Experimental Carriages
The Rodman guns were what were known as columbiads and are pictured above in Fort McHenry's Outer Battery. Columbiads were large-calibre, smoothbore, muzzle-loading cannon able to fire heavy projectiles at both high and low trajectories. This feature enabled the columbiad to fire solid shot or shell to long ranges, making it an excellent coastal defence weapon for its day. Invented by Colonel George Bomford, US Army, in 1811, columbiads were used in US coastal defence from the War of 1812 until the early years of the 20th century. Very few columbiads were used outside of the US and Confederate Armies.
Designed by Frenchman Jean Foncin in 1798 and named after James McHenry, a Scots-Irish immigrant and surgeon-soldier who became Secretary of War under President Washington, Fort McHenry was built after America won its independence to defend the important Port of Baltimore from future enemy attacks. It was positioned on Locust Point peninsula which juts into the opening of Baltimore Harbor, and was constructed in the form of a five-pointed star surrounded by a dry moat. The moat would serve as a shelter from which musketmen might defend the fort from a land attack. In case of such an attack on this first line of defence, each point, or bastion, was fortified, so that the invading army would be caught in a crossfire of cannon and musket fire.
Of course, the fort is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from a half-hearted attack by the Royal Navy on 13-14 September 1814. It was during the bombardment of the fort that Francis Scott Key was inspired to write "The Star-Spangled Banner," the poem that would eventually be set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven" and become the national anthem of the United States.
On 11 August 1939, the fort was designated a "National Monument and Historic Shrine," the only such doubly designated place in the United States. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on 15 October 1966.
Experimental Carriages
The Rodman guns were what were known as columbiads and are pictured above in Fort McHenry's Outer Battery. Columbiads were large-calibre, smoothbore, muzzle-loading cannon able to fire heavy projectiles at both high and low trajectories. This feature enabled the columbiad to fire solid shot or shell to long ranges, making it an excellent coastal defence weapon for its day. Invented by Colonel George Bomford, US Army, in 1811, columbiads were used in US coastal defence from the War of 1812 until the early years of the 20th century. Very few columbiads were used outside of the US and Confederate Armies.
Designed by Frenchman Jean Foncin in 1798 and named after James McHenry, a Scots-Irish immigrant and surgeon-soldier who became Secretary of War under President Washington, Fort McHenry was built after America won its independence to defend the important Port of Baltimore from future enemy attacks. It was positioned on Locust Point peninsula which juts into the opening of Baltimore Harbor, and was constructed in the form of a five-pointed star surrounded by a dry moat. The moat would serve as a shelter from which musketmen might defend the fort from a land attack. In case of such an attack on this first line of defence, each point, or bastion, was fortified, so that the invading army would be caught in a crossfire of cannon and musket fire.
Of course, the fort is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from a half-hearted attack by the Royal Navy on 13-14 September 1814. It was during the bombardment of the fort that Francis Scott Key was inspired to write "The Star-Spangled Banner," the poem that would eventually be set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven" and become the national anthem of the United States.
On 11 August 1939, the fort was designated a "National Monument and Historic Shrine," the only such doubly designated place in the United States. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on 15 October 1966.