The Indiana State sentinel., 1879-09-17
srAR-sPANGLKD BANNER.

A New Contribution to Its History by For
mer Baltimorean-A French Consul Said to
be the Cause of Its Being Written.
(Chicago Times.]
"The Star-Spangled Banner is probably
the best national lyric ever written. "Hail
Columbia" and the "Marseillaise Hymn" are
its only rivals, and these must take a second
ary place The subject-matter of these COM
positions, alone, would establish their rela-
tive merit Hail Columbia" is an ode to
country, and the "Marseillaise" is a war song.
And neither one of these topics is such a def
mite and beautiful object. such powerful
excitant of purely patriotic emotion, as the
national flag is. At any rate the patriotic
feelings of the American people determine
violently to this song as their most complete
and joyful expression. And although the
circumstances which occasioned its compose
ton are periodically presented in the press
the account of its origin, like the poem ITSELF
| seems to be forever fresh and entertaining to
| Americans.
| 1t is not the purpose of this article to re-
late over again, in DETAIL the story of the
| origin of THE Star-Spangled Banner" but to
| give to the public a tradition of which am
one of the few living depesitaries, and which
| puts the subject in new and still more in
| teresting light. And no more of the we'll
known narrative will be referred to than
may be necessary to refresh the MEM
ory and to make my own contribution to
the history of the poem ineligible.
'The Star-Spangled Banner was compos-
ed during the war of 1912 by Francis Scott
Key. Key was the United States commits
| sioner for the exchange of prisoners, and
| about September 10 was on board British
shlpnot far from Washington. performing
the duties of his office. At the same
time Rear Admiral Cockburn and
Vice Admiral Cochrane, of the
British navy, determined to pro-
ceed with their feet to the Patapsco river
and lombard Fort McHenry, the fortifcation
just below and protecting the city of Balti-
| more. The vessel on which Key was So
journing was ordered to follow the fleet soon
after its departure, and the British naval Of
ficers. fearing that Key might give informa-
ton which would mar their enterprise, kept
him on board and took him into the action.
Lieutenant Colonel Armstead. who
| was in command of the fort dur
ing the engagement, gives the fol-
lowing account of the bombardment in
his official report:
On Tuesday morning September 13) about
SUNRISE the enemy commenced the attack
from his five bomb-vessels at the distance of
about two miles, when, finding that his shells
reached us, he anchored and kept up an in
cessant and well-directed bombardment
We Immediately opened our batteries. and
kept brisk fire from our guns and mortars
but unfortunately our shot and shells all fell
considerably short of him. About
2 o'clock p. m. one of the 24-pounders on the
southwest bastion, under the Immediate COM
mand of Captain Nicholson, was dismounted
by shell, the explosion from which killed
his second lieutenant and wounded several
of his men. The hustle necessarily produc-
ed in removing the wounded, and remount-
ing the gun, probably induced the enemy to
suspect that we were in a state of confusion
as he brought in three of his bomb-ships tc
what believe to be good striking distance
/ Immediately ordered fire to be opened
which was obeyed with alacrity through the
whole garrison, and in half an hour those in
truders again sheltered themselves by with
drawing beyond our reach. We gave thre,
cheers, and again ceased firing. 8
The bombardment continued on the part o.
the enemy until o'clock on Wednesda,
morning, when it ceased and about o'clocl
their ships got under way, and stood dowr
the river.
The British vessel on which Key ar
rived at the scene of the bombardment OF
Tuesday night, and his anxiety to know tn,
result of the conflict was so great that h
paid repeated visits to the masthead, ever
before daylight, for the purpose of discover
ing whether the American flag was still fly
ing over the fort. At length the light be
came sufficient for him to discover that tn
star-spangled banner was still waving owe
Armstead and his gallant garrison, and il
the joy of his heart he Immediately went be
low and made what will always be regarded
as the greatest practical effort of his life
Soon afterward it was printed in Baltimor
newspaper.
l state these facts from memory merely
: and may have fallen into inaccuracies, bu
} the statement is exact enough to serve as al
introduction to an item of information which
for obvious reasons, has not found its wa
: into history, and which desire to give to tn
, public
!, 1t must strike any rejecting reader tina
the account given in Armsteads report
!, mysterious That the British fleet should b
able to anchor out of reacho of the guns of tn
fort, and throw shells Mt their leisure into tn
fort for 25 hours, and then deliberately "gt
under way and stand down the river is III
accountable. True, Amstead reports onl
. a trif1ing loss but Niles Register SAYS ths
!. 400 Shells weighing about 200 pounds eacl
/. were thrown into the fort; and it is yer
difficult to understand why, when Vic
Admiral Cochrane, who was in command
: had made such brave beginning and sue
good progress, he should abandon the assault
.. and never assign any reason for it; for he an
Rear Admiral Cockburn evidently regarde
! the reduction of Baltimore as an inportar
: and desirable end to be gained, and it is il
|. credible that they could have begun or ende
! the bombardment of Fort McHenry throug
: mere caprice. This is mystery which l pr,
pose to solve. And in doing SO shall sho
! that while the gifted brain and patriotic heal
! : of Key evolved the celebrated poem. anoth,
" person, at present almost unknown in tt
:. history of these events, performed servic,
! ! without which Key would never have ha
Z the inspiration which enabled or compelle
! him to compose "The Star-Spangled Bar
. ner.'
: 1 was born and brought up in Marylan
!. and spent good part Of my life in Bal.
y l. AID