The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-02
<'STAR-SPANGLED BANNER y
The Thrilling Event Which In
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 oi
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 waging
war with France, were now disengaged,
and would have little to do, and would
be free to overwhelm 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 q
summer of alarm, and the whole coast
was alive with the buStle of defensive
preparation.
The invasion came. The enemy S
ships entered Chesapeake Bay about the
first of June, a feet of frigates and
Fighter vessels. In August Admiral
COchraHe entered the bay in a great
ship of eighty guns, bringing with him
a feet 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
country was invaded, Washington was
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 -ity of forty
thousand inhabitants, enriched by the
prosperous commerce of the last quarter
of century, would have been valua-
BILE prize; and would have given the foe
a 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
ry value. Baltimore was a command
ing position, capable of being defended.
Two miles below the city, on a point of
land jutting into the water. stood then,
and now stands. Fort McHenrv, 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,
4 g
Colonel George Armistead. The time
had bees well employed and the gal
liant commander had a modest conf
+dence in his ability to repel the imposing
fleet 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
fiOated over the fort had been made by
4 lady of Baltimore, Mrs. Mary Pickers-
Gill, aided by her daughter. These
ladies, full of the patriotic feeling of
the hour, made flag worthy of the i'm
portance of the occasion. 1t contained
four hundred yards of bunting. 1t was
so large that the ladies were obliged to
spread it out in the malt-house OF a
neighboring brewery.
When Mrs. Pickersgill's daughter
was an old lady of seventy-siX years,
she used to describe the scene.
Il remember" she wrote, seeing
my mother down on the floSr placing
the stars. After the completion of the
flag she superintended the topping of it,
having it fastened in the most secure
manner to prevent its being torn away
by balls. The wisdom of her precautiOn
was shown during the engagement.
MANY shots piercing it, but it still re-
manned 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
significance of this statement. But for
the firm and faithful stitching of these
two patriotic ladies, we should probably
have had no song of the Star-Spangled
Banner.
September the 9th the great British
feet left its anchorage in Chesapeake
Bay and sailed for Baltimore; and en-
tered the Patapsco Rieer. upon which
the city stands, five days after Twelve
miles below Baltimore, they landed
seven thousand men. Happily, the
brave Marylanders and Pennsylyanians
were ready for them. Three thousand
militiamen, volunteers from MARYLAND
and Pennsylvania, commanded by Gen
eral John Stricken. well-posted and
well-intrenched. withstood this great
force, killed their commander, General
Ross. and forced them finally to aban-
don the attack.
While these events were occurring,
the great vessels in the British fleet
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 COM
memorated. Every gun was heard in
Baltimore. We can well imagine the
feelings of its inhabitants during the
twenty-four hours of its continuance.
The author of the song, Francis Scott
Kew, was not a combatant in the battle.
although he witnessed it from beginning
to end. During the first operations on
that coast Admiral Coekburn and sew
eral officers of the British army occu-
pied as their headquarters house at
MARLBOROUGH. belonging to an aged
physician of the place, DR.. Beanes,
whom they detained as a prisoner, lest
he should send the news of their land
ing to Baltimore. He was particular
friend of Mr.. Key and of his family.
Hearing that the doctor was about to be
carried off by the enemy, Key obtained
permission from the commanding Gen.
.eral of the American forces to go to the
Rritish fleet under flag of truce, and