The Hermione arrived in Baltimore on Friday (June 19), the fifth leg of its American journey. After a few hours sailing in the Chesapeake and an anchorage, the day before, in front of Fort MacHenry, Yann Cariou and his crew entered the port of Baltimore. The frigate remained moored at the Constellation 1 pontoon until June 21, alongside the USS Constellation, the original frigate of 1797. She will set sail again on the night of June 21-22 towards Philadelphia.
For this 2 e a stopover in Maryland, the frigate was greeted on her entry into the port by the Pride of Baltimore, the city's emblematic ship, a replica of the Chasseur, the famous clipper of privateer Thomas Boyle, during the Anglo-American War of 1812 and armed by the state of Maryland. At 10 a.m., the frigate and the entire team attended the official welcoming ceremony.
A little history..
The Marquis de La Fayette visited Baltimore several times in the spring of 1781 and again on August 31, 1784. By 1780, he had reorganized his army from that city, thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of the inhabitants. Upon his return in August, a large dinner at City Hall was held in his honour. On this occasion, the people of Maryland were able to pay tribute to him, since they considered him the saviour of the city, in the face of the threat of the English army. In Baltimore, there is an equestrian statue of La Fayette in the Mount Vernon neighborhood in memory of the Marquis.
A look back at the Annapolis stage
As on all the American legs, the welcome of the Hermione and her crew went perfectly. "The United States continues to deliver on all its promises. How can we tell a different story when the reception in every city we find ourselves in is identically fantastic?" we can read on the Hermione's blog.
This stopover was highly symbolic since it was from Annapolis that Washington left for the Battle of Yorktown. On the other hand, it is the only American city that has a monument in honor of the French soldiers who died for independence. During their stay, the crew was also able to see Washington's nautical heritage. They also took part in a regatta and boarded sailing ships.
Visits to the Hermione always attract as many people, and the exchanges are always so enthusiastic. "Here too, the "thanks" are incredibly numerous. And as always, the visitors thank us as much for our help in their War of Independence as for bringing the ship to them today." tell the volunteers on the blog. Even if visitors are still curious, here the questions are a bit more pointed. Unlike Yorktown, where the questions were more historical, here the "sailors" are interested in nautical issues.
