The Portland daily press., 1879-05-15
"The Star-Spangled Banner.
The Story OF the Song as Told by Bal
timore Veteran Just Deceased.
baltimore SUM-


Colonel Cohen was the only survivor Of
Captain Nicholson's artillery company of
Fencibles, one of the three Baltimore COM
panies which were stationed at Fort McHenry
during the attack ON Baltimore. On the 18th
of September, 1875, then in his seventy-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 inn
pressed upon his memory in youth, and in
which the changes of time had made such
great difference. An interview held with him
by member of the Suns staff on this occasion
was reduced to writing at the time as an inter-
esting contribution to our local history. Col
onel Cohen said it was on the 18th of Septem-
Der that the bombardment of the fort took
place, and therefore the 18th of September
was his anniversary He was then barely Is
years old, being the youngest of three brothers,
Jacob l.. Philip l., and Mendes 1. Cohen.
Captain Nicholson's company numbered nine
ty men ordinarily, but for the active service
had been raised to 10 men by volunteers.
All the members were business men and mer-
chants who had enlisted at the beginning of
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 appeared in
the upper part of the Chesapeake Bay the com
pany went to Fort McHenry and remained un-
til the enemy had entirely disappeared Some
days before 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 a
gun fired at the corner of Baltimore and Cal
vert streets. One of the bodies of soldiers
assembled at Baltimore and Howard streets
Arms were distributed to several regiments at
Pratt and Light streets. Colonel Cohen Joined
these later under what was supposed to be an
emergency of the hour, and marched with
them to Holiday Street Theatre, where an ac-
count was taken of the force and its accoutre-
ment. Learning that no unexpected peril had
called out the force the young soldier remem-
bered that his service was 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
transferred his gun to the youth and then, tax
ing boat, rowed to Fort McHenry and Joined
his own company.
Captain Nicholson's artillery was posted at
what was known as the Star Fort in the CEN
tire OF the works When the public buildings
ot Washington were burned the light of the
contiagration was plainly seen by Cohen and
his comrades at the fort. The position was only
series of uncovered earthworks, open to the
shells of the bombarding fleet. The principal
uldSdLll6 WAS III tDt Oldf OTI. VI captain
Nicholson's company two were killed during
the bombardment and several wounded, but
none severely. A she'll exploded in the wheel
of one of the guns, killing First Lieutenant
Clagget, who was of the family so long known
as brewers in Baltimore. The other lieuten-
ants were Andrew Klopper and Jesse Eichel-
berger. First Sergeant GLENN was the other
member of the company killed, having had
his side torn by the fragment Of a shell and
dying in few moments.
Tho hon1 1hor MT of r,Jo
ON the morning of September 49, 1914, and con-
tinued twenty-four hours. The garrison saw
the flag of truce carried during the lombard
ment by the small boat in which Francis Scott
Key visited the British fleet to obtain the re-
lease of his friend, DIR. Beanes, of Prince
Georges county, who had been made a
prisoner of war and was on board one of the
ships, where he was detained until the firing
had ceased. On the cessation of the lombard
ment Mr.. Key was permitted to leave the enc
my's ships and was rowed to the fort, bearing
with him the song of the "Star Spangled Ban
ner"' which he had composed during the
watches OF the night. Soon after he had
landed the rough draft of the verses as he had
just written them down on the back of letter
while comming ashore in the rowboat were
handed around and some of the garrison made
copies of them. Judge Nicholson, the captain
OF the artillery company, and Mr.. Key had
married sisters and the Judge seemed to have
been the first person to whom the author
showed the verses. The same night at his
hotel in Baltimore Mr.. Key wrote out fair
copy of the verses as they now stand and the
next day gave a copy to Judge Nicholson, who
had the song published, and it was sung pub
hcly Tor the first time shortly afterwards in the
Holiday street Theatre. Col Cohens recol-
lection of this episode if not exactly confirma-
tory of the narrative by Judge Taney in
Tyler's life of the Chief Justice is at least not
inconsistent with that interesting statement.
Col. Cohen was very distinct in his remem-
brance that the song was copied by some of
the soldiers st the fort, and no doubt it was
shown to Judge Nicholson there.