Strength in the History Beneath Our Feet
Location - Fort McHenry, Maryland
Date - 1970 something
Scenario - Kids climbing on cannons
My parents loved history. Throughout childhood, we did not miss an opportunity to tour battlefields, museums and any other historical venues, wherever we lived. Mostly, it was an opportunity for my sister, my little brother, and me to run around the fields, climb on cannons, and peruse the gift shop offerings. Fort McHenry and North Point were places we visited often, and each time it was another adventure for us: climbing on the cannons and ramparts, pretending we were fighting off the redcoats, and ignoring my mother constantly yelling: “get off of that” or “get over here.” We had no clue what had actually transpired here 160 years before.
As I grew up, my love of history continued to grow, no doubt fueled by the seeds sown by my parents and grandparents. Little did we know we were playing on such hallowed ground.
Most people know Fort McHenry as that place near Baltimore Harbor where the “Star Spangled Banner” was written by Francis Scott Key. While historically accurate, this battle had much larger ramifications for the foundation and future of this country. Behind strong leadership, regular citizens were driven by duty and honor, standing up to and turning away the world’s most powerful military.
In 1814, the British were flush with their victory in Washington, DC, which included the burning of the White House, and the future did not look good for the very young United States of America. The British set their sights on Baltimore, which was a hotbed of privateer activity wreaking havoc on the Royal Navy. As the British army approached Baltimore via North Point, the navy sailed up the bay toward the shipbuilding facilities of the privateers in Baltimore harbor.
On the morning of 12 September, 1814, a British force of 9,000 men landed at North Point, Maryland, with the intention of marching inland and capturing Baltimore. Brigadier General John Stricker, commander of the 3d Brigade of the Maryland militia, was ordered to delay the British advance so that the defensive entrenchments around the city could be completed. The 5th regiment was assigned the task of holding the American right flank. Despite two hours of artillery and rocket fire, the 5th Maryland stood their ground. After inflicting some 300 casualties, the 5th was ordered to fall back to a new position in front of the Baltimore trenches. The British army, exhausted by the fighting and surprised by the stubborn defense of the Maryland militia, withdrew, while the British navy failed to silence the guns of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. Thwarted on land and sea the British force sailed away.
The successful defense of Baltimore, after the humiliating capture of Washington, shored up the confidence of the American people and directly contributed to the ending of the War of 1812. Moreover, an American militia regiment had withstood two hours of difficult fighting against British veterans of the Napoleonic wars.(courtesy nationalguard.mil )
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What the British did not anticipate was that regular army units, supported by many local militia, were entrenched with no intent to back down. Many of these men were locals, defending their homes and families from the enemy intruders. This group of militia and soldiers bravely held off the British Regulars long enough for defensive positions to be strengthened, eventually turning back the redcoats. In the wake of the harrowing naval bombardment of Fort McHenry, what transpired would be forever ingrained in future generations: “oh say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave…..”.
This group of men, afterward known as “The Old Defenders”, knew they had to do the right thing. In doing so, they helped preserve and strengthen the foundation and future of the United States. I am a direct descendant of three “Old Defenders” who are honored annually in Baltimore on Defender’s Day. Little did my brother and I know as we played in blissful ignorance, that we were enjoying the future that was preserved for us, on this very ground, through the courageous actions of our ancestors. How amazing is that?
Our duty as Engineers is to design and deliver projects that strengthen the foundation of our infrastructure while preserving the future for our descendants. We are honor bound to hold paramount the safety and well-being of the public in performing our professional duties. This means providing a strong, sustainable, resilient infrastructure that must perform for generations. It is our charge to work together to strengthen and preserve both Texas and the United States of America. ENGINEERS ARE LEADERS
For more information on the Battles of North Point and Fort McHenry; https://armyhistory.org/battles-that-saved-america-north-point-and-baltimore-1814/
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Ron Reichert attended Drexel University where he earned a BS in Civil Engineering. Ron is a member of the Board of Directors of the Infrastructure Advancement Institute, IAI, and has been heavily involved with ASCE committees and events at the local, state and national level. He also supports and participates in APWA, SAME, AGC, ASHE and numerous other professional societies. Ron has over 24 years of experience in specification and selection of infrastructure materials.
Director of Technical and Market Development at Anderson Paving, Inc.
4 年A brilliant reminder of our responsibilities as engineers inspired by our determination & resilience as a country. Everything matters!