Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26

this flag its dimensions arc not given
The bunting IS much worn. and rents
and holes are visible in number OF
places. 1t was the Fort McHenry flag of
September. iS14-the flag which Francis
Scott Key saw and which inspired the
words Of THE Star Spangled Banner.
The large descriptive cards within the
flag case tell the story of the flag in thie
way:
The Star Spangled Banner-Garrison
flag of Fort McHenry. Baltimore. during
the bombardment of the fort by the Brit
ish September 1914. 1914. when it was
galIantiy and successfully defended by
Col. George Armistead and the brave men
under him.
aFrancis Scott Key. detained with the
British fleet, had eagerly watched for
this flag during the fight. and he
saw it still waving over the fort on the
morning of September II, he was in
spired to write the verses of The Star
Spangled Banner.
Presented to the National Museum
by Mr. Eben Appleton of New York,
grandson of Col. George Armistead
In the glazed case with the flag is A
picture of Col. Armistead. and with
other descriptive matter under it is this:
During this defense Key from the deck
of the AIinden saw through the mists of
the deep by the dawn's early light this
flag Ger the ramparts so CALAMITY
streaming"
Below the picture of Col. Armistcad is
small photograph of the Key house on
NJ street Georgetown. so long familiar
to the people of Washington and recently
demolished because of the failure of ef-
forts to save it as a national landmark.
The picture shows it as Washington peo-
pie long knew il. with its front and sides
daubed over with advertisements and
fianked and fronted by little shops.
Against the bacii ground OF the great
flag is an autograph letter from Key to
some one whose full name does not APP
pear. This letter is:
GEO'TOWN. December -. 80.
Ny Dear Tom: Since last wrote TO ron
have seen your friend Judge Wayne and had
converse tion the subject of Your applying for
the office you mentioned to me-
He thinkS. you ought 10 make no Application for
it'll something better III the of
sonable time may be got for you and that II
would ininrn your prospects fer such thing I"
apply for this ! am glad TO SOC that II" is 5,
zfa'nnsiy disposed IN ynur faT"". y conourFe5
with him as 10 the propriety Of making no ap-
rlicatian for This place. I have not therefore
sal anything to tin President on the subject
with sincere regard. yours,
Besides this letter is a picture of Fran
els Scott Key made at the age of seven
by Charles Wilson Peale, which is in the
PENNSYLVANIA academy Of Fine Arts.
Philadelphia The photograph was pre-
scented by T. s. Key Smith
Close by tho star Spangled Banner. and
on the back of secretary which came
out of the Mclean or the surrender
house at AppomattoN Court House. Va.
is the garrison flag of Fort Moultrie.
Charleston harbor 1t was lowered on
December 26. 1862 when Mai. Robert
Anderson, LIST United States Artillery.
with his command evacuated Fort Moul-
trie 10 occupy Fort Sumter The descrip-
tive card says that lit was secured by his
Second in command. Capt. Abner Double
day and in his possession since 1850, is
nov presented to the Smithsonian lnst-
tuition by Mrs. Abner Doubleday
In an adjacent case is a United States
flag of silk raised at Richmond upon
the occupation of that city by United