New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-01
That STAR-SPANGLED BANNER.
WHY EBEN APPLETON WOULD NOT LEND 1T TO
STATE FAIR IN BALTIMORE

STATE FAIR IL BALTIMORE
II The starspangled banner in the possession OF
Eneh Appleton Were an ordinary American ensign tho
earnestness of the BatmoTeans to secure part
- tne eelebfaion 10 take place on September IA In
helr city would look foolish and Mr. Appleton's
determination not to let It go beyond his personal
lccpIhg would be looked upon as silly Obsinacy. But
INC nag Is not valued alone account of its age, nor
oecause II has thirteen stripes alternating rcd and
NhHe and only thirteen stars in its blue field but
because 1t has history which no other flag has, and
uniosS extraordinary Is taken preserve it, the
Phhaht VIII before long crumble into dust. II fOated
oVer fon McHenry the night of September u,
lSis' during the bOmbardment, when Francis Scott
NeS was prisoner on the British man-ofwar Mnden,
nom the deck Of which he watched the handsome
banner by
The rockets red glarc'
ms was the flag about whose broad stripes and
prlsht stars Francis Scott Key inspired TO write
Inc starSpangled Banners The circumst ances
unuer which the song composed were thus described
W The baltimore American" Of September 81, 1914
uh the same issue were published the words Of the
balad)
gentleman had left BaItinorc under flag Of truce
or the purpose Of getting released the British feet
Hlphu OF his who had been captured az Marlborough.
he went as far as the mouth OF the Patuxen end
permitted to reiun lest the intended attack Baltimore
should be disclosed lie was therefore, brought up the
bay to the mouth Paapsco where the flag
was kspt under the OF frigate the Surprise and
mere he was compelled witness the bombardment OF
Fort MctIenry which the admiral had boosted he would
carry In few hours lie watched the flag at the fort
through the whole day with anxiety that be better
eit than described until night prevented him from
seeing IT, In the night he watched the bombshells and
al ea'y dawn his eye again greeted by the proudly
waving flag Of his county.
The original flag contained about 400 yards Of
bunting and was mado by Mrs. Mary Pcttongill, a
pau1onc baltimore woman, and was presented to
LMuienantColonel George Am,tead OF the Army
Then In command OF Fort McIIcny, with force
OF about GOO men. The British feet assembled Off
Fort Mcienry consisted Of about thirty sailing vessels
and nom September II 70 II the enemy besieged the
Tort IN every available way. They first landed many
OF their men within few miles to the north of the
tort, but finding that thcy cOud gain Roadway in
his manner they returned to tcir vessels anil kept up
herce canrOnade. the bOmbai7lmcnt lastcl about
TWENTY-FIVE hours, durns which time from 1900 10
over the fort Colonel Armisicad total loss was four
killed and twenty live wounded. That so little Injury
was done by the British fleet was. In that day, thought
10 be remarkable. Colonel 4, instead was repeatedly
Ordered 10 surrender, once By his superior officer,
but he refused 10 obey AMI successfully defended MS
command.
The nag was preserved by Colonel Armlstcad and
one OF It's stripes bears his name and the day Oh INC
bombaT'ment OF the fort, in his own handwriting. NJ
his death the flag fell to his widow by inheritance
who at her DEATH left it to her daughter Mrs William
Stuart Hamilton, who was born al Fort Mclleniy,
some years after the seSr. 1t IS now In the posses
sion Of Colonel Ebcn Appleton, grandson OF Colonel
George Armlsead At the time OF Colonel Armistead's
victory the city Of Baltimore presented to him silver
punch-bowl, in the shaep Of the largest bomb shell
thrown into the fort by The British The body OF the
bowl rested four eagles. Accompanying this were
twelve silver gobles, representing powder barrels.
The flag has been sought for upon various occasions
II was lent when Lafayette entertained In this
country also at tho Centennial Exposition at Phade
pha to Baltimore in 1850 and TO the recent Centen-
NAL Celebration in this city. Mr. Appleton now re-
fuses 10 lend II because OF It's decayed condition, and
bis desire 10 preserve it a. sacred relic.