On September 14, 1814, the American soldiers, victorious over the British at the Battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, vowed that they would never disband and organized themselves into the Maryland Society of the War of 1812. Coincident with the establishment of that society was the writing of “Defense of Fort McHenry” by Francis Scott Key, set to the music of the English tavern song “Anacreon in Heaven,” composed by Samuel Arnold, who had died in Oxford, England, in 1802. The song is now our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.
The War of 1812 has been called the Second War of Independence. It was not until after that war that the American people fully realized their independence, ceased to be provincial and viewed affairs from a national stand¬point. The memory of the men who served in this conflict deserves the best we have to give in recognition of their loyalty and patriotism. The War of 1812 established the United States of America as a nation in the eyes of the world, fostered American industry as a result of blockades and the embargo, and tended to unite Americans in the gradual development of foreign relations.
The Massachusetts Society
The Massachusetts Society was organized on April 3, 1894, following the interests of a previous Boston organization, the New England Association of Soldiers of the War of 1812.
On April 14, 1894 four state societies, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Connecticut, met in the United States Senate Chamber in the old Capitol building in Philadelphia, Penn¬sylvania to adopt a Constitution forming a General Society of the War of 1812, now national in scope, in which the state societies are members. In its continuity from 1814, The General Society is the oldest general war society in the world.
The Massachusetts Society had its first called meeting on August 7, 1894 and filed its Certificate of Incorporation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on September 10, 1894. Under a Legislative Act approved on February 23, 1935, January 8 was established as ‘New Orleans Day”, for which the Governor issues a Proclamation for appro¬priate observances throughout the state. A gun salute was fired on this day on Boston Common from 1935 through 1969.
The Society’s Annual Meeting is held on January 8, commemorating the Anniversary of the victory of Andrew Jackson’s forces at the Battle of New Orleans. Regular meetings are also held in the spring and fall, on dates of significance to events in the War.
The Massachusetts Society supports the U.S.S. Constitution Museum in Boston and its projects of preserving the history and artifacts of the War of 1812. The Society is especially fortunate that the frigate ‘Constitution’, undefeated fighting vessel of the War of 1812 and oldest commissioned ship in the United States Navy is now permanently berthed in Boston, from which she was launched on September 20, 1797.
Among the objectives of the Society are: to perpetuate the memory of the events of the War of 1812; to collect and secure for preservation rolls, records, books, and other documents relating to that period; to encourage research and publication of historical data, including memorials to the patriots; to cherish and maintain patriotism and love of Country and the institution of American freedom.