A more meaningful Memorial Day at Fort McHenry

by Mary Helen Sprecher
newsroom@baltimoreguide.com

Got plans for Memorial Day? “It’s important for people to know that the holiday is more than cookouts and car sales,” said Vince Vaise, chief ranger at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. And as might be expected, the fort—the home of all things patriotic in Baltimore—has a day-long schedule of activities planned to help re-educate the public about what Memorial Day really means.

Throughout the day on Monday, May 28, visitors to the star fort in Locust Point will be able to view a continuously running video about the history of Memorial Day, as well as a display on the Civil War origins of the holiday. Special fliers, Memorial Day literature and “Buddy Poppies,” a fundraiser for veterans, will also be available.
From 8 p.m. on May 27 until 8 a.m., May 28, park rangers and living history participants of the Fort McHenry Guard will hold an all-night honor guard at Old Saint Paul’s Cemetery on Redwood Street. The cemetery is the final resting place of Major George Armistead, commander of Fort McHenry, and hero of the Star-Spangled Banner, Samuel Chase, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, General Lewis Armistead, commander during the Civil War, and other heroes of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. At 1:30 p.m. on May 28, there will be a wreath laying at the cemetery.

Events on Memorial Day itself begin at the flagpole at Fort McHenry at 9:30 a.m. with a ranger program about the origins of Memorial Day and the raising of a World War Two-era American Flag to half staff. At 11 a.m., the staff will read traditional poems such as “Bivouac of the Dead” and “Flanders’ Fields.” The reading will be followed by a brief discussion of Memorial Day traditions.

At noon, the colors will be changed to a Civil War era flag and hoisted to full mast. Members of the Free State Basha (Veterans from the China, Burma, India campaign during World War II) will lay a wreath at the flagpole as the flag is changed.  Afterward, a living history presentation will recreate a traditional Memorial Day speech and ceremony given in the fort in the 1880s.

At 3 p.m., there is a National Moment of Remembrance by the flagpole. A ranger-led talk on the origins of Memorial Day will begin at 2:45 p.m. A park-wide moment of silence will be followed by the playing of “Taps” on an original Civil War bugle.
An anniversary cake cutting will follow the afternoon’s activities.

A special exhibit describing the events leading up to the 1931 Presidential act signing is on display in the park’s Visitor Center. Also, on permanent display in the lobby is the actual pen used by President Hoover.

Memorial Day’s history is actually an evolution rather than a declaration. “Decoration Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans, and was first observed on May 30, 1868,” stated materials released by Fort McHenry.

Late May was chosen because Civil War ended that month and flowers were plentiful at that time of year. During the first year, over 200 cities and towns held parades to the cemetery and other ceremonies. A year later, in 1869, nearly 350 towns had celebrations.  By the 1880s, the holiday was commemorated in nearly every city and small town throughout the north.

In 1882 the name Decoration Day was changed to Memorial Day as commemorations expanded beyond the laying of flowers over soldiers’ graves. The National Moment of Remembrance was established by Congress on December 28, 2000, to honor Americans who died in service to the nation.

Information on Fort McHenry and all activities is available at 410-962-4290.