The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-06-26
Hundredfh Birthday of
National Anthem Will
Be Celebrated Sept. ~

1
a soldiers ana that IL had been decided
that he must he Immediately hanged
from the yardarm.
The great eloquence of Mr.. Key sup-
plemented by letters, he presented
r written by British officers To DR.
r Beanes thanking him for the many
kindnosses which they had received
from him, finally won Admiral Co.
chrane from his vengcful decision.
Their troubles were. however. by no
means over, for after the lease of the
captive and when they were Oh the
point OF bidding the admiral goodbye.
they were bruskly informed that they
would not he permitted tn return To
land lest they might carry informa-
ton detrimental To the British cause.
AZ there was a certain important event
pending"
This contemplated event was the in
tended destruction of TT McHenry.
which guarded the harbor of Ralti-
more. The fort was garrsoned by "A
battalion of artillery under the COM
mand of Colonel George Armistead.
who faced court martial if he should
lose the fort by attack. as the Wash
inSton administration had peremptori-
ly ordered him Ia surrender it, This
he had refused Ia do.
Judge Joseph Nicholson, brother
in-law Of Key, in charge of a volun-
teer battery of artillery. was second
| in command of the fort. So II will he
seen that Key had very personal in
terest i'm the attack.
When Admiral Cochrane refused to
allow Key and his companions To re-
turn To shore he placed under n guard
OF marines, his unwilling guests i'm
thelr own boat as near the scene of ac- |
ton as possible, in order that they |
might suffer the modification of sec |
ing their flag go down" Two hours |
had been assigned i'm the British mind |
Tor the accomplishment Of that result.
after which terms for Baltimore might |
be considered.
When the land attack and lombard
ment bean sixteen fricates centered
their line of fire on the little. low for
tifications. The range was two and II
|
half miles and the forty 1.-TWO pound
ers of the fort We're not sufficient to
carry this distance, so The fleet sus-
tanned little damage, while the fort
suffered greatly. Yet the garrison
held on and refused To surrender
ENasperatcd at the unexpected re-
sistance of Colonel Amistead and his
troops, the British determined to close
in upon the Qualifications and 'reduce"
Them 10 ashes under cover of the
darkness. In small boats carrying
several hundred picked men they at
tempted to steal past the Notifications
ana attack the garrison in the rear.
nut being discovered hp the forts de-
renders, terrific and CALLING fire was
opened upon them. causing terrible de-
About mdniaht there was n lulI
aurlng which the British admiral
learned that land attack earlier in
the day had failed and that General
Ross had been killed. Then the fleet
IN desperation moved nearer and re-
ioubled its fire and che little fort
DraVely answered back gun for gun.
For three days Key and his compan
"ns were held prisoners and watched
WIN the greatest concern the landing
If thousands Of soldiers and marines
II North Point, preparatory to the at
ack on the fort. :.
Through the long hours of Sept. IL =
\ey, aroused To the highest nervous
excitement paced the deck. watching
he battle with strained eyes and a
leart that thrilled and leaped and sank
With thunder of gun and fash of shell.
ne day was calm and still, with no
Wind to lift the flag that drooped ID
round the staff over at McHcnry. All ,
Nentide breeze unfurled it's folds.
nd as ii floated out shell struck il u
nd tore out one OF it's fifteen stars. j
Night fell and Keys exhausted com
went below To seek rest in "
uch uhquiet slumbers as might visit Il
mem, but there was no sleep in the "
cart Of the poet. Not until the NIGH u
question which filled the night sky u
With thunder and flame and surged u
through his own soul found its answer u
the court of eternal destiny could -
est come to the man who watched 81
through the long hours of darkness -
'aiting for dawn to bring triumph orl
espair.
Then the darkness passed away. and d'
by the dawn's early light" the anx-
1us Key strained his eyes toward the n
Drt to see If THE flag was still there"
was there! II was there, Thank I
od, 1t was still there, At the same \
me the British fleet withdrew and
'altimore was saved {
In the first thrill of joy and triumph al
the anxious watcher our majestic
nthem was formed. Key took from
Is pocket an old letter and on one of -
S blank pages penciled the opening Oo
mes or the song. In the boat which "
'ok him back to Baltimore he finished 90
ne poem, and in his hotel made a copyl
,r the press.
The next day the lines were put into IN
'pe by Samuel Sands. an apprentice IN
the Office of the Baltimore American
no had been deserted i'm the general
lsh to see the battle as being too tn
Dung to be trusted nj the front Tb,, | 81