The daily gazette., 1879-05-13
1.-THE sTAR-SPANGLED BANNER
The story OF the Song as Told by a
Baltimore Veteran Just Deceased
baltimore Sun, May s)

(Baltimore sun. May S.)
Colonel Cohen was the only survivor
of Colonel Nicholson's artillery company
of Fencibles, one Of the three BALTIMORE
artillery companies which were station
ed at Fort McHenry during the attack
on Baltimore. On the 18th of September,
1875. then in his ssventy-ninth year, he
made his last visit to this fort, to look for
the last time, with failing vision, upon
the scene which was so well impressed
upon his memory in youth, and in which
the changes of time had made such a
great difference. An interview held
with HIM by member of the Suns staff
on this occasion was reduced TO writing
AZ the time as an interesting contribu-
tlon 10 our local history. Colonel Cohen
said it was ON the 18th of Septelnb Der that
The bombardment of the fort took place,
and therefore the 18th of September was
his anniversary. He was then barely
eighteen years old, being the youngest of
three brothers, Jacob / Philip l., and
Mendes l. Cohen. Captain Nichol.on's
company nun bered ninety men ordi mar
lily, but for the active service had been
raised to 1l0 men by volunteers. All the
members were business men an mer-
chants who had enlisted at the beginning
of the war, though they were only under
arms when the city was threatened.
Captain Nicholson was the Judge of the
United States District Court.
AS soon as the British fleet appear
ed in the upper part of the Chesapeake
Bay the company went to Fort Nc
Henry and remained until tho enemy
had entirely disappeared. So days be-
fore the bOmbardment Colonel Cohen
was in Baltimore on leave, and while
thus at his home the alarm was sounded
and the male population rushed to arms
This alarm was gun fired at the cor.
One of the bodies of soldiers Assem- bled
at Baltimore and Howard streets. Arms
were distributed to several regiments at
| Pratt and Light streets. Colonel Cohen
| Joined these later under what was sup
| posed to be an emergency OF the hour,
and marched with them to Holiday
| Street Theatre, where an account was
taken of the force and its accoutrement.
| Learning there that no unexpected peril
had called out the force the young soldier
remem bered that his service was FIRST
| due to his artillery company at the fort,
| and looking around for substitute boy
fourteen years of age offered to take his
place in the ranks. Young Cohen trans
ferred his gun to the youth and then,
taking a boat, rowed to Fort McHenry
and Joined his own company.
Captain Nlcholson's artillery was p ,st-
ed at what was known as the Star Fort
in the centre of the works. When the
public buildings at Washington were
burned the light of the confagration was
plainly seen by Cohen and his comrades
at the fort. The position was only q
series of uncovered earthw orks, open tC
the shells of the bombafding fleet. The
principal magazine was in the Stal
Fort. OfCaptain NichOlsOD's company
two were killed during the lombard
ment and several wounded, but non.
severely. A shell exploded in the whee
Of one of the guns, killing First Lieut.
enant Claggett, who was Of the famil,
90 long known as brewers in Baltimore
| The other ieutenants were Anurev
Hopper and jesse Eichelberger. FRS
Sergeant CleInm was the other membe
of the company killed, having had hi
side torn by the fragment Of shell ant
dying in few moments.
The bombardnent commenced at
o'clock on the morning Of September IL
1914, and continued twenty -four hours
The garrison saw the flag of truce car
ried during the bombardment by th'
small boat in which Francis Scott Ke,
visited the British feet to obtain the re
lease of his friend, DIR. Beanes, of Primo
Georges County, who had been made ;
prisoner of war and was on board one o
the ships, where he was detained unit
the firing had ceased. On the cessation
of the bombardment Mr.. Key was per
mitted to leave the enemy's ships ant
was rowed to the for,, bearing with hin
the song of the "Star- -Spangled Banner,
which he had composed during tn,
watches Of the night. Soon after b.
landed the rough draft of the verse ~ h,
mad Just written them down on the bacl
of a letter while coming ashore In tn,
rowboat were handed around and SOM
of the garrison made copies of them
Judge Nicholson, the captain of the ar
tillery company, and Mr.. Key had mar
ried sisters and the Judge seems to hay
been the first person to whom the autho
show. q tie verses. That night at his hote
in Baltimore Mr.. Key wroie out fai
copy of the verses as they now stand an
the next day gave cspy to Judge Mich
olson, who had the song published, an
1t was sung publicly for the first tim
shortly afterwards in the Hollida
Street Theatre. Col. COhen's recolle,
ton of this episode il not exactly conf1I
matory of the narrative by Judge Tame
in Tyler's life Of the great Chief Justice
is at least not inconsistent with that IL
teresting statement. Col. Cohen wa
very distinct il his remembrance ths
the song was copied by some of the 80
, diers at the fort, and no doubt 1t wa
shown 10 Judge Nicholson there.