The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-24

! timore, where the vessel was, to embark; and
Mrs. Key and the children went with me to
| Frederick, and thence to bis father's on Pipe
creek, where she remained until he returned.
We heard nothing from him until the enc
my retreated from Baltimore which, as well as
l can now recollect, was week or ten days af-
ter he left US; and we were becoming uneasy
about him, when, to our great joy, he made his
appearance at my house, on his way to join his
family. .t..f,- ..-
| He told me that he found the British fleet, at
the mouth of the Potomac, preparing for the
expedition against Baltimore He was cour-
teously received by admiral Cochrane and the
officers of the army, as well as the navy But
when he made known his business, his appIi-
cation was received so coldly that he feared it
would fail. General Ross and admiral Cock
burn, who accom- panied the expedition to Wash
ington-particular y the latter-spoke of doc
tor Beanes in very harsh terms, and seemed at
first not disposed to release him. 1t however
happened, fortunately, that Mr.. Skinner carried
letters from the wounded British officers left
at Bladensburg, and in these letters to their
friends on board the fleet they all spoke of the
humanity and kindness with which they had
been treated after they had fallen into our
hands. And after good deal Of conversation,
and strong representations from Mr.. Key, as
to the character and standing of doctor Beanes,
and the deep interest which the community
IN which &c lived took in his fate general Ross
said that doctor Beanes deserved much more
punishment than he had received; but that
he felt himself bound to make a return for the
kindness which had been shown to his wound
ed officers whom he had been compelled 20
leave at Bladensburg; and upon that ground,
and that only, he would release him. But Mr..
Key was at the same time informed that Meth
er he, or any one else, would be. permitted to
leave the fleet for some days, and must be de-
tanned until the attack on Baltimore which was
then about to be made, was over. But he was
also assured that they would make him and
Mr.. Skinner as comfortable as possible while
they detained them. Admiral Cochranc, with
whom they dincd on the day of their arrival,
apolog gsed for not accommodating them in his
own ship saying that it was crowded already
with officers ofthe army but they would be well
taken care of in the friyate Surprise, command
cd by his son, Thomas Cochrane. And to this
frigate they were accordingly transferred.
Mr.. Key had an interview with doctor Beanes
| do not recollect whether he was on board the
admirals ship or the Surprise but believe it
was the former. He found him in the forward
part of the ship, among the sailors and soldiers;
he had not had a change of clothes from the
time he was seized; was constantly treated with
indignity by those around him, and no officer
would speak to him. He was treated as a cu
prlt, and not as prisoner OF war. And this
harsh and humiliating treatment continued un
til he was placed on board of the cartel.
Something must have passed when the Off
cels were quartered at his house. on the march
to Washington, which, in the judgment of gen
eraI Ross, bound him not to take up arms against
the English forces until the troops had reem
barked. 1t is impossible, on any other gronnd,
toaccount for the manner in which he was spok
en- of and treated. But whatever general Ross
and the other officers may have thought, | am
quito that duutotz Bcanus did uvs Di1iuh ho
was IN any way pledged to abstain from active
hoStties against the public enemy. And when
he made prisoners Of the straggers he did not
think himself a prisoner on parole, nor suppose
himself to be violating any obligation he had
incurred For he was a gentleman of unstain-
ed character and a nice sense OF honor, and in
capable of doing anything that could have JUS
tilted such treatment. Mr.. Key imputed the
ll-usage he had received to admiral Cockburn,
who, it is still remembered, while he command
cd in the Chesapeake, carried on hostilites in
Il vlndictive temper, assailing and plundering
defenceless villages, or rcountenancing such pro-
ceedings by those under his command.
Mr. Key and Mr. Skinner continued on board
the Surprise, where they were very kindly trea-
ted by sir Thomas Cochrane, until the fleet
reached the Patapsco, and preparations were
making for landing the troops. Admiral Coch
rane then shifted his flag to the irigate, in Or
der that he might be able to move further up
the river, and superintend in person the attack
by water on the fort. And Mr.. Key and Mr..
Skinner were then sent on board their own YES
sci, with guard Of sailors or marines, to pre-
vent them from landing. They were permitted
to take doctor Beanes with them, and they
thought themselves fortunate in being anchored
in d position WHICH enabled them to see dis
tinctly The flag of fort McHenry from the deck
} of the vessel He proceeded then with much
animation to describe the scene on the night of
the bombardment. He and Mr.. Skinner re-
mained on deck during the night, watching ev-
cry she'll, from the moment it was fired until it
fell, listening with breathless interest to hear #
an explosion followed
While the bombardment continued it was, suf
fcient proof that the fort had not surrendered.
But it suddenly ceased, some time before day
and as they had no communication with any
one Of the enemy's ships, they did not know
whether the fort had surrendered OF the attack
upon it been abandoned. They paced the deck
for the residue of the night in painful suspense,
watching with intense anxiety for the return of
day, and looking every few minutes at their
watches to how long they must wait for it,;
and as soon as it dawned, and before it was
light enough to see objects at the distance, their
glasses were turned to the fort, uncertain wheth-
er they should see there the stars and stripes
or the flag of the enemy. At length the light
came, and they saw that "our flag was still
there" And as the day advanced they dis
covered from the movements Of the boats be-
tween the shore and the fleet, 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 on
Baltimore had failed, and that the British army
was reemba1king, and that he and Mr.. Skinner
| ,,d dnotn. paorac would ho ta1 }aa ya