The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-07-18
sSTAR-SPANGLED BANNER
Tho Thrilling Event Which In
spired This Patriotic Song.

SplroQ TQlS fdCr1OUlC song.
A piece of news was borne across the
Atlantic Ocean in May, 1914, which
chilled with apprehension every Ameri.
can heart Napoleon Bonaparte hsd
been overcome by the allied armies o.
Europe, and was safely imprisoned or
the island of Elba! This intelligence
notified the American people that the
fleets and armies of Great Britain,
which for twelve years had been wagine
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. W.
were then in the second year of thai
contest with Great Britain which We
still call the War of 1912. 1t was s
summer of alarm, and the whole coast
was alive with the hustle of defensive
preparation.
The invasion came. The enemy s
ships entered Chesapeake Bay about the
first of June, a fleet of frigates and
lighter vessels. In August Admra
Cochrane entered the bay in a great
ship of eighty guns, bringing with hin
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
country was invaded, Washington was
sacked and pillaged and its public build
ings burned. The enemy retired will
considerable loss, it is true, but triumph
ant and exulting. 1t was dearly
bought victory, for it silenced opposition
to the war, kindled the national feeling
and enlisted every heart in the country
defense.
A few days after, the British forces
made their second attempt upon tina
coast. Baltimore, then a city of forty
thousand inhabitants, enriched by tn,
prosperous commerce of the last quarter
of a century. would have been valua
BILE prize; and would have given the 70,
hold of the shores of the Chesapeake
from which they would have been dis
lodged with difficulty Washington wa
but struggling village, without militia
ry value. Baltimore was a command
ing position, capable of being defended
Two miles below the city, on point 0
land jutting into the water, stood then
and now stands, Fort McHenry, 81
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 Lieutenan
Colonel George Armistead. The tim,
had been well employed, and the gal
liant commander had 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 o
Baltimore depended absolutely upon hi.
holding this position.
The star-spangled banner which
floated over the fort had been made by
lady of Baltimore, Mrs. Mary Pickers
gill, aided by her daughter. These
ladies, full of the patriotic feeling O.
the hour, made flag worthy of the i'm
portance of the occasion. 1t contained
four hundred yards of bunting. 1t wa.
so large that the ladies were obliged t.
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.
Il remember" she wrote, ''seeins
my mother down on the floor placing
the stars. After the completion of thu
flag she superintendent the topping of it
hou octa ~, ho
manner to prevent its being torn away
by balls. The wisdom of her precautior
was shown during the engagement
many shots piercing it, but it Still re
NAMED firm to the staff e.. NV mothe
worked many nights until twelve 'clocl
to complete it in a given time"
The reader will see in moment tn,
4 significance of this statement But fol
the firm and faithful stitching of thes,
two patriotic ladies, we should probabl,
have had no song of the Star-Spanglet
Banner.
September the 9th the great British
feet left its anchorage in Chesapeak,
Bay and sailed for Baltimore; and en-
tered the Patapsco Rieer, upon which
the city stands, five days after lively,
miles below Baltimore, they landed
seven thousand men. Happily, tn
brave Marylanders and Pennsylvania
were ready for them. Three thousan,
militiamen, volunteers from Marylan,
and Pennsylvania, commanded by Gen
,ral John Stricken, well-posted ant
well-intrenched, withstood this grea
force, killed their commander, Genera
Ross, and forced them finally to aban
Ion the attack.
While these events were occurring
the great vessels in the British flee
moved up the river. anchored befor
Fort McHenry, and began to pour upol
it that tempest of shot, shell and rockets
which the author of our song has com
memorated. Every gun was heard il
Baltimore. We can well imagine tn
feelings Of its inhabitants during tn
twenty-four hours of its continuance.
The author of the song, Francis Scot
Key, was not a combatant in the battle
although he witnessed it from beginnin,
to end. During the first operations Of
that coast Admiral Cockburn and sew
eral officers Of the British army occu
pied as their headquarters a house a
Marlborough, belonging to an age,
physician of the place, DIR. Beanes
whom they detained as a prisoner, les
he should send the news Of their land
ing to Baltimore. He was q particula
riend of Mr.. Key and of his family
Hearing that the doctor was about to b
carried off by the enemy. Key obtainet
permission from the commanding Gen
efal of the American forces to 90 to tn
British fleet under q flag of truce, AM