of our sister states crying for capitulation to the enemy. The enemy
considered the war won. There remained only one little chore—the
capture of the City of Baltimore.

Fresh from his victory at Washington, the enemy came to Maryland.
Seething with anger at Baltimore, home of the gallant clipper ships
which consistently out-sailed and out-fought his navy, the enemy
came seeking revenge and final victory. Rather than victory, he found
defeat. Defeat at the hands of Maryland troops, armed and equipped
by the people of Maryland and carrying the same flag their fathers
had carried in the Revolutionary War. Instead of victory, the enemy's
naval units met defiance, resistance and defeat from a tort erected
and paid for by the people of Maryland. The war which the enemy
had begun against the United States became in its final hours a war
between Great Britain and the State of Maryland.

A Marylander made the great flag which was still there when the
battle and the war ended. Marylanders paid for that flag. It was an
inspired Maryland poet—in Maryland—who penned the words of the
poem which today is our National Anthem. Truly, Marylanders,
more than the people of any other state, should honor our flag.
And they do.

In the awful conflict of the War Between the States, an aged lady
in Frederick is said to have cried out "Shoot if you must this old
gray head, but spare your country's flag.. " Some months later a
citizen of Kingsville, in Baltimore County, reversed the Frederick
lady's action. He peppered Confederate soldiers with buckshot when
they ordered him to tear down his country's flag. For his bravery, his
life was spared. As punishment, his home was burned.

One of my first official acts upon becoming Governor was to write
the President of the United States, requesting him to designate Fort
McHenry as the place where the first 49-star flag should be flown. In
support of my suggestion, I recalled for Mr. Eisenhower Maryland's
historic ties to our flag. I am happy to tell you that the President
graciously complied with my request. He has designated the Honor-
able Fred A. Seaton, Secretary of the Interior, personally to arrange
the event. With the full cooperation of the Department of Defense,
Mr. Seaton has arranged a re-enactment of the bombardment of Fort
McHenry. At one minute after midnight July 3rd, vessels of the
United States Navy will begin the bombardment of the Fort. Army
artillery will reply—and the first 49-star flag to fly officially will stream
from the flag pole at Fort McHenry.