Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-02-04
How the ''Star-Spangied BannerO Cams
TO be Written.
BY j. FAIRFAX M'LAUGELIN, A. NJ

"Eioquence the soul-song moves the sense
When the British army and marines
under General Ross and Admiral Cock
burn, debarked from the ships at Bene-
dict, in August, 1914, to attack the Capt.
tai of the United States, they marched
inland through Prince Georges County
Maryland. On the route to Bladensburs
the enemy passed through the village;
of Nottingham and Upper Marlborough
resting for some time at the latter place
Upper Marlborough is the county-scat
of Prince Georges, and is picturesque
place, distant about sixteen miles, in 8
south easterly direction, from Washing
ton. The people have always been no
ted for hospitality and intelligence, and
many distinguished men have been born
lawyer, Reverdy Johnson, having been
one of them, and at an early date the il
lustrious Archbishop Carroll, the first
Catholic Bishop in the United States
and the friend of Washington and
Franklin, having been another of MARI
borough's Sous, AT the time of which
write there lived in this place a DR.
Beanes, a gentleman of high standing
whose capture bv the enemy, strange as
it may seem, afforded the occasion tt
Francis Scott Key for the composition
of our majestic national anthem, the
Star Spangied Banner.
The late Roger B. fancy, Chief Jus.
| tice of the United States, in q letter tc
| Charles Howard, son in-law of Mr.
| Key, written on the 18th of March, 1856
speaks of DR.. Beanes in the following
| terms:
"Dr. Beanes, as perhaps you know
was the leading physician in Upper
Marlborough, and an accomplished
scholar and gentleman. He was highly
respected by all who knew him; was
the family physician of Mr. West, anC
the intimate friend OF Mr. Key. He oc
cupied one Oft the best houses in Upper
Marlborough, and lived very handsome
| ly; and his house was selected for the
quarters of Admiral CociSburn and some
Of the principal officers of the army
| when the British troops eiicamped al
| Marlborough Oh their march to Wash
| ington. These officers were of course
| furnished with everything that. the
house could offer; and they in return
treated him with much courtesy, and
placed guards around his grounds and
outhouses to prevent depredations by
their troops"
well remember, Mr. Editor, the deal
old homestead which the renowned
| Chief Justice thus describes as many
years after the death of Mr.. Beanes i,
came into the possession of my father
and I passed my childhood in it and
lived there for about ten years. I often
spent hours in decipherine the curious
and lenghthy epitaphs on the old tomb
stones of DIR. Beanes' and the various
members Of his family, for it was the
custom in those days to have the grave
yard on the private premises of the resi-
dents and the burial place ofthe Beanes
family was in the adjacent grounds, sur
rounded by high brick wall, covered
with honeysuckles. and the cemetery
was embowered in the foliage Of cypress
and other deciduous trees.
The British forces, after leaving Nj arl
borough, as is well known, engaged the
six or seven miles from Washin gton
and, after a sharp battle, routed the
Americans and put them to flight The
flight became panic, in which the peo-
pie of Washington partook with the
army, every body going off. helter-skel-
ter, as if the only object in life was tC
put the greatest possible distance be.
tween himself or herself and the Red
Goats. a satirical poet of the day de-
picts President Madison and James
Monroe, then Secretary of State, as join
ing the "Bladensburg Races"
away went Madison-away
Monroe went at his heels
And all the while the labring back
merry humping feels.
So like an arrow swift he flew
Shot from an archer's bow,
So did he fly-so after him
AS swiftly did fly Monroe.
He rode express, for he first bore
The news to Frederick town,
Nor stopped from where he first got up
Till he again got down."
After burning the Capitol, the Presi-
dents House, the public buildings ano
other property, and committing othel
barbarous acts, the Vandals returned
hastily to their ships on the Patuxen
River. The main body of the British
Army had passed through Upper Marl-
borough on their way back to Noting
ham, when the Inhabitants of the form
er place were subjected to an irruption
by stragglers, who had lurked in the
rear for the purpose of plunder. These
freebooters committed so many excesse:
that DR.. Beanes placed himself at thu
head of small body of the citizens 0
the neighborhood, and going out in pur
suit of the stragglers overlook them ant
made them prisoners. When the new.
of this affair reached the British com
manders, they decided to retaliate or
DR.. Beanes, and sent back a strong body
of soldiers to Upper Marlborough.
detachment entered the Doctors housi
about midnight and hurried him out o
bed, hardly allowing him time to dres
himself They hurried him off unde
close guard, treated him with grea
cruelty, and consigned him to the fore
castle of one of their ships, among tn
sailors and soldiers. Admiral Cock burn
with that bloodthirsty spirit which ha
rendered his name, from that day t,
this, the synonym of violence and cru el
ty along the shores of the Chesapeak,
Bay, was in favor Of hanging DR.. Beane
from one of the yard-anns of the ship
but General Ross, a more humane man
and perhaps fearing retaliation on tn
part of the Americans, prevented tn
murder of the unfortunate prisoner.
Francis Scott Key, man of rare &C
| icl, to