People of the Civil War

The people of Fort McHenry during the American Civil War have some of the most unique stories of the time period. Soldiers at the fort found themselves not only preparing for a possible coastal attack as had been seen in the War of 1812, but cannons were also directed towards the City of Baltimore in the event that pro-secessionists attempted to get the slaveholding state of Maryland to leave the Union. Fort McHenry served three roles during the war as a garrison, hospital, and prison. Many of those held within the prison walls at Fort McHenry were not prisoners of war, but instead political prisoners arrested for their pro-secessionist beliefs. All who came through Fort McHenry at this time were forced to consider, much like the rest of the country, what the words "land of the free" truly means.

 

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  Political Prisoners

  Learn about the people of the "American Bastille"

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  Antietam Wounded and Captured

  Though miles away, the horrors of the Battle of Antietam were felt at Fort McHenry.

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  Gettysburg Prisoners of War

  The largest battle in North America created Fort McHenry's busiest time during the Civil War.

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  Susan Archer Talley Weiss

  Learn about Confederate spy Susan Archer Talley Weiss