The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-07-08

rrsior. which IS destined long to out
last the occasion, and outive the I'M
mise which produced It, has already
been extensively circulated. In u
arst renewal Of publication, we re-
ioice in an opportunity TO enhven q
sketch Of an exploit SO ilIustrious.
with strains which so fifty celebrate
IT seems that on September 10,
1914, Francis Scott Key left Baltimore
ON the ship "Minden," under a flag Of
truce. with Mr.. John S. Skinner. for
the purpose Of securing the release OF
his friend, DR.. William Beanes. who
had been captured at Marlboro and
was being held a prisoner on a vessel
of the British fleet. Having passed
safely down the bay to the mouth of
the Potomac, they met the fleet pre-
paring to attack Baltimore, and al
though Admiral Cockburn released
DR.. Beans, they were all three de-
tanned and prevented from returning
to Baltimore since it was feared that
they would convey information con-
|cerning the impending attack. They
were brought up the bay as far as the
PatapscO river, where the 'Mlnden
was kept under the guns OF a BRUSH
frigate, and the three friends were
compelled to witness the bombaru-
ment Of Fort McHenry, which the
bTllfSn AuIlllTd1 DOdoltO LC WIN 80
~ in a few hours to result Ia n Ill
innate fall Of the city. All day ong
Key and his friends watched the en-
gagenent with great anxiety. II Is
said that he kept his eye nearly con-
Stantly on the flag which continued 10
fly over the ramparts OF the fort at
the close Of the day, in spite OF the
Admirars prophecy, and 1t was with
great tr~epidation that he saw it dis
appear in the folds Of night.
Throughout the night. however, he
was conscious that 1t still flew on &C
count of the continuation OF the bat
; tie, and when in the early light OF the
: following day he beheld it still haunt
5 ing defiance to the British, he was III
: spired to write the verses of the Ma
tons anthem, which SO appropriately
express his fears during the night and
his JOY and pride in the morning. AL
three men were released after the fail
ure Of the British to capture the fort
: and the city, and with the aid of Judge
: Joseph II. Nicholson, Of Baltimore
and Captain Benjamin Fades, thu
. song was hnrriedly printed and circu'
!. lated throughout the city, to be suns
n to the air of "Anacreom in Heaven
: 1t is supposed to have been sung fol
= the first time by Ferdinand Durang il
9 a tavern near the Holiday Street h
alter, Baltimore. UnQuestionab1y thf
was the first application OF the word
~ 1.-The Star-Spangled Banner to tn
k flag, and it is also supposed that tn
origin OF the motto on the coins, I'll
II God we Trust" came from the line o
,e Keys poem, "In God is our Trust"
The great historic banner measur
- feet 8 inches, by 80 feet 10 inches
6 and Is much faded and torn. It's ff
at teen stripes and stars are still to b
In seen and mark 1t as distinctive in thi
n respect. It is one of the very few Q
at the national flags having fifteen bar
n as we'll as fifteen stars, being issue
at a time lust preceding the stardard
d. ization Of the number Of the stripe
as thirteen. with the addition Of
x star In the ~ Of each new stat
This flag has been on exhibition in tn
ag older National Museum buildin,
al where II vas deposited in 1907, as
10 loan by it's owner, Mr.. Eben Appleton
of New York, grandson Of Col. Geore
IN OF Fort AcHenry during this BATH
but in 1912 1t was officially presente
IA to the Government and left in tt
' museum, where it nay still be see
'us In the same case there is a pilot,
graph Of a painting OF Key at the az
OF IL, by Charles Wilson Peale;
cb copy OF a picture OF Lieut. Col. Geor1
10 Armistead, c~ommandant Of the for
IA and another picture showing the X,
In mansion in Georgetown, D. c., whe
-. the author lived.
me Next year the citizens Of Baltimo
ns. are TO celebrate the event of the Bait
an " ro1t McT1enly, by a centenna
ok winch promises 70 De an affair of hi
he toric interest, and is calculated
IN bring this episode Of the war of IL
LOS before the public with renewed yiyi
Of ness and patriotic appeal.
ted
BY PROFESSOR PUMPLEY AND
en-, r'uD
are SAMARCAND, NJ.