It wasn't just the Germans. It was the cold, snow, mud, forests, darkness, inadequate winter clothing, exhaustion, and shortages of food and ammunition. Men were fighting while temperatures dropped below zero.

They held.

Then General Patton's forces broke through the German encirclement.

My father fought in the Battle of the Bulge. I don't know all the details of where he stood or everything he witnessed. But I know this: he was one of the American soldiers who endured that terrible winter in Europe. When I think about Fort McHenry and the Battle of the Bulge together, I think about the distance between them—not only in miles and years, but in generations. Yet the same American flag flew above them.

In 1814, a flag flying over a fort inspired a song.

In 1944, that same American flag flew over American soldiers fighting in the snow of Europe.

And in both places, the people beneath it endured.

The Star-Spangled Banner is not simply the story of a song. It is the story of Endurance and Strength. And behind that endurance are generations of Americans in many battles who stood their ground when the odds were against them.

God bless the men and women of our military—those who served yesterday, those who serve today, and those who will carry the flag tomorrow.

Until next time, stay well, stay safe, and stay connected to those you love.

Be well,

Emma

Emma is the voice behind Sharing with Seniors, where every story starts with a memory. Through stories of family, friendships, music, traditions, hometowns, and life's simple pleasures, she invites readers to pull up a chair, stay awhile, and remember the moments that have shaped their lives.