The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-28
Fort McHenry looking toward
the point whence the British feet
attacked.

tuC pOilt WhChSG NuS Dil'iSH Meet
attacked.
Covlngton and Barney's fiotilla men al
Fort Babcock sent a pitiless welcome Of
grape and shot at the surprised ~.
Fooled in this last strategy To OBJ.
tain a landing. the enemy preCip.tatel,
retired. battered and crippled under
the fire from Fort McHenry and the
Lazaretto. At safe distance they
continued the bombardment until near
morning, in all about twenty-five hours.
during which there were thrown be.
tween 1900 and 1900 great bombs. 400
of which are said to have fallen within
Fort McHenry.
More than once Key heard the shout.
ing OF the British. and each time n
dreaded to look toward the fort. fear.
ing lest its colors might have fallen
The night Of September 1914 was one Of
sleepless anxiety for that patriot as he
paced the deck of the Minden Whit,
his ears were racked by the cannon's
pandemonium, and the waters Of the
harbor flashed red in the light II the
foes belching guns and flaming she'll
Suddenly. after hours of this din. and
with the air filed with sulphurous
ness that followed was even more
alarming than the tumult of battle.
With blood stained eyes he p,ered
ceaselessly through the gloom toward
Fort McHenry, but the veil of night in.
tervened; and when the first gray zone
Of dawn lit the eastern sky a heavy
blank of mist lay upon the harbor and
tantalized his anxious heart. Then at
Ia naf ~ {,
gathered strength 1t dissipated THE
mists OF the deep" and through vista
In the rising vapors he saw the stars
and Stripes floating bravely above Nc.
Henry's battlements.
Then. indeed the fulness of his heart
burst forth. and In the exultation Of
the moment line after line OF his poem
rushed TO his lips. In the fever of the
inspired moment he hastily scrIhhled
the text upon the back OF a letter which
he found in his pocket. and from thcs-
and memoranda jotted down then h.
rounded out his verses before the day
was done.
Shortly after sunrise confirmation o.
the enemy's defeat arrived and Key
and his party were informed that they
could depart for Baltimore at their
earliest pleasure. The evening Of that
day the patriot finished his song. The
next morning he took 1t to Judge Mich.
olson. To ask him what he Thought Of 1t.
and he was so much pleased with I,
that he Immediately sent it to the
printer, BENJAMIN Edes. and directed
copies to be struck of In handbll form
In less than an hour after it was placed
In the hands of the printer 1t was all
hnf 81
thusiasm. and at once took its place as
national song.
Just how the song got its melody has
been thus described by a descendant II
one OF Baltimore's defenders. II oc-
CURED in camp upon Hampstead In
Have you heard Francis Keys poem?
asked one of the mess He
read 1t aloud. once. twice, three times
until the entire division seemed rec.
trihed by its pathetic elouence. An idea
seized Ferdinand Durang.
Hunting up volume Of flute music,
winch was in somebody's tent. ne I'M
patiently whistled snatches II tune
after tune. just as they caught his
| quick eye. One. called 'Anacraon In
Heaven struck his fancy and rveted
his attention. Note after note fell from
$3.50 Pe>"''Su ups uHlll, Win 4 lcdP
and shout. he exclaimed, BOYS I've
hit it, and, fitting the tune TO the
words, there rang out for the frs,
time the song Of The Star Spanged
Banner"
Thus the melody Of an old English
drinking song acquired a dignity and
a depth Of meaning that il had never
had before.
| But what of the actual banner that
Inspired Key? Fortunately the orig.
nal reposes to-day in the National
Museum at Washington, and Will b"
conspicuous feature at the centennial
IN Baltimore when IL rises again over
the grass grown defences Of old Fort
McHenry. That flag was mad by Mrs
Mary Pinkersgill and in her .ahor'
she was helped by her daughter. Mrs
Caroline Purdy.
Owing to its immense size il could
not be properly assembled within the
makers home. Accordingly, perm, Noa
was asked to use the floor Of tn" MAJ
house Of Claggitt's brewery in IaIu'
more, and there the veritahlc star
Spangled Banner was born, and lIa."
the spirit Of Anacreon played part III
Its fabrication. Perhaps this may ar'
count for the peculiarly apt manner
In which the old melody fitted into 'hs
rhythm OF Keys memorable lines.
Francis Scott Key was born or
August ., 1880. in Frederick unity
Maryland, and died at Baltimore Oh
January II, lsi3. He was rrA !"
native gifts, "a lawyer of emnenr' q"
orator and poet. As his anthem
plainly shows, he was an !H'rhs
patriot and equally so a Christian, !
was his deep sense of friendship 'l''
sped him on to the rescue ~ ".
Beanes-an act that brought fru' ]"
national rejoicing, and the same III.
pulse Of devotion was his In any w'rii
cause to which he turned his m.'N,''
Such, in brief, was the man that "''',