The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-22
HISTORIC FORT
RELIC OF PAST
McHenry, ImmortaIized by the
"Star SpangIed Banner"
Abandoned by Government.
HISTORIC DEFENSE IN 1914
KEYS SONG WRITTEN DURING
BATTLE.

BATTLE.
Baltimore Nd, Aug 21-FOrt McHen-
~, the Star Spangled Banner" post of
Baltimore, has been abandoned for mill
tary purposes, the gates closed, and only
a small guard remains to protect the
property.
The regular garrison has been trans
ferred TO Fort De Soto, Fla.
Beyond doubt Fort McHenry is the most
historic spot in or around Baltimore. Its
splendid and successful defense against
the British fleet in 1914 made II so.
The circumstances under which Francis
scott Key wrote 1.-The Star Spangled Ban
neT during that terrific bOmbardment
forever cast the glamour of historic ro-
the picture.
And for generations now Baltimoreans
and visitors-alike appreciative of the MIS-
tory Of the old fort the pictures0ueness
OF its interior and its attractive outlook
on the Patap sco-have wandered am,oay
Its grass covered rampaTts and frowning
cannon nave stood beside the flagstaff
rom which defiantly floated the banner
which made Key Jubilant, have strolIed
around the sea wall for a hundred vary
ing pictures of the Patapsco on fine dav.
nave peeped INTO the post graveyard, the
racks and the officers cottages
Famous Bombardment Recalled.
The story of the bombardment OF Fort
McHenry has been retOld so often that
only the essential facts need be given
here.
1t was on Sunday. Sept. II. 1914. that the
Brltish fleet, with troops aboard, entered
me Patapseo, having rested two weeks
since the capture and burning of Wash
1ngtOn, on Aug. "a
That night from the seventy ships in the
1ieet there was landed at North Point a
force Of 1900 infantry, artillery. marines
and sailors, and on the morning of the
18TH took up their march &c capture Balti-
more.
The killing Of their commander. General
Robert Ross, resulted. as is well known
IN their defeat in the battle of North
Point, and their next move was to al
tempt to take the city by water
II ANTICIPATION of an attack from shiDs
the Maryland commanders and federal
commanders had added to the strength nj
Fort McHenry by a water battery on the
platforms in front of the fort by the cir
cular battery of seven guns On the Dres-
snt site OF Riverside park. with two re-
doubts, Fort Covington, and the City bat
terry in front of this.
A tour-gun battery had been constructed
az the Lazaretto, and vessels sunk across
the mouth of the harbor between this
point and Fort McHenry.
The troops in Fort McHenrv consisted
OF about LOCO men, largely militia. COM
Inanded by Major George Armistead of
the regularearmy.
Sixteen Warships in Line.
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, at a. m. the
British, under Admiral COckburn. moved
sixteen warships, including five bomb yes-
seIs. TO a point about two and one-haf
miles below Fort McHenry, and. ranged
IN a semlc1rcle, began a furious lombard
ment, which was kept up all of Tuesday
and until 8 a m. Wednesday
More than 800 shells were fired with
muIutudes OF round shot and rockets.
The 1ncessant roar of the cannon and
the deafening and continuous screa ming
OF shells and rockets added terrors to the
awful spectacle of a cannonade by night
The forts guns made few attempts To
reach the BRUSH vessels, except when
they ventured nearer. But after midnight
it Joined with the other batteries
along the river in a fierce and destructive
Ilre, when squadron of barges. bomb
ketches and rocket boats Containing / 80
mem was discovered trying to creep pas
TO make a landing at Spring Garden.
For two hours this terrible firing was
Kept up, and the British were forced to
retire to the bombarding vessels which
finally abandoned the attempt to take
baltimore and returned to the North
Point roadstead, from which the fleet de-
parted on Saturday, Sept p, 20 the great
pride and JOY of the people OF Baltimore.
who showered honors and praise upon
and the others who had re-
pulsed the enemy.
How the Song Was Composed.
Equally well known are the circum-
stances under which Frarcis Scott Kew
wrote The Star Spansled Banner" during
the bOmbardment
1t is however, enormously believed by
many that Key wrote what has become
a national anthem while detained ,,u
board British warship. Such is not ex-
actly the case.
He was on a small vessel which he had
hired at Baltimore to visit the British
fleet and endeavOr TO procure the release
Of friend, DR.. Beanes of Upper Marlboro
who had been taken prisoner during the
retirement of the British from Washing
ton. He had the approval of President
Madison and was accompanied by John
). Skinner, the governments agent in
baltimore for the exchange of prisoners
Ihey were informed by the ranking Of
nicer, Admiral COchrane, that they could
not return to Baltimore until the British
city.
For some. DAYS they were on 4 frigate.
put Wnen the fleet reached the Patapsco
hr- Key, Mr.. Skinner and DR.. Beanes
were sent on board their own vessel with
a guard TO prevent them from landing
IL was from the deck of this vessel that
they watched with painful suspense the
of the fort.
Nhen they heard the cannonade cease.
some time before day. they had no means
Oh learning from the enemy's ships Wheth-
er the fort had surrendered
And 1t was during this period of anxiety
mat Mr. hey, waiting for the dawn in
order TO see whether ''our flag was stiu
here. conceived the idea Of The Star
Spangled Banner"
Record in the Civil War.
Next In historical importance to Fort
McHenry's glorious record In 1914 is its
share in the civil war.
At the headquarters for the Union SOL
1iers who controlled Baltimore al a time
when majority of the people of the civ
we're believed to be sympathizers with The
,onfederacy. the guns which We're in the
EARLIER war used to defend Baltimore were
low turned upon the city.
Having anticipated the outbreak os hos
iliti IS by several months by sending a
arger garrison here in January, 1861 the
Washington authorities increased il after
he memorable April 1s and kept it large
Turing the war.
In the months of Lees two invasions of
Maryland. IN 1862 and 1868, and again when
early made his famous raid in 1861 and
Colonel Harry Gilmores cavalry Ventured
o within a few miles of Baltimore, the
Union authorities suspected that there
night by an uprising of syrnpathizers with
he south in the city and pointed The guns
# Fort McHenry in that direction. as well