Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-06-26
THE STAR-SPANGLED BAN
NER.
The Story Of the Song as Told by
Baltimore Veteran just De-
ceased.
Baltimore Sun.

Spl. SOueH hdo IlIc Olly suINlNOl VI
Capt. Nicholson's artillery company of
Fencibles, one of the three Baltimore
artillery companies which were situated
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 we'll 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 interesting
contribution to our local history. Col.
Cohen said it was ON the 18th of Sep
tember 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 l.,
Phillip l. and Mendes 1. Cohen. Capt.
NichOlsOn'S company numbered ninety
men ordinarily, but for the active SER
vice had been raised to one hundred and
ten men by volunteers. All the MEM
berS were business men and mercantS
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 appeared in the upper part
of the Chesapeake Bay the Company
went to Fort McHenry and remained
until the enemy had entirely disappear
ed. Some days before the bombardment
Col 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 corner of Baltimore and Gull
vert streets. Arms were distributed to
several regiments at Pratt and Light
streets. Col. Cohen joined these latter,
under what was supposed to be the
emergency of the hour, and marched
with them'to Holiday Street Theater,
where an account was taken of the force
and its accouterments. Learning there
that no unexpected peril had called out
the force, the young soldier remembered
that his service was first due to his ar
tillery company at the fort, and, looking
around for substitute, a boy fourteen
years of age offered to take his place in
the ranks. Young Cohen transferred
his gun to the youth and then, taking
a boat, rowed to Fort McHenry and
joined his own company.
Capt. Nicholson's artillery was posted
at what was known as the Star Fort, in
the center of the works. When the pub
lie buildings at Washington were burn
ed the light of the conflagratiOn was
plainly seen by Cohen and his comrades
at the fort. The position was only Sc
ries of uncovered earthworks,open to the
shells of the bombarding fleet. The
principal magazine was in the Star Fort
Of Capt. NichOlson's company two were
killed during the bombardment and sew
eral wounded, but none severely. A
shell exploded in the wheel of one of
the guns, killing First Lieut.. Claggett
| who was of the family so long known as
brewers in Baltimore. The other Lieu
tenants were Andrew Hopper and Jesse
Eichelberger. 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.
The bombardment commenced at eight
o'clock on the morning of September 13
1914, and continued twenty-four hours
The garrison saw the flag of truce car
ried during the bombardment by the
small boat in which Farncis Scott Key
visited the British fleet to obtain the re-
lease of his friend, Dr.. 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 bombardment Mr.. Key was per
mitted to leave the enemy's ships and
was rowed to the fort, bearing with him
the song of the "Star-Spangled Banner,
which he had composed during the
watches of the night. Soon after he
landed the rough draft of the verses as
he had just written them down on the
back of letter while coming ashore in
the row-boat 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 seems 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
copy to Judge Nicholson, who had the
song published, and it was sung publicly
for the fisrt time shortly afterward in
the Holiday Street Theater. Col. Co
| hens recollection of this episode if not
exactly cOnfirmatory of the nara
tive by Judge Taney in Tyler's life of
the great Chief Justice, is at least not
inconsistent with that interesting state
ment. Col. Cohen was very distinct in
his remembrance that the song was CO.
| pied by some of the soldiers at the fort
and no doubt it was shown to Judge
Nicholson there.