James McHenry Quotes

James McHenry was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Ireland. He was an Irish-born American military surgeon and politician. He was a signer of the United States Constitution from Maryland and the namesake of Fort McHenry. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland, and the third United States Secretary of War from 1796–1800, under the first and second presidents, George Washington and John Adams. He educated at Newark Academy. Returning to Philadelphia, he then apprenticed under Benjamin Rush and became a physician. He served as a skilled and dedicated surgeon during the American Revolutionary War. In 1776, he was appointed surgeon at the age of 23 of the Fifth Pennsylvania Battalion stationed at Fort Washington.