The Washington herald., 1912-07-22
FORT N HENRY
IS Only MEMORY
Sunset Gun Roars Across Rain
swept Patapsco as Death
knell.
ARTILLERY COMPANY
GOES TO BAY STATE
Tears Are Shed by Wives and
Sweethearts of Members of
the Garrison.


Patapsco last night as the flag. which
the British could not shoot away. was
hauled down by a lone soldier. No bugie
blast sounded retreat; no soldiers stood
with barred heads. Fort McHenry was
dead.
At o'clock in the evening, twenty
minutes before the flag came down. the
One Hundred and Forty-hrst Company
Of Coast Artillery marched out through
the old gate. The sentries, who for over
a century have paced the fagstones
there, fell in behind.
The iron barriers. which had seldom
been used. because a soldier with a mus
ket proved better guard. clicked to-
gether ON rusted hinges, and an oldtime
paddock clasped them together. Inside
the great rolling acres, where men OF the
flag have trod for many years. there
were but four soldiers left. Tomorrow
even they will be gone.
Fort Wrapped I'm silence.
When night came the old fort lay
wrapped ia gloom and mist. Where once
the light OF company rooms had flashed
yellow against the dusk and CLINT OF a
soldiers bayonet shone in the dark were
only eerie shadows OF old guns that could
not shoot.
Out on the Baltimore and Ohio tracks
waiting for the road 10 be cleared the
soldiers in a special train sang THE Star
Spangled Banner" There were some bad
tenors and some husky bassos. but II
was The Star Spangled Banner" and as
II noatcd back over the little neck OF
land called Locust Point there were some
who stopped TO listen. Eyes sought the
hagpost and as the flag. dropping in the
rlf he a1V 1,
cIInging TO II, men swore at a War De-
partment that had no sentiment.
The men of the company were sorry tc
go. Some Of them openly cried, while
others tried to get enough liquor during
the day TO muster some cheerfulness
Baltimore is the best city in the United
States for soldiers They say they are
treated better by the citizens. The COM
pany which left last night is one of the
few in the whole United States Army
that has a waiting list. Other companies
have trouble getting a complement. The
One Hundred and Forty-first always had
men waiting TO get on the muster.
Many show Emotion.
This was because il was stationed al
Baltimore, and because most OF the mer
had served here before and had become
acquainted. mostly in Locust Point
where more than few had married anC
begun the rearing of a family They
were all sad yesterday morning but un
der the eyes OF Capt Wheatley and Lieut.
Sloane they packed their stun, loaded &
on wagons, and transferred 1t to tn.
freight cars OF the special train which
was waiting in the Locust Point yards
The men had TO take a cold supper o.
cQrn-beef. tomatoes and potatoes, be
cause the cooking utensils had beer
packed, but they did not want to ca
much. Wives and girl friends sat abou
on the porches crying. Some had babIe:
in their arms.
Finally. at SO o'clock. the bugle
sounded ASSEMBLY" and with farewell
the men hastily buckled on cartridg,
belts, shouldered their guns. and fell int,
line. Some were missing at first. bu
they were routed out of corners. wher,
girls had made them forget the bugl,
call, and ran into line
Before the order TO march came tn.
men were all pushed 10 see II any o.
them had liquor in his hip pockets. :,
pat on the pocket told the tale. and tn,
inspection did not bring forth any TASKS
Then came the order, March" Nor,
than 1000 persons were there to see tn,
men leave. and there was none who die
not thrill at the call. The men looked
AAAt lOEtE lllt bll
on new shape in the growing dark. Ther
every person in the fort-solder. civilian
and woman-looked up. where in tbs
gloom the flag hung Imply.
No Band to Play.
There was no band 10 play. The crunci
OF the mems heels on the gravel walk
was the only sound as they headed fol
the gate. There stood the last sentr,
which Fort McHenry probably will eve
have. Down through the years has comt
his call:
Who goes there"
AS he saw the troop swinging toward
him. he shoudered his rife and stepped
to one side. AS tile last man swung ou
he wheeled and Joined him. and ther,
was no sentry to speak out that thrillin.
call. Soon the Caretaker probably a re
tired enlisted man, with his walkin.
stick, will sit at the gate basking in tn,
sun.
After the troop had embarked on IN,
train. the last kiss had been stolen. tn,
last baby kissed. a little lame girl. re
lated TO Corp. Stewart. stood out beyonC
the crowd. She could not come to tn,
train. and after Stewart had kissed he
she stood there crying until the light OF
the rear car vanished.
Gate Locked To-day.
Lieut.. Payne, who until tomorrow viii
have charge OF the fort, said that h,
will lock the gate to-day. because ther'
will not be sufficient men TO guard tn
property. After the War Department hal
appointed a caretaker for the fort, h.
says, the gate will be reopened.
The flag will still fly on the same staf
where it flew on September 1S, 1914. whsI
the British bombsrded the fort, and unit
Monday, at least, the unset gun will
boom its salute. After that the gun vii
be silenced.
There is one person in the fort who wa.
anxious about whether the flag would hN
when the troop had gone. George Thomas
six years old and son of Electrical Sergt
Thomas, has planted a pole in front o.
his fathers quarters and tiny flag file.
there.
IF nobody else does It." said Georr,
yesterday. "Tn see that my flag still
flies. l know all about Francis Scott
Key"
The company which left the fort will
60 TO Fort Strong. Mass, and will bt
f,r - L.. -,