Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-02-21
0rigla Of the sssr Hpsnslsd l,sansr.
IcoMMuNlcATED.1


In reading the interesting program In
sxsrcisss At the High School On the occa-
sion oil the presentation Of the American
nag by Eureka Council. No. l, Juaior
Order Of American Mechanics, on Wash-
ingtou's birthday, Saturday. February
az, We notice the singing Of "The star
Dpanglsd Banner" by thu High School
pupilS. Probably tho origin Of THE ua-
tional patriotic ode may prove interesting
to those unscquainted with It who may
take part In the singing. For the benedt
of such, and your intelligent readers IN
general, We kindly ask for space In the
REPUBLICAN.
In 1914, when the British feet was 81
the mouth Of the Potomac river and In
tended 10 attack Baltimore, Mr.. Francis
y. Key and Mr.. skinner were sout In .
vessel with nag OF truce To obtain the
release OF acme prisoners the English had
taken in their expedition against Wash
ington.
They did not succeed, and were told
they would be detained till aft<r the
attack had been made on Baltimore.
Accordingly they went in their own ves-
sol, strongly guarded with the Britain
feet, and when they came within eight
Of Fort McHenry, short distance 10.
low the city, they could see tho Ameri.
can flag hying on the rauparts. A. & 6
day cloied In the bombaramcnt Of tho
fort commenced, and Mr.. Key aud Mr..
Skinner remained on deck all night,
watching with deep anxiety every shell
that was fired. While the bombardmeni
continued It was sufficient proof that the
fort had not surrendered. 1t suddenly
ceased some time before day, but ~ they
had no communication with any Of the
enemy's ships they DID not know whether
tho fort had surrendered, and thciv
homes and friends were III danger, OF
the attack upon It had been abandoned.
They paced the deck the rest Of the
night IN painful suspense, watching with
intense anxiety for the return Of day.
At length the light came, aud they saw
that sour flag was still there" and soon
they ws-o informed that the attack had
failed. In the fervor OF the moment Mr..
Koy took an old letter from his pocket,
| and on Its back wrote the most Of thil
celebratsl song. finishing II % soon a. hs
reached Baltimore. He showed 1t to BID
friend. Judge Nicholson, who was GO
pleased with II that he placed II At once
10 tho hands Of the printer, and In an
hour alter II WAS All over tho city, and
hailed with enthusiasm, aud took i,s
place at once ~ national song. Thus,
this patriotic, i'm passionsl ode became
0tripes"
light, ''' '''' " '"e u"~"S '"r'S
What 80 proudly We halted In the twi.
light last Rlcamingf
Whose broad stripes nnd bright stars.
through the perlluuA flyht
O'er the ininpnrts we watched, were &c
giilantly streaming:
Ana the rockets rod glare. tho bombs
bursting In air.
Gave proof through the night. that our
nag was still there;
u, say, does that star spangled banner
Der the land Of tho FREQ and tho home
OF tho brayo3
On tho shore. dimly seen through the
Where the foes naughty host in dread
silence rcposcs,
What is tint which the breeze DER the
towering steep,
As it iltfally blows, half conceais. half
| Now 1t catches the CLEAN OF the morn,
ing's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the
stream,
IT'S the star spangied banner. o. long
may 1t wave,
Der the land OF tile FREQ and the home
of the brave!
And whore is that band, who SO vaunt
ingly swore
That tho havoc OF war and the battles
A home and u country should leave u,
no more?
Their blood has washed out their fou
footsteps pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling ant
slave,