The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-04


they discovered, from the movements of the
boats between the shore aud the 14ts, that
the troops had been roughly handled, and
that many wounded men had been carried
to the ships. AT length he was informed
that the attack upon Baltimore had failed.
and that the British Hrmy were re. embarking
and that lie and Mr. Skinner and DR.. Beunes
would be permitted to leave them and 90
where they pleased, as soon as the troops
were7oh board and the feet ready to sail
HetUId me thai, undeF'the excitement Of
The time, he had wrltten song, and hand
ed me printed copy of the "Siar Spangled
Banner VIXEN 4 rend it and expressed
my admiration, asked him how he found
time, 10 the scenes he had been passing
through 10 compose such "a song. He said
| he commenced il onsthe deck of their vessel,
in the ferVoT Of the moment when he saw
the enemy hastily retreAting to their ships,
and looked at the flag he had watched for SO
anxiously as the morning opened; that he
had written some lines or brief notes that
would aid him in calling them to mind, upon
the back Of u letter which he hippPned to-
huve in his pocket; and for some Of the lines,
as he proceeded, he was obliged 10 rely alto
gcther on his memory; and that he finished
it in the boat OH his way to the shore, and
wrote it out as it now stands at the hotel, on
the night he reached Baltimore, and imme.
diately after he arrived. lie said that on the
ncxi morning he took it to Judge Nicholson,
TO ask him what he thought Of it; that be
wass so much pleased with it that he sent it
to a printer, and directed copies to be struck
off in hand bill form; and that lie (Mf. Kcy)
believed II to have been favor ably received
by the Baltimore public. I'D sa. s3a. ~,
T Judge Nicholson and Mrs. Key were
nearly connectet'by marriage, Mrs. Key and
Mrs. Nicholson being sisters. The Judge
was aman Of cultivated taste, and liad at
one time been distinguished among the lead
ing men in Congress, and was at the period
Of which | am speaking Chief Justice Of
Baltimore, and one of the Judges of-the
Court of Appeals of Maryland. Notwith-
standing his judicial character. Which ex-
emptcd him from military service, he accept
ed the. command Off volunteer company OF
artillery. And when the enemy approach
cd, and an attack upon The fort was expect
ed, he and his company offered their servi-
Gee to the government to assist IN its defense.
They were accepted, and formed part Of
} the garrison during the bombardment. -
The Judge had been relieved from duty, and
| returned to his family only the night be-
fore Mr.. Key had showed him lis song
And you may easily Imagine the feelings
with which, at such moment, he read it,
ard gave il to the public. 1t was, no doubt,
as Mr.. Key modcstly expressed it, favorably
received. In less than an hour after he
had left it in the hands ofihe printer, it was
all over town, and hailed with enthusiasm,
and took its place at once as a national
song. 100 H.# ... ... a.s ...t
have made this account OF "The Star
Spangled Banner longer than | intended
and find that have introduced incidents and
persons outside of the subject originally
contemplated But have felt a melan.
choly pleasure in recalling events connected
n ,nv ,Iarroa urith tb n lfo nf cpn with "a hon
Iwas so long and closely united in friendship
and affection; and whom so much admired
for his brilliant genius, and for his many vir.
tues. am sure, however, that neither you
or any Of his descendants will think the ac-
count have given them too long. With
great regard, sir,, . .''~
''@, y" Your friend, truly,
--' p"s@''..' .'" '' 't r. Il. TANEY.