The Fort McHenry Guard is a dynamic volunteer unit that serves

Fort McHenry Fort McHenry is a historical American coastal pentagonal bastion fort on Locust Point, now a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack ...

National Monument and Historic Shrine. Dedicated men and women of all ages from across

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, Guard members dress in period clothes from the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

and help interpret the

Battle of Baltimore The Battle of Baltimore (September 12–15, 1814) was a sea/land battle fought between British invaders and American defenders in the War of 1812. American forces repulsed sea and land invasions off the busy port city of Baltimore, Maryland ...

and the role of Fort McHenry for the many visitors who come to the park annually. Beyond the park, the Guard assists in other War of 1812 events and reenactments at places such as Riversdale and Havre de Grace. Among their members is former Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley who was named their honorary colonel in 2003. In 2005, the Guard was presented the George B. Hartzog award for serving as the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

's best volunteer unit.

External links

Official site
Historical reenactment groups {{Maryland-stub