The Bossier banner., 1885-07-30
"STAR-SPANGLED BANNER. -
The Thrilling Event Which In
spired This Patriotic Song.

spired This Patriotic Song.
A piece of news was borne across the
Atlantic Ocean in May, 1914, which
chilled with apprehension every Ameri-
can heart: Napoleon Bonaparte had
been overcome by the allied armies of
Europe, and was safely imprisoned on
the island of Elbal This intelligence
notified the American people that the
fleets and armies of Great Britain,
which for twelve years had been waging
war with France, were now disengaged,
and would have little to do, and would
be free to oyerwhelm and crush the
Republic of the United States. We
were then in the second year of that
contest with Great Britain which we
still call the War of 1912. 1t was a
summer of alarm. and the whole coast
was alive with the hustle of defensive
preparation.
The invasion came. The ene1ny's
ships entered Chesapeake Bay about the
first of June, fleet of frigates and
lighter vessels. In August Admiral
Cochrane entered the bay in a great
ship of eighty guns, bringing with him
fleet and three or four thousand sol
diers, 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
fry
sacked and pillaged and its public build
ings burned. The enemy retired with
considerable loss, it is true, but triumph
ant and exulting. 1t was a dearly
bought victory, for it silenced opposition
to the war, kindled the national feeling
and enlisted every heart in the country S
defense.
A few days after, the British forces
made their second attempt upon that
coast Baltimore, then a city of forty
thousand inhabitants, enriched by the
prosperous commerce of the last quarter
OF century, would have been a valua-
BILE prize; and would have given the foe
hold of the shores of the Chesapeake,
from which they would have been dis
lodged with difficulty. Washington was
but a struggling village, without militia
~ value. Baltimore was a command
ing position, capable of being defended.
Two miles below the city, on point of
land Jutting 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 had been laboring 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 gal
liant commander had modest conf
dence in his ability to repel the imposing
neet 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
noated over the fort had been made bv
lady OF Baltimore, Mrs Mary Pickers-
gui, aided by her daughter. These
iadies' full of the patriotic feeling of
tne hour, made flag worthy of the I'M
portance of the occasion. It contained
Iour hundred yards of bunting. 1t was
50 large that the ladies were Obliged to
spread 1t out in the malt-house of a
nelghboring brewery.
When Mrs. Pickersgill's daughter
was an old lady of seyenty-six wears.
she used to describe the scene.
remember she wrote. ..seeino
tba na molner down on the floor placing
fhe sa stars. After the completion of the
haS; sue ! asnperintended the topping of it,
asas ns II fastened in the most secure
InI bnhnnl 10 prevent its being torn awav
uy uails- Ihe wisdom of her precaution
vas SHOWN during the engagement.
many shots piercing it, but # stiII re,
malned hrm to the staff. NV mother
worked many nights until twelve O'clock
70 I complete it in given time.n
.; ne reader will see in moment the
ts,shIncance t,s OF this statement. But for
.ile nrm and faithful stitchino Of these |
]. Two patriotic ladies, we should nrobablv |
paVe nav mad no song of the Star.Snanolad |
aost September ten the 9th the great British |
Rar ' ielt It's anchorage in Chesapeake
tassi pas ana !. sailed for Baltimore; and en-
fer tstea u The Patapsco Rieer, upon which
~ I c'1y stands, five days after. Twelve
sane sai,es peiow Baltimore, they landed
bss Sssen thousand men. Happily. the
ate MaryIanders and Pennsylyanians
were ready for them Three tbonsan5 ,,.
hlnltalamen, volunteers from MarvIsnd
ana pennsylvania. commanded hy Cen
su r.H John Stricken well.posted and
f'Isrenched, foroo ili,, withstood this great
RosS' Ail,eo their commander, General
don vso, = ana forced them finally to aban-
"o'le these events were occurrino