major george armstead defended the fort.tish ship looking over the side of the ship at the battle as it unfolded. it was a lawyer under a flag of truce sent by president madison to get some of the hostages that the british had captured, get them freed under a flag of truce. so he happened to be here as the bombardment took place all the day of the 13th and into the evening of the 13th. he watched all through the day and all through night. and the next morning when it was over, when it had become quiet, he began to write "the star-spangled banner." he finished the poem later in a tavern in town. he wrote down what he saw and felt and, as you listen to the first stanza, you can see that he was speaking to others who shared his experience. he was speaking to the citizens of baltimore who were watching just as he was. and he asks questions as you go through "the star-spangled banner." o, say can you see by the dawn's early light? he was asking a question. he was asking a question of those who were watching along with him, the th

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 dawn's 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 yesterday's rain brought forth. that's exactly the way it would have been, under the flagpole you can see a small puddle. that's exactly as it would have been. the sun is out is exactly as it would have been. we can't control the weather. we all know that. even the weather report stated the after-action 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 on