Star-Spangled Banner or “Fort McHenry Flag”
The Star-Bangled Banner flies over the historic Castle Pinckney site in Charleston Harbor thanks to two members of the Castle Pinckney Historical Preservation Society (CPHPS), who landed there by boat about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Apr. 10, to raise the famous flag over the fort. The flag, bearing 15 stars and 15 stripes, is also known as the Fort McHenry Flag, Francis Scott Key Flag and Great Garrison Flag.
“While the Castle Pinckney Historical Preservation Society has often flown the Star-Spangled Banner above Castle Pinckney over the years, this trip to raise the flag over the fort was a direct response to the tragic event that recently occurred at the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” said John Mahoney, who led the flag raising. He serves on the CPHPS Board, and as keeper of the Society’s flag collection. Since assuming responsibility for the Society’s flags in 2022 from Doug Osborn, the previous keeper, Mahoney has also served as contact for the CPHPS Flag Committee.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, which opened in 1977, spanned the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor/Port in Maryland. But main sections of the bridge collapsed, killing six construction workers, after a container ship struck it on March 26, 2024.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore, Md.
“We wanted to show our support for the citizens of Baltimore and the entire maritime industry, which is so vital to the local community,” Mahoney said. “Many of us are very aware of how devastating an event similar to the recent bridge collapse in Baltimore, or the capsizing of the vessel Golden Ray in Brunswick/St. Simons, Georgia, in 2019, would be to our economy, national security, tourism, as well as our personal routines.”
John Fill of Mt. Pleasant, who retired from the S.C. State Ports Authority, volunteered to help Mahoney hoist the large and heavy Star-Spangled Banner over Castle Pinckney after both saw a break in the weather this week. The flag they raised over the site was donated to the CPHPS several years ago by the Society of the War of 1812.
Mahoney and Fill plan to replace the large and heavy flag with a smaller and lighter version soon.
John Fill of Mt. Pleasant renders a salute moments after he and John Mahoney proudly hoisted The Star-Spangled Banner above Castle Pinckney. (Photo by John Mahoney)
“The flag we raised is very large, and very well-made. So, it’s heavy on the flag pole’s rigging hardware and subject to wind damage if we let it fly too long,” Mahoney explained. “We’ve learned that we can easily extend the life of each of the beautiful flags in our collection – which are investments ─ if we properly rotate our flag inventory and fly slightly smaller ones made of lighter material that are less expensive for longer periods.”
The CPHPS frequently raises flags over Castle Pinckney, but raising a flag is not a simple task.
“It’s difficult to schedule flag raisings over Castle Pinckney due to variable in weather and the availability of volunteers,” Mahoney said. “But there are a few days we hope to never miss: Independence Day, Carolina Day, St. Patrick’s Day, etc.
“We also try to have a consensus ─ for two or three or three Castle Pinckney Society board members to agree ─ before we display a flag over the fort,” he added. “Certainly, news events often trigger reflexive tributes from our flag committee, as shown most recently when we flew the Flag of Israel over Castle Pinckney shortly after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.”
The Society’s Flag Committee is responsible for flag monitoring, maintenance, cleaning and repairs, rotation, inventory and storage. Other flag committee members include: Doug Oswald, previous keeper of society-owned flags; Yale Huett, Tom Salter and Matthew Locke. Several members of the East Cooper Outboard Motor Club also support the committee’s efforts.
The original Star-Spangled Banner flew over Fort McHenry on Sept. 14, 1814, during the War of 1812 when the British Navy shelled the fort, which guarded the Outer Baltimore Harbor.
Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md.
Francis Scott Key, a lawyer who witnessed the bombardment, was inspired to write the poem, “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” when he saw the large flag, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” still flying over the fort at dawn the morning following that bombardment.
Francis Scott Key
The lyrics from his poem are used in the national anthem of the United States. The anthem was recognized for official use by the U.S. Navy in 1889, and by the U.S. Congress as the official national anthem of the United States in 1931.
The original Star-Spangled Banner Flag, measuring 30 X 42 feet, is on exhibit at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
The original Star-Spangled Banner