The Republican journal., 1907-07-25
FORT McnfNRY.
Now Only Relic of the Past, but its Glory
Will Remain Forever Immortalized by

Banner"
Fort McHenry, the ''Star Spangled
Banner post of Baltimore, has been
abandoned for military purposes, the
gates closed snd only small guard
remains to protect the property. Last
week the regular garrison was trans
ferred to Fort De Solo, Fla.
Beyond doubt Fort McHenry is the
most historic spot in or around Balti-
more. Its splendid and successful de-
fence against the British fleet in 1914
made it so. The circumstances under
which Francis Scott Key wrote "The
Star Spangled Banner" during that
terrific bombardment forever cast the
glamour of historic romance and ma
tional patriotic feeling over the picture.
And for generations now Baltimoreans
and visitors-allke appreciative of the
history of the old fort, the picturesque
ness of its interior and its attractive
outlook On the Patapsco-have wan
dered among the grass-cOvered ram
parts and frowning cannon: have stood
beside the flagstaff from which defanly
foated the banner which made Key
jubilant; have strolled around the sea
wall for a hundred varying pictures of
the Patapsco on fine day; have peeped
into the post graveyard, the magazines
and the easements, the barracks and
the officers cottages.
FAMOUS BoMBARDMENT.
The story of the COMMANDMENT of
Fort McHenry has been retold SO often
that only the essential facts need be
given here. 1t was on Sunday, Septem-
Der II. 1914, that the British fleet, with
troops aboard, entered the Patapsco,
having rested two weeks since the cap
ture and burning of Washington, on
August 24th. That night from the
seventy ships in the fleet there was
landed at North Point force of seven
thousand infantry, artillery and ma
rines and sailors, and On the morning
of the 18th they took up their march to
capture Baltimore. The killing of their
commander, General Robert Ross, re-
suited, as is well known, in their defeat
in the battle of North Point, and their
next move was to attempt to take the
city by water.
In anticipation of an attack from
ships the Maryland commanders and
federal commanders had added to the
strength of Fort McHenry by water
battery ,on platforms in front of the
fort, by the circular battery of seven
guns on the present site of Riverside
Park, with two redoubts, Fort Coving-
ton and the City Battery, in front of
this. A four gun battery had been con-
structed at the LaZaretto and vessels
sunk across the mouth of the harbor
between this point and Fort McHenry.
The troops in Fort McHenry consisted
of about one thousand men, largely
militia. commanded by Major George
ArrnjStQa6 of thp rpu,lla army
On Tuesday, September 18th, at two
A. NJ, the British, under Admiral Cock
burn, moved sixteen war ships, includ-
ing five bomb vessels, to point about
two and one-half miles below Fort Me
Henry, and ranged in a semi-circle, be-
gan a furious Commandment, which kept
up all of Tuesday and until six A. NJ.
Wednesday. More than eighteen hun
dred shells were fired, with multitudes
of round shot and rockets. ''The in
cessant roar of the cannon and the
deafening and continuous scream of the
shells and rockets added terrors to the
awful spectacle of cannonade by
night" The forts guns made few at
tempts to reach the British vessels, ex-
cept when they ventured nearer But
after midnight Tuesday it joined with
the other batteries along the river in a
fierce and destructive fire, when a
squadron Of barges, bomb ketches and
rocket boats, containing l $50 mem was
discovered trying to creep past to make
a landing at Spring Gardens.
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
departed on Saturday, September 9th,
to the great pride and JOY of the people
OF Baltimore, who showered honors
and praises upon Armistead and the
others WHO had repulsed the enemy.
HOW THE SONG WAS COMPOSED.
Equally well known are the circun-
stances under which Francis Scott Key
wrote The Star Spangled Banner dur
ing the bombardment. 1t is, however
enormously believed by many that Key
wrote what has become the national
anthem while detained on board Brit
ish Warship. Such is not exactly the
case. He was on 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 Washington. He had the
approval of President Madison and was
accompanied by MIR. John S. Skinner,
the governments agent in Baltimore,
for the exchange of prisoners. They
were Informed by the ranking officer
Admiral Cochrane-that they could not
return to Baltimore until the British
mad made their purposed attack upon
the city.
For some days they were on frigate,
but when the fleet reached the Patapsco,
Mr. Key, Mr.. Skinner and DR.. Beanes
were sent on board their own vessel,
with guard to prevent them from
landing. 1t was from the deck of this
vessel that they watched with painful
suspense the bombardment of the fort.
When they heard the cannonade cease
sometime before day, they had no means
of learning from the enemy's ships
whether the fort had surrendered. And
it was during this period of anxiety
that Mr.. Key waiting for the dawn in
order to see whether ''our flag was still
there conceived the idea of "The Star
Spangled Banner"
IN THE CIVIL WAR.
Next in historical importance to Fort
McHenry's glorious record in 1914 is its
share in the civil war AS the head
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