The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1895-10-05
A SACRED BANNER.
The Flag Which Inspired the
Nationa1 Anthem.
It waved Over Fort A'Henry Whoa the
British Fleet Asoollod It-H0W the
Flag Was Protested By
Gallant American.

Gallant American.
Sacredly guarded from curious eyes,
and - much - possible from the slow
but sure ravages Of time, the Star
Spangled Banner Is laid away BY its
owner until such . time rs may seem
proper to deliver it into the careful
hands. It is SO called because it was
the standard which doated over Fort
McHenry at the time of its successful
defense against the British, . defense
that inspired Francis Scott Key to
write our national ode.
This was the greatest of all naval
victories won in 1Sl2-18l4, because it
saved the entire Atlantic seaboard
from further invasion by the enemy.
The conditions also were unusual
The fort was not bomb-proof Its COM
mander, Lieut. Col George Armistead,
had received orders to surrender the
fortress from his superior, who consid-
cred it unable to make q successful re-
sistance. But Armistead was stirred
to make brave effort for its defense.
He paid no attention to this order, and
defended the fort to the best of his
ability, knowing that if he failed
court-martial stared him in the face,
and he gained a remarkable victory.
Lieut.. Col George Armistead was
born in Newmarket, Carolina county,
Va, on April 10, 1880. He was one OF
five brothers, all of whom served with
distinction in the war of 1912, three
being in the regular army and two in
the militia One of his brothers was
first graduate of West Point, and his
full length picture is to be seen there
to-day in the library in the grounds
He came from patriotic stock of an
cestors. his neutrality-suspicious.
having been member of the house OF
burgesses and of the council OF states.
On his mothers side Armistead was
descended from Col. John Taylor, who
was with Washington at Winchester.
Col. George Armistead was distin-
guished for his gallantry at the capt
ure of Fort George, and was brevetted
lieutenant colonel 1T this time. A
little over a year afterward fresh
from this victory. he was placed in
command of Fort McHenry. Here he
was destined to meet men whose COM
manding officer had gained his epau-
let's in the service of the greatest gem
eral of that age-the duke of Yelling
ton. Sir Alexander Cochran, in his
dispatch to the secretary of the admi-
ralty, dated September II, 1914, says:
$50 soon as the army moved forward
l hoisted my Gag on the Surprise. and
with the remainder of the frigates,
bomb-sloops and the rocket ship passed
further up the river. At daybreak
next morning-the 13th-the bombs
having taken their stations within
shell range, supported by the Surprise,
with the other frigates and sloops,
opened their fire upon the fort that
protected the harbor." Admiral Alex
ander Cochran was in command OF the
Roval Oak, while his son. Sir Thomas
Cochran, commanded the Surprise, to
which the admiral transferred his nag
in going up the Batapsco river.
Francis Scott Key and his friend. Mr..
Skinner, were on board the Surprise
until shortly after the battle, when
they were transferred to their own
vessel. in which they had set sail from
Baltimore. Here they remained with
their own private sailors and detach-
ment of marines from the Surprise rs
guard. It was at this time on his own
vessel that Francis Scott Key wrote
the ''Star Spangled Banner" and not
on the Mindou, AZ is generally sup
posed. Judge Taney received this
statement from Keys. own lips, who
40 L.. .Ao< IN hod uupi%kau his y1nQm
in a a moment of excitement, when the
enemy was retreating to their ships.
The weeks following this great VIC
tory were very proud ones to the Balti-
moreans, for though at the lombard
ment were troops from Pennsylvania
and Virginia, the great burden OF the
engagement was borne by Baltimore
men. The strain, however. OF that
great fight, and the dreadful RESPONSE
bility of the occasion, were too much
for Col Armistead. 1t left him with
an affection of the heart from which
he died four years later, in his adopted
CITY, Baltimore. He knew, even after
the victory was gained, that some en-
emv might press against him the
charge of disobedience to hla superior
officer. and il this had been done 1t
might have led to other complication,
but as nothing succeeds like success,
everything was forgotten in general
rejoicing.
The fiag was presented TO Lieut. Col.
George Armistesd by the government
1t bears upon one of its stripes his
name and the date Of tho lombard
ment in his own handwriting. At his
death he bequeathed 1t to his widow,
who left it TO her daughter, Mrs. Will
liam Stuart Appleton. When MIRA Ap-
pleton died it was bequeathed to her
son. in whose possession 1t now Is
The banner 10 thirty-two feet long
by twenty-nine feet wide. In al prob
ability it was originally forty feat long.
and it's great width II due TO the fact
of its having fifteen stripes instead OF
thirteen. In color It IL almost -
bright as it was some eighty-four years
ago, but the bunting has become very
worn, and some twenty years since It
was stitched on canvas to insure it,
preservation. It will be observed that
there il one large hole it where =
bombshell passed through IT. and It !.
torn In other places BY fragmsnts o.
shelL
It will also be noticed that there Il
quite large piece ont Of one eorner'
as II cut. Thia, believe, really Wa
done, 40 remember hearing from my
mother that . brave soldlsr, who had
served under her father, On ~ death
bed wrote and requested 4n Armi-
stead 10 let him have . pfDoe tAsw1np
>n~~A h&a dna6 h0flR gc2sn AA0n0nf