The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-11-15

embarked Il Is impossible any other ground @ 40
count Tor the manner In which be spoken OF and oa
"A But whatever General Ross and the other ocers may
have thought quite sure that DR. beanes dla not
think he il any way pledged 70 abstain noIh acuse
hoatlities against the public enemy And when he made
prisoners "a the stragges he did not think himself prs
oner on parole supposed himself 70 be violating any
obligation he had incurred for he was gentleman Of
unstaned character and OF honor and ncapa
M az doing anything that could have Justified such treat
ment Mr. Key imputed the insage he had received 70
Admiral Cockburn who i Is sull remembered while ne
commanded in the Chesapeake carried on hoslites IN
yudctye temper assaing and plunderng defeneeess VII
lagos or counnancng such proceedings BY those under
his command.
Surprise where they were very kindly treated by Sir
Thomas Cohrane until the feet reached the Patapse ana
preparations were making for landing me troops Aa
that he might be able to further up the river and
supernend in person the attack by water on the for
And Mr. Key and Mr. Skinner were then sent on poara
their own vessel with guard OF sailors marines 10
prevent them from landing They were permitted 70 take
Dr Beanes with them and they thought themselves fortu-
nate in being anchored IN position when shapiea ue ~
10 see distinctly the flag Of Fort McHenry from the deck OF
the vessel He proceeded then with much aniinauon 10
describe the the night OF the bombardment lie
and Mr. Skinner remained deck during the night watch
ing every shell from the moment was hired until fell
listening with breathess interest TO near an explosion
followed.
that the fort had surrendered But It suddenly ceased
some time before day and as they had communication
with any one the ships they did know wheth-
or the had surrendered the attack upon II had been
abandoned They paced the deck for the residue of the
night in painful suspense watching Win intense anxiety
for the return of day. and looking every few minutes al
their watches to how long they must wait for 1T and
as soon as dawned and before 1t was light enough TO
see objects at distance their glasses were turned 10 the
fort whether they should there the stars and
stripes the flag of the enemy Atlength the gh came and
thew saw that our flag still there And as the day adj
yanced they discovered from the OIL the boa De-
tween the shore the fats that the troops had been rough
.la1, halh rpIa1f In
the ships AT length he informed that the attack
Baltimore had failed and that the British army was re-
embarking and that he and Mr. Skinner and Dr. Beanes
would be permitted to leave them and go where they
pleased the troops Were on board ana the neet
ready to SAIL
He told me that under the excitement OF the time, he
had written a song, and handed me printed copy OF
"The Star-Spangled Banner" When | read it and ex-
pressed admiration, asked him how he found time In
the he had been passing through to compose such
a song He said he commenced it on the deck OF their
vessel in the fervor of the moment when he the
nv hastily retreang to their ships and looked at the nag
he had watched for anxousy as the morning opened
that had written lines oref notes that would
aid him in calling them to mind upon the back OF letter
which he happened have in his pocket and for some OF
the lines he proceeded he obliged to rely altogether
on his memory and that he finished 1T in the boat on his
way to the shore and it it stands at the
hotel the night he reached Baltimore, and immediately
after he arrived He said that on the next morning he
took it to Judge Nicholson ask him what he thought OF
it that he was SO much pleased with it that he imme
diaey printer and directed copies to be struck
off in hand bill FORM and that be key) believed 1t to
have been favorably received by the Baltimore public
Judge Nicholson and Mrs Key nearly connected by
marriage Mrs Key and Mrs. Nicholson being sisters The
Judge was Of cultivated taste and had at one time
been distinguished among the leading men in Congress
and the period of which speaking chief justice
of Baltimore and of the judges of the court OF appeals
of Maryland Notwithstanding his judicial character
which exempted him from military service, he accepted
the command of a volunteer company of artillery. And
when the enemy approached, and attack on the tort
was expected he and his company offered their services to
the government assist in its defence. They were &C
ceped and formed part of the garrison during the bonn
bardment The Judge had been relieved from duty and
returned his family only the night before Mr. Key
him is song. And you may easily imagine the feelings
with which at such moment, he read it, and gave ii to
the public 1t was, doubt as Mr.. Key modesty eI
pressed it voraby received In less than hour after
be had left IL in the hands of the printer it was all ovei
town. and hailed with enthusiasm, and took its place al
once as q national song.
have made this account of "the StarSpangled Banner
longer than intended and find that have introduced
incidents and persons outside of the subject originally
contemplated. But have felt melancholy pleasure IN
recalling events connected in any degree with the life o.
one with whom long and so closely united In
friendship and Affection and whom SO much admired fo
his brilliant genius and for his many virtues am sure
however that neither you any of his children or de
scendants will think the account have given them too
long.
With great regard, sir, your friend, truly,
r. B. TANEY.