On that stormy day of Sept. 13, 1814, the British were determined to capture the burgeoning port of Baltimore. The relentless shelling on the strategically positioned Fort McHenry, along the Patapsco River, lasted through the night but failed to inflict serious damage. Miraculously, the one rocket shell that penetrated the fort’s magazine, storing the explosives and cannonballs, failed to explode.
Letter to the editor
Historic moment led to national anthem