Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-11-21
EVENING STAR.
TIE AUTHOR OF THE sTAR-sPANGLED
BANNER.

have just published a neat edition of The
poems Of Francis S. Key, Esq , the gifted au
thor Of the Stsr-Spangled Banner Most oil
the pieces were in manuscript, and the enjoy.
ment of them has been hitherto confined t.
the narrow circle Of bis family and surviving
personal friends. They are preceded by a
letter from Chief Justice Taney, who is a
brother-in-law of Mr. Key, detailing the cir
cumstances originating and attending the COM
position Of the most famous Of his pieces, the
Star.Spangled Banner. The letter VIC give
at length. This collection is edited by Henry
V. d Johns, of Baltimore
WASHINGTON, 1855
My DEAR SIR: L promised, some tmo ago,
to give you an account Of the incidents in the
life of Mr.. f S. Key, which led him to write
the " "Star-Spanglcd Banner" and Of the cir
cumstances under which il was written. The
song has become a national one, and will,
think, from its great merit, continue to be so,
especially in Maryland; and everything that
concerns its author must be matter of inter
est to his children and descendants. And
proceed to fulfill my promise with the more
pleasure, bscarse, while the song shows his
genius and taste as poet, the incidents con-
nected with it and the circumstances under
which IL was written will show his character
and worth as man. The scene he describes,
and the warm spirit of patriotism which
breathes in the song, were not the offspring of
mere fancy or poetic imagination. He de-
scribes what he actually saw. And he tells
US what he felt while witnessing the conflict,
and what he felt when the battle was over
and tho victory won by his countrymen
Every word came warm from his heart, and
for that reason, even mUre than from its poet
ical merit, it never fails to find n response in
the hearts of those who listen to it
You will remember that in 1914, when the
song was written, resided in Frederick, and
Mr.. Key in Georgetown You will also recol-
lect that soon after the British troops retired
from Washington squadron of the eneDy's
ships made their way up the Potomac, and ap-
peared before Alexandra, which was com
PEELED to capitulate; and the squadron re.
NAMED there some days, plunderIHg the town
OF tobacco, and whatever else tney wanted
1t was IumOred and believed in Frederick,
that maraudng attack Of the same oharac.
ter would be made on Washington and q Gorge
town before the ships left the river. Mr..
key's family were still in Georgetown. He
would not, and indeed could not, with honor,
leave the place while il was threatened Dy
the enemy for he was a volunteer in the
Light Artillery, commanded by Major Peter,
which was composed Of citizens Of the District
of Columbia, who had uniformed themselves
and offered their services to the government
and who had been employed in active service
from the time the British feet appeared 10
the Pautuxent, preparatory to the movement
upon Washington. And Mrs Key refused to
leave home while Mr.. Key was thus daily ex-
posed to danger.
Believing, as We did, that an attack would
probably be made on Georgetown, We became
very anxious about the situation Of his fami-
ly. For if the attack was made, Mr.. Key
would be with the troops engaged in the de-
fence; and ss it was impossible to foreSee
what would be the issue Of the conflict, his
family, by remaining in Georgetown, might be
placed in great and useless peril. When [
speak of see l mean Mr.. Keys father and
mother, and Mrs Taney and myself. But it
was agreed among US that | should go to
Georgetown and try TO persuade Mrs. Key to
come away with their children, and stay with
me or with Mr.. Keys father until the danger
was over When | reached Georgetowp, l
found the English ships still at Alexandria,
and body of militia encamped in Washing
ton, which had been mbled to defend the
city. But it was then believed from informa-
ton received, that no attack would be made
by the enemy on Washington or Georgetown
and preparations were making on our part to
annoy them by batteries on shore when they
descended the river. The knowledge of tn sse
preparations probably hastened their deper-
ture, and the second or third day after my
arrival the ships were seen moving down the
Potomac.
On the evening of the day that the enemy
disappeared, Mr. Richard West arrived at
Mr.. Keys, and told him that after the British
army passed through Upper Marlboro on their
reture their ships, and had encamped some
miles below tho town, detachment was sent
back which entered DR.. Beanes's house about
midnight, compelled him to rise from his bed,
and hurried him off to the British camp, hard
ly allowing him time to put his lcothes on );
that he was treated with great harshness, and
N a r6p a hat nc f-,a do
were apprised Of his situation, they hastened
to the head quarters of the English army to
solicit his release, but it was peremptorily
refused, and they were not even permitted to
see him and that he had been carried as a
prisoner on board the feet. And finding their
own efforts unavailing, and alarmed for his
safety, his friends in and about Marlboro
thought it advisable that Mr. West should
hasten to Georgetown, and request Mr.. Key
to obtain the sanction of the government to
his going on board the Admiral's ship, under
a flag of truce, and endeayoring to procure
the release of DR.. Beanes before the feet
sailed. 1t was then lying at the mouth of
Potomac, and its destination was not at that
time positively known with certainty.
Dr. Bsanes, as perhaps you know, was the
leading physician of Upper Marlboro, and
was highly respected by all who knew him
was the family physician of Mr.. West, and
the intimate friend of Mr.. Key. lie occupied
one of the best houses in Upper Marlboro +,
and lived very handsomely; and his house
was selected for the quarters of Admiral Cock
burn, and some of the principal officers of the
army, whom the British troops encamped at
Marlboro on the march to Washington. These
officers were, of course, furnished with every
thing that house could offer, andsthey, in re-
turn, treated him with much courtesy, and
placed guards around his grounds and out
houses to prevent depredations by their troops.
But on the return of the army to the ships,
after the main body had passed through the
town, stragglers who had left the ranks to
plunder, or from some other motives, made
their appearance from time to time, singly OF
in small squads, and DR.. Beanes put himself
at the head of a small body of citizens TO pur-
sue and make prisoners Of them. Information
Of the proceeding was, by some means or other,
conveyed to the English camp, and the de-
tachment of which I have spoken was sent
back to release the prisoners and seize DR..
Beanes. They did not seem to regard him,
and certainly did not treat him as prisoner
of war, but as one who had deceived and bro
ken his faith with them.
rfel he