The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-12-24


3D. ai,' before ii was light enough to see
,i,;ects al dis ance their g!Hsses were
armed 10 the fort unGertain whether they
Shpuid see there the st rs and stripes or
le dag Of The enemy. Al length the
tight came, and they saw that "our flag
VAS srii there" And as the day AID
.auced they discovered from the move,
meats of the boats between The shore and
he fats, that the troops had been rough
!y hmldied, and that many wounded men
aad been carried to the ships. Al length
he vas informed that the attack upon
Baltimore had failed, and that the British
army were -embarkiug and that he and
Hr Skinner and Dir. Beaues would be
permitted TO leave them and go where
iiey ple,seh, as soon as the troops were
on board and he feet readE- TO sail --
He tola me that. under the excitement
nf the ,ime, he had written a song. and
handed me a printed copy of the g Star
Spangled Banner y When | read it and
Expressed my admiration, ! asked him
how he found time, in The scenes he had
been passing through TO compose snch Il
song. He said he commenced it on the
deck of their vessel, in the feryor OF the
moment when he saw the enemy hastily
ratreatirg to their ships, and looked tt
the flag he had watched for SO anxiouSiy
as the morning opened; that he had writ
ten some lines or brief notes that woald
aid him in calling them to MUD, upon the
back of Il letter which he happened to
have in his pocket; aud for some. Of the
lines, as he proceeded, lie was obliged TO
rely altogether on his memory; aud thai
he finished it III the boat On his way TO
the shore. and wrote it out as now stands
at the hotel, on the night he reached Bal
Iimsre, and Immediately after he arrived
He said that Oh the next morning ne took
it to Judge Nicholson, to ask him what ne
thnughtof it, that he was 50 much pleas
cd with ii that he sent it TO a printer, and
directed copies to be strnck off in hand
bill form; AID that he (Mr. Aey) believed
ii to have been favorably received by the
Baltimore public. -.f &.
Judge Nicholson and Mrs. Key were
nearly CONNECTED by marriage, Mrs. Key
aud Mrs Nicholson being sisters. The
Judge was man Of cultivated taste, and
had at one ime been distinguished among
;he ieading men in Congress, and was at
he period of which am speaking Chiel
| Justice OF Baltimore, and one of the Judges
,.f the Court Of Appeals OF Mary lapti.
Notwithstanding his Judicial character,
which exempted him from military service,
| he ac,e pied the command of a volunteer
company of artillery. Aud. when. the
euemy approached, and ali attack upon
the for, was expected, he and his company
offered their services to the government to
assist in it's defeBse. They were accept
ed, aud formed Il part of The garrison
during the bomhardment. The Judge
haa been relieved from duty, and return
ed o lis family yonly The night before Mr.
F.! KEY had showed iHm his song. Aud yol
may easily imagine the feelings rta whirl
al such Il moment he read IT, and gave i
TO the public. It+was, no doubt. as alr
Key molestly expressed it. favorably re
ctivcd In less than an hour after he llnt
left it in the hands of the printer, it wa
all over town, and hailed with enthusiasm
and took its place at once as nationa
Song. -a-.u-f 81
;. | have made this account Of The STA
Spangied Banner" longer than intended
T and find that | have introduced iEciaent
t and persons outside OF the suhiectll ori
ginully contemplated. Bat / have felt l
melancholy pleasure in recalling event
connected in any degree with the life 0
) one with whom | was so long and closeE.
united in Friendships and affections; an,
whom | so.rnuch admired for his brii!ian
genius, and for his many virtues. an
sure, however, that neither you or any q
; his descendants will think the account
have given them too long. With grea
regard, sir,
I tc.75- Your friend, truly, a-2