The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-07-04
The Song of The "star-spangled
Banner"

The Song of The "Star-Spangled
Banner"
The following interesting historical arti-
Gle was recently written by James Parton,
for the Kouth's Companion and just pub
lished
A piece of news was born across the At
lantic Ocean in May, 1914, which chilled
with apprehension every American heart.
Napoleon Bonaparte had been overcome by
the allied armies of Europe, and was safely
imprisoned on the island of Elba
This intelligence notified the American
people that the fleets and armies OF Great
Britain, which for twelve years had been
waeing war with France, were now olsen
gagged, and would have little to do, and
would be free to overwhelm and crush the
Republic of the United States.
i've we're then in the second year of that
contest with Great Britain which We still
call the War of 1912. 1t was summer
Of alarm. and the whole coast was alive
with hustle Of defensive preparation.
The invasion came. The enemys ships
entered the Chesapeake Bay about the first
of June, feet of frigates and lighter yes
sells.
In August Admiral Cockburn entered
the bay in great ship of eighty guns,
BRINGING with him a feet and three or
four thousand soldiers, which increased the
British force in those waters to twenty-three
men of war and an army of ten thousand
troops and marines. Every one knows
what followed. The country was invaded,
Washington was sacked and pillaged and
its public buildings burned. The enemy
retired with considerable loss, it is true, but
triumphant and exulting. !.
It was a dearly-bought victory, for it
silenced opposition to the war, kindled the
national feeling, and enlisted every heart
in the country's defence.
A few days after, the British forces
made their second attempt upon the coast
Baltimore, then city of forty thousand
inhabitants, enriched by the prosperous
commerce of the last quarter of century,
would have been a valuable prize, and
would have given the foe hold OF the
shores of the Chesapeake, from which they
would have been dislodged with difficulty.
Washington was but a struggling village,
without value. Baltimore was command
ING position, capable of being defended
Two miles below the city, on a point OF
land iutting into the water, stood then, and
now stands, Fort McHenry, so named after
one of the early statesmen of Maryland.
Sturdy arms and willing hearts labored
there for, many weeks, to strengthen Its
Notifications and get additional guns into
position, under the direction OF Lieutenant
Colonel George Armistead.
The time had been well employed, and
the gallant commander had modest conf
dence in his ability to repel the imposing
feet of Cockburn, which now consisted OF
more than forty vessels, and carried seven
thousand troops. The fate Of Baltimore
depended absolutely upon his holding this
position
The star-spangled banner which hoated
over the fort had been made by lady OF
Baltimore, Mrs. Mary Pickersgill, aided by
her daughter. These ladies, full of the
patriotic feeling of the hour, made flag
worthy of the Importance of the occasion.
It contained four hundred yards of bunting.
IL was SO large that the ladies were obliged
to spread it out in the malt-house OF
neighboring brewery.
When Mrs Pickersgill's daughter was
an old lady of seventy-six years, she used
to describe the scene.
II remember" she wrote, seeing my
mother down on the floor placing TIE STARS.
After the completion eff the flag she SUI
perintended the topping of it, having it
fastened in the most secure manner to pre-
vent its being torn away by balls. The
wisdom of her precaution was shown dur
ing the engagement, many shots piercing
it, but still remained firm to the staff My
mother worked many nights until twelve
O'Clock to complete it in given time
The reader will see in a moment the sig
nifcance of this statement. But for the
firm and faithful stitching of these two
patriotic ladies', we should probably have
no song of Star-Spangled Banner.
September the sixth, the great British
feet left its anchorage in Chesapeake Bay
and sailed for Baltimore, and entered the
Patapsco River, upon which the city stands,
five DAYS after. Twelve miles below Bal
timore, they landed seven thousand men.
Happily, the brave Marylanders and Penn
sylganians were ready for them.
Three thousand militiamen, volunteers
from Maryland and Pennsylvania, com
manded by General John Stricken, we'll
posted and well-intrenched, withstood this
great force, killed their commander, Gen.
Ross, and forced them finally to abandon
the attack
While these events were occurring, the
great vessels in the British feet moved up
the river. anchored before Fort McHenry,
and began to pour upon it that tempest of
shot. shell and rockets, which the author of
our song has eommemorated. Every gun
was heard in Baltimore v e can well i'm
agine the feeling of its inhabitants during
the twenty-four hours of its continuance.
The author of the song, Francis Scott
KEY, was not combatant in the battle,
although he witnessed it from beginning to
end. During the first operations on that
coast, Admiral Cockburn and several Off
GERS of the British army, occupied as their
headquarters a house at Marlborough, be-
longing to an aged physician of the place,
DR. Beanes, who they detained as prison
er. lest he should send the news of their
landing to Baltimore.
He was particular friend Of Mr. Key
and of his family. Hearing that the doc
tor was about to be carried off by the enemy,
Key obtained permission from the COM
,,,ond;no ,raDaroI of the American Aorces to