in 1812, joshua barney, a retired naval hero of the revolutionary war, proposed creating a flotilla of american barges to defend the chesapeake bay area against british ships. in august 1814, commodore barney was forced to destroy and sink his fleet of about 15 vessels in maryland's patuxent river to prevent their capture. a single vessel, the suspected flagship scorpion, was discovered in 1979 under the river mud and partially excavated. river with mr. nayland to learn about the project and visited the navy's underwater archaeology lab in the washington navy yard where artifacts from the ship is studied. >> this is the patuxent river, flows into the chesapeake bay. we'll go up river of the highway 4 bridge, and highway 4 is the actually very end of pennsylvania avenue. same pennsylvania avenue that runs from d.c. and runs up to the patuxent river. the scorpion is believed to be one mile, two miles up river from that bridge. so we're about 30 minutes from washington, d.c., 20, 25 minutes from a23457 police, maryland, and probably about 40 minutes from baltimore. in 1814, the river was

in 1812, joshua barney, a retired revolutionary war hero proposed providing a flotilla. in august 1814, come dore barney was forced to destroy and sink his fleet of 15 vessels in maryland's patuxent river. the flagship "scorpion" discovered in 1979 under the river mud and partially excavated. now robert neland is further studying the wreck. we learned about the project and visited the navy's underwater archaeology lab in the washington navy yard where artifacts from the ship are studied. >> this is the patuxent river, flows into the chesapeake bay. we'll go up river of the highway 4 bridge, and highway 4 is the actually very end of pennsylvania avenue. same pennsylvania avenue that runs from d.c. a little nunn. the scorpion is about one mile, two miles up river from that bridge. so we're about 30 minutes from washington, d.c., 20, 25 minutes from annapolis, maryland, and 40 minutes from baltimore. in 1814, the river was deeper, perhaps wider as well. a lot of sedimentation from agricultural runoff. since 1814. during the early 19th century, sea going vessels were able to

joshua barney was a revolutionary war naval war hero. he had proposed to build a flying flotilla of barges that would be able to defend the coast during the day, and intercept the british landing parties and then at night, the british fleet. and he was given permission and funds to do this. he was put under the department of navy since joshua barney had been retired and is no longer in seniority within the navy he was made a commodore of this whole flow fill la. part of the navy, also separate from the navy. and on his first war job with the flow fill tilla. he ran into superior british ships who chased him up the patuxent river. he fought battles. at one point bottled up in saint leonard's creek and was able to fight his way out but he couldn't find his way into the bay. forced to come further and further up river. british following him, forces building until the point that he got so far up river he could not get any further up river and it was apparent that british could capture his ships. so he was ordered by the secretary of the navy

since joshua barney was retired, and was no longer in the seniority system of the navy, he was made a commodore of this float florida. this was somewhat under the navy but not under the navy. on his first voyage out, he ran into superior british ships who chased him up the patuxent river. he fought some retreating battles. at one point he was bottled up in st. leonard's creek and was able to fight his way out. he couldn't fight his way out of the way, he was forced to come further and further up river, retreating, the british forces building until he got so far up river. he couldn't get any further up river, and it was apparent that the british could capture his ships, so he was order by the secretary of the navy to abandon his ships, and when the british, you know, tried to take them to set them on fire, to explode them with gunpowder, which he did, effectively, and it was at this point where we are now when the british guide came up river, that they could see the mast of barney's flotilla, and very soon afterwards they saw that the ships were on fire and heard the explosions from th

these were put under the department of the navy, since joshua barney was, had been retired and is no longer in seniority system within the navy, he was made a commodore of this whole flotilla. it was part of the navy but also separate from the navy. and on his first war job with the flotilla. this was 15, 16, 17 ships, he ran into superior british ships who chased him up the paw textet river. he fought some retreating battles. at one point he was bottled up in st. leonard's creek, and then was able to fight his way out, but he couldn't fight his way into the bay. he was forced to come further and further upriver, retreating, the british following him, their forces building to the point he got so far upriver he could not get any further upriver, and it was apparent that the british could capture his ships. so he was ordered by the secretary of the navy to abandon his ships, and when the british tried to take them to set them on fire, he exploded them with gun powder, which he did effectively, and it was at this point we are now where the british guide came upriver, that they can see t

