Presidential Message on the Anniversary of the Battle of Fort McHenry

In September of 1814, 1,000 American patriots heroically defended our young Nation’s sovereignty at the Battle of Fort McHenry, where they halted the British invasion of Baltimore in a critical turning point in the War of 1812. Despite relentless cannon bombardment from the most powerful navy of its age, American forces stood strong. When dawn broke the next morning, the majestic Stars and Stripes remained proudly flying in full glory over the war-torn Fort McHenry. The battle came at a perilous moment in our young Nation. British troops had stormed through the United States, setting fire to the White House and United States Capitol in a campaign to crush American willpower and restore British dominion over our hemisphere.