Maryland Shines Spotlight on War of 1812

The Wall St Journal (free) ^ | Aug. 29, 2014 | SCOTT CALVERT CONNECT

[Pharmboy]

State Has Awarded $5.5 Million in Grants for Celebrations, Research and Education

A historian gives cutlass lessons to children at Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Thursday.
Melissa Golden for The Wall Street Journal

BALTIMORE—Maryland officials are on a campaign to elevate the profile of the War of 1812, a historically unpopular conflict that ended in a draw with Britain and has long been overshadowed by the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

The state is planning a weeklong festival next month to mark the 200th anniversary of the city's defense in 1814, which inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the poem that later became the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," the national anthem.

State officials also have awarded $5.5 million in grants for celebrations, educational programs and research, hoping to generate a lasting patriotic buzz about Maryland's starring role in a war that largely has been written off as a historical footnote.

"This is not just about having a party and shutting it down for another hundred years," said Bill Pencek, executive director of Maryland's War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. He said the state is counting on an enduring tourism boost.

If it is recalled at all, the War of 1812, which ended in 1815, is most often remembered for the British burning of Washington and the White House. But some of the lowest and highest points in the conflict actually occurred in nearby Maryland.

The error-filled collapse of American troops in Bladensburg, Md., in August 1814 gave the British easy entrée to the nation's capital. By contrast, the successful defense of Baltimore amid the British bombardment at Fort McHenry helped fuel American patriotism when an oversized American flag stood tall following the siege.

[Starboard]

Don’t we commemorate the defense of Fort McHenry in 1814 at the start of every football game?

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For now, but eventually the anthem will be changed to the Himno Nacional Mexicano.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Canada was not a nation. It was British and thus the easiest way for America to go on the offensive against Britain since our navy was just a few ships.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Actually they do musket training, too. We went there last month and that was included.

[RedMDer]

Thanks for the info.

[albertabound]

Ambushed two weeks after the Treaty of Ghent was signed which declared a truce.

[cripplecreek]

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thanks for the map and the info!

[gusty]

True, but the battle was fought after the war ended with the Treaty of Ghent, thus it had no impact on the outcome. The more significant and important campaign to the history of the US was Jackson’s defeat of the Creeks. It opened up the then Southwest to cotton production, thus the extension of slavery, an institution that was on its last legs along the Atlantic Coast. The economic viability of slavery, the surplus slave population, was a big problem for the southern states. Horseshoe Bend changed the whole situation, and gave slavery a second wind.

[Tennessee Nana]

My 4th GG’s house was burnt in St David’s, Ontario (Niagara area)July 18/19 1814..most of the village was burnt to the ground..

we went up for the 200th doings...fireworks and all

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thanks for posting and thanks for the ping.

[HandyDandy]

Ya, but......... If the battle had no impact on the outcome, then nothing after your first sentence would have been able to take place.

more from wiki (God forgive me): re Battle of New Orleans

A general ceasefire had already been declared by the Treaty of Ghent, signed on 24 December 1814, but as peace was not yet ratified in Washington as required by the treaty, the nations were still formally at war. The news of the treaty did not reach the combatants until February, several weeks after the battle.

[jmaroneps37]

If Maryland had to do it over again she would surrender to England. Bet on it.

[SandRat]

Are Limeys running the WSJ?

[cripplecreek]

Ah loves me some American history.

[Pharmboy]

Murdoch...he’s an Aussie.

[gusty]

What I described occurred before the Battle of New Orleans. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was nine months before New Orleans. As for its effect on the Treaty of Ghent, it had none. It was quickly ratified for the simple reason the country was virtually broke by that time. Madison and Congress knew we did not have the financial wherewithal to last another year of warfare. As for Britain, they saw no benefit to themselves of continuing the war with Napoleon defeated, and the reactionary powers Russia, Prussia, and Austria looming on the horizon.

[HandyDandy]

I getcha. Sorry, don’t know from Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Will read up on it. Meanwhile, did you note that Jackson’s “army” was additionally comprised of some 400odd “freed people of color”?

[Uri’el-2012]

200 years to the day later and the
British PM burned the White Hut

[gusty]

An interesting fact about the War of 1812 is that it was by the end of the war fought with regulars. By 1814, the militia system was so discredited that the military leadership trained and organized our forces on European lines. Jacob Brown and Winfield Scott being the driving forces for this. They proved their mettle along Niagara Front in 1814. They stood toe to toe with Wellington’s veterans at Lundy’s Lane.

[SandRat]

Close enough.