The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-09
1.-The Star Spangled Banner" A Cen
fury Old.

mark tne hundredth anniversary of
the writing of ''The Star Spangled
Banner" by Francis Scott Key. An
impressive weeks Celebration will be
held at Baltimore in commemoration
Of the writing of the national an
them, beginning September 6. Eigh
ty-nine years after the siege OF Balti-
more, when the song was written, it
was made the national anthem OF the
United States Navy Department. The
order that went forth in regard to
the song directs that whenever the
anthem is being played all officers
and men shall stand at attention UNI
less they be engaged on duty which
will not permit them to do so.
BY this order, in 1908, the Unit
ed States navy was given an official
anthem which receives recognition
in every port where the Starts and
Stripes which Key saw "by the
dawn's early light may float.
While Watching BOmbardment.
THE Star Spangled Banner was
written by Francis Scott Key on the
night of Sept. 10, 1914, while he and
his comrades on board the cartel ship
Mnden were watching the storming
of Baltimore by Admiral Cockrane.
Key had been sent with John 5.
Skinner of Baltimore to Admiral
Cockrane to request the release Of
Doctor Beans of Upper Marlboro,
who had been captured at Washing
ton. The British admiral consented
to release Doctor Beans. but would
not let the Americans leave the har-
Dor, as he intended to attack Balti-
more and did not want the informa-
ton to reach the city ahead OF him.
The Minden, on which Key and his
friends were. was anchored within
sight of Fort McHenry. From its
decks the three friends watched the
bombardment 1t ceased before dawn
but it was impossible for the anxious
Americans to see whether or not the
fort had fallen. They awaited day
light with painful suspense. In the
dim light of the morning they saw
through their glasses the star span
gled banner yet waving in triumph
over the fort. and soon learned the
defeat of the British. Keys feelings
when he found the American flag had
not been hauled down, found express
sion in THE Star Spangled Banner
The first verse of the song deals en-
tirely with this circumstance. 1t fol-
lows:
20 say, can you see, by the dawn's
early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the
twilight's last cleaning
Whose broad stripes and bright stars
through the perilous fight,
Ger the ramparts we watched,
were so CALAMITY streaming?
And the rockets red glare, the
bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that
our flag was still there;
O say. does that star spangled ban
ner yet wave,
Ger the land of the free and the
home of the brave?''
1t was during the bombardment,
while pacing the deck between mid
night and dawn, that Key composed
the popular song, the first stanza OF
which expressed the feeling OF thou
sands of eye witnesses to the scene.
Wrote On An Old Letter.
The rough draft of the song was
written on the back of an old letter
that Key happened to have in his
pocket On the night after his return
to Baltimore Key wrote it out in full
and read it to his uncle, Judge Mich
olson, one of the defenders OF the
fort. The judge had it printed by
Captain Benjamin Edes. Samuel
Sands set the first type and distribut-
ed the first copies. The old air of
"Anacreon in Heaven" was adopted
to it by the author and it was sung
by Charles Durang at a restaurant
next door to the Holiday street
theatre, Baltimore, to patriotic as
sembly. Since it's publication it has
been played by American bands in
four wars.
Impressive ceremonies are planned
by the centennial committee to COM
memorate the birth of the song. 1t is
planned to have take part in it the
president and the then living ex-
presidents of the nation, the COVER
nors of the eighteen states in the
Union when Key penned Old Glory,
cabinet officers, past and present;
senators, congressman. ambassadors
of foreign nations, the navy and
army of the United States, the ma
tional guard troops of the states, the
cadets of West Point and Annapolis,
church dignitaries, state and munich
pal officials from all the states, and
ships representing the navies of
majority of the great powers.
President to Hoist Old Flag.
The old Constellation, a glorious
relic of the War of 1912, will lead
the navy, and the president of the
United States will be the color bear
er to carry the original flag with its
sixteen stars-the flag that fiuttered
from the flag pole of old Fort Nc
Henry in September. 1914, while the
British bullets fell about it. The
president will hoist it on great
steel mast to be erected on the spot
where stood the old wooden fiagpole
in the days of Key. The ceremonies
will be centered around Fort McHen-
ry, near Baltimore, historic spot.
One of the plans of the centennial
committee is the restoration of the
ancient fertilization and the creation
of a fine national reservation, the
whole to be memorial to ''The Star
Spangled Banner" and to Key.
Notice Of FYniratiOn.