The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-10-23

MeHenry, Baltimore. and bears upon one
of its stripes. in his autograph, his name
and the date Of the bombardment. 1t has
always been retained in his family, and his
widow in 1861 bequeatlled it to their young
est daughter, Georgianna Appleton, who,
some time after the bombardment, was
born in Fort McHenry under its folds.
Mrs Appleton died in New York. July -,
1878, and bequeathed the flag to her son
Mr.. Eben Appleton, of Yonkers, New York.
who now holds it as a precious relic. 1t
has been frequently displayed at celebra-
tions of the 18th and 14th of September,
and was notably used to adorn Washing
toms war-tent, which was raised at Fort
McIIenry September IA, 1894, for the reeep-
ton Of General Lafayette. It was again
exhibited along the streets of Baltimore
during II Sesqui-C Centennial celebration
by the late William Carter.
Upon this occasion the late Mrs. Mar
garet Sanderson, the wife ofColonel Henry
5. Sanderson, formerly sheriff and collector
of Baltimor re, who always prided herself
much on the part she took in constructing
the flag that inspired Key to write our
national anthem. was induced by some of
her friends to visit her native city. She
arrived in Baltimore in time to witness the
grand display. but did not participate in it.
While here she gave the followinging his
tory of the construction of the flag: Mrs.
Mary Pickersgill, who was well known in
Baltimore during the war of 1912 as an
adept at flag and banner making, was secur-
ed by Commodore Barney, General Striek-
er. General Mcdonald and other prominent
men to make a new garrison flag for Fort Me-
Henry. A number of young girls assisted
in the work. and Mrs. Sanderson. who
was then between IS and IA years of age,
was one the party. The girls made quite a
frolie of it, and their young hearts pulsed
wildly for the safety of their beloved city
and the honor of the volunteers and re-
gulars who We're to defend the work of
their delicate fingers. Mrs. Sanderson re-
membered perfectly well hat her portion
of the labor was to haste the stars ON the
blue field.
The flag, when completed. was hoisted on
a high mast not far from bastion facing
the Patapseo River, in the .tStar Fort.
The late Mendez |. Cohen, who was. per-
haps, the last survivor Of Captain NichoI-
sons Company Of Fencibles, which mus
tered 40 strong ON the morning of the
bombardment in the fort, said he had a
distinct recollection that one whole Brit
ish bombshell passed through the flag. and
that it was torn by several pieces of
another she'll. The flag was originally
about forty feet long, but the shot of the
enemy. time and ma rauders have combin-
ed to diminish its length. until it is now
only thirty-two feet long and twenty-nine
hoist. Its great width is due to its having
fifteen instead of thirteen stripes. each near
two feet wide. 1t has, or rather had, ff-
teen f~iye-pointed stars. each two feet from
point to point, and arranged in five indent-
ed parallel lines, three stars in each hori-
zontal line. The union rests in the NINTH.
which is a red stripe, instead of the eighth.
a white stripe, as in II present flag. All
the flags worn by the navy and army dur
ing the war of 1S12-14. and. in fact. from