Mariposa Democrat., 1857-04-01

oiiicer wouiu speak TO him. lie was treated
as cuprlt, ah not as prisoner Of war. And
this harsh az humiliat0g treatment contin-
ucd until he 'hs placed on board the Cartel.
Something aust have passed when the Off
GERS were qu5iered at bis house on the march
to Washing Which, in the Judgment of
Osncral Acss, ,soufid him oe s..i,v' n .--..s
T against he English forces until the troops had
rc-embfked. 1t is impossible, on any other
ground to account for the manner in which
he wasspoken Of and treated But whatever
Generd Ross and the officers may have
though, am quite sure that DIR. Beane did
not think he was in any way pledged to abstain
from active hostilities against the public enc
my Md when he made prisoners Of the
stragglds, he did not think himself a prisoner
on parde, nor suppose himself to be violating
+ any Obligation he had incurred. For he was a
gentleman of untainted character, and nice
sense of honor, and incapable of doing any,
thing that could have justified such treatment.
Mr.. Hey imputed the ID usage he had received
to Admiral Cochrane, who, il is still remem-
bered, while he commanded in the Chesa-
peale, carried on hostilities in vindictiye tenn
per, assailing and plundering defenceless vii
lagos, Or coustenancing such proceedings by
those under bis command.
Mr.. Key and Mr.. Skinner continued on
board of the Surprise, where they wsro very
/ kindly treated Dy or Thomas Cochranc, until
\ the fleet reached the Patapsico, and prepara-
tions were making for landing the troops
Admiral Cochrane then shifted his flag to the
frigate in order that he might be able to move
1 further up the river, and superintend in person
the attack by water, on the fort And Mr..
Key and Mr.. Skinner we're then sent on board
their own vessel, with guard Of sailors and
marines, to prevent them from landing. They
were permitted to take Dr. Beane with them,
and they thought themselves fortunate in being
j anchored in position which enabled them to
see distinctly the flag Of Fort McIIenry from
the deck Of The vessel lie proceeded, then,
with much animation to describe the scene Oh
the night Of the bombardment He and Mr.
\ slsieHer rer.aned on deck during the night
watching eFefJ -----, -----.-~
fired, until ii FELL and listening with breathless
interest to heir if an explosion followed.
While the bombardment continued it was
sufficient prod that the fort had not surrender.
/ ed. But it suddenly ceased, some time before
day-and as they had no communication with
any of the enemy's ships, they did not know
whether the fort had surrendered or the attack
upon it had 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 see how long they mus
wait for il; md as soon as it dawned, and be
: fore il was light enough to see the objects at Q
: distance, thor glasses were turned to the fort
$ uncertain whether they should see the stars
5 and stripes, or the flag of the enemy. Al
length the light came, and they saw that oul
t flag was still thcre." And as the day advan
Q ced they discovered, from the movements o
the boats between the shore and the flats, tina
E the troops had been roughly handled, and tina
t many wounded men had been carried to thu
: ships. At length he was informed that the at
{ tack on Baltimore had failed, that the British
: army was re-embarkng, and that he and Mr.
0 Skinner and Dir. Beane would be permitted t
f leave them and go where they pleased, as sooi
/ as the troops were on board and the feet ready
/ to sail.
S lie told me that, under the excitement Of th,
? time, he had written song, and handed me
5 printed copy of "The Star spangled Banner.
I. When read it and expressed my admiration
! asked him how he found time, in the scenes
: he had been passing through, to compose sucl
/ a song. He said he commenced it ON the decl
C of their vessel in the fervor of the moment
( when he saw the enemy hastily retreating t
A their chips and looked Mt the flag he hat
$ watched lorso anxiously, as the morning open
: ed; ; that he had written some lines or brie
t notes that would aid him in calling them t
: mind, upon the back of letter which he hap
: pened to have in his pocket; and for some 0
9 the lines, as he proceeded, he was obliged t
rely altogether on his memory; and that h
7 finished it in the boat on his way TO the shore
: and wroteit out as it now stands, at the hotel
t on the night he reached Baltimore, and imme
, diately after he arrived. He said that on th
} next morning he took it to Judge Nicholson, Il
ask him what he thought of it; that he was s.
much pleased with it that he Immediately sen
it to printer, and directed copies to be strucl
! off in hand bill form; and that he, (Mr Key,
believed it to have been favorably received b.
: the Baltimore public.
Judge Nicholson and Mrs. Key were nearl.
connected by marriage, Mrs. Key and Mrs
, Nicholson being sisters. The Judge was
man Of cultivated taste, had at one time beel
distinguished among the leading men in Con
, gress, and was at the period of which an
. speaking Chief Justice of Baltimore, and on
ofthe Judges of the Court Of Appeals Of Mary
land. Notwithstanding his judicial character
which exempted him from military service, h