The Star-Spangled Banner’s Midnight Defender
Smoke reached the water before the sound arrived. Long before the cannons spoke, the harbor carried the warning of what was coming. Ships lay anchored under uneasy skies, lanterns dimmed, crews hushed. Across the dark expanse of water stood Fort McHenry, silent and resolute, guarding the city beyond like a locked door whose strength would soon be tested. Among those