joshua barney, revolutionary naval war hero proposed to build a flotilla of barges that would be able to defend the coast during the day, intercept british landing parties, and at night hairy the british fleet. he was given permission and funds to do this. these were put under department of the navy. since joshua barney had been retired, was no longer in the seniority of the navy, he was made come door of this flotilla. it was somewhat part of the navy but also separate from the navy. on his first voyage out with his flotilla, this was 15, 16, 17 ships, he ran into superior british ships that chased him up the pa tuxent river. at one point, he was in saint leonard's creek, then was able to fight his way out. he couldn't fight into the bay, was forced to come further up river retreating. the british following her, to the point he got so far up river, he could not get any further up river and it was apparent the british could capture his ships, so he was ordered by secretary of the navy to abandon his ships and when the british tried to take them to set them on fire, explode them with g

joshua barney was a revolutionary war, naval war hero. he proposed to build a flying flotilla of barges that would be able to defend the coast during the day, and intercept the british landing parties and then

joshua barney, who is a revolutionary war and naval war hero, he proposed to build a flying flotilla of barges that would be able to defend the coast during the day, intercept the british landing parties and then at night harry the british fleet, and he was given permission and funds to do this. these were put under the department of the navy. since joshua barney had been retired and he was no longer in the seniority system within the navy, he was made a come door of this whole flotilla. it was kind of somewhat -- part of the navy but also separate from the navy, and on his first voyage out with his flotilla that he -- this was 15, 16, 17 ships. he ran into superior british ships who chased him up the paw tux yet river. he fought some retreating battles. at one time he was bottled up in st. leonard's creek and then was able to fight his way out, but he couldn't fight his way into the bay. he was forced to come further and further up the river retreating, the british following him and to the building spot point we got so far upriver he could not get any further up river, and it was ap

you had the able lieutenant albert ball of joshua barneys men. that very flag itself, sewn together also suing that flag with them was a 13-year-old black servant named grace wisher. this was very much an integrated defense, a baltimore defense. from many different people came one great nation. the common thread that held those stars and stripes together, sewn together by black and white hands, defended by black and white lives was thread of human dig any traffic information any time log, the -- was human dignity. the dignity of every individual. this is our story. this is a story worthy of the great people. this is the story that we will tell together and sing together in the years ahead. thank you very much, very much. >> [applause] >>> what is a governor without a proclamation. when i raised my hand i'd like all of you to say where as. i want to thank the outstanding morgan state university choir for being here today. >> [applause] >> so here we go. the united states fought a global war against great britain and its colonies from june 18th, 18

in 1812, joshua barney, a retired naval hero of the revolutionary war proposed creating a flotilla of american barges to defend the chesapeake bay area against british ships. in august, 1814, commodore barney was forced to destroy and sink his fleet of about 15 vessels in maryland's patuxent river to prevent their capture. a single vessel was discovered in 19789 understa9 under the mu partially excavated. now the navy history and heritage command is leading the study. learning about the project, visiting the navy's underwater archeology lab in the washington navyyard where artifacts from the ship are studied. >> this is the patuxent river. it flows into the chesapeake bay. we're going just up river at the highway 4 bridge. highway 4 is actually the very end of pennsylvania avenue. the same pennsylvania avenue that runs from d.c. and ends right at the patuxent river. a little vocation call ed -- th scorpion, about one mile, two miles up river from that bridge. so we are about 30 minutes from washington, d.c. about 40 from baltimore. in 1814, the river was deeper. a lot of agriculture r