Fort McHenry stamp shows bombardment

The United States War of 1812 stamp series continues in 2014 with the third stamp in the series, showing Fort McHenry during the 1814 Battle of Baltimore.

The stamp illustration depicts U.S. Army soldiers manning a cannon in defense of the fort during the battle. A large American flag is prominently included in the image.

The conflict at Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to compose the lyrics for what would become The Star-Spangled Banner.

The stamp image appeared in the Quarter 3 issue of the U.S. Postal Service’s USA Philatelic catalog, published in late June.

The commemorative forever stamp will be issued Sept. 13 in Baltimore, Md. The 11 a.m. ceremony will take place at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore.

The stamp will be issued in a pane of 20 with decorative selvage on the right side. The text on the front of the pane reads:

“In the summer of 1814, Britain launched an offensive ‘into the very heart of America,’ as one British officer put it. Burning the White House and other public buildings in the nation’s capital in August, the British then sailed up the Chesapeake Bay to attack Baltimore, Maryland.”