The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-28
Lieut.-Col. George Armistead,
commanding Fort McHenry dur
ing the famous bombardment OF
Sept. 1914, 1914.

ington via the Patuxent he and his
stan made Beaness commodious home
at upper Marlboro their headquarters
going to and returning from the ma.
tional capital. With the grace of a
gentleman DIR. Beanes showed his self
invited guests every courtesy. but tn,
tax upon his self-control was heavy.
He bore with his guests until they were
gone, but he was deeply lncensed at
their burning Of Washington. After
their departure for their ships they
were followed by stragglers OF their
own troops, who committed depredat ton.
and started to march away with booty
from the doctors estate. That was
too much for that worthy patriot.
When ordered to leave the marauders
became insolent and threatening and
were arrested by the town authorities
and quickly jailed. one OF their number
got away and reported that his fellows
had been abused by the Americans and
declared that DR.. Beanes had actually
tried To poison some Of the soldiers in
custody.
This enraged Admiral Cockburn. and
he promptly detailed a squad Of marines
to arrest the doctor. The soldiers
reached the house just after midnight.
broke down the door and dragged the
physician unceremoniously from his
bed
Francis Scott Key at his home in
Georgetown was asked to obtain the
sanction of this Government for flag
OF truce To be sent to the British fleet
tn intercede for the doctors release
The problem was to find the British
Admiral, and accordingly Key boarded
the United States cartel ship Mnden
and set sail from Baltimore with Col
John s. skinner. then agent of the
United States for the parole Of prison.
ers. 1t was not until after they had
covered about a hundred miles that the
enemy's vessels were met near the
mouth OF the Potomac.
While Admiral Cockburn. aboard the
Surprise. received Key and Skinner
courteously. still he was in no mood
to grant the release of DR.. Beanes, who.
he said, had inspired injuries and in
dignities toward the British troops and,
accordingly. the Admiral declared his
intention OF hanging the venerable
physician at the yardarm OF the flag
ship. The Admiral finally relented. but
as his ships were bound for Baltimore
and as he feared that the Americans
might have discovered matters helpful
to the defenders. Key and the rest of
the party were detained aboard the
Surprise until the fleet neared the
mouth OF the Patapsco River on Sep
TENDER 10. Then they were transferred
under guard tn the cartel and the Min
den was anchored so that the Ameri-
,,rtSn In afy xu.tt
as the British then thought. the
humiliation of Baltimore and the de-
struction Of the Gity's defences.
1t is not necessary to describe in de-
tail the battle Of North Point, In which
LOO of Baltimore's defenders staggered
veterans OF four times their strength
in numbers nor to elaborate upon the
city's defences so CALAMITY reared by
men. women and children and OF such
formidable appearance that Napoleons
victors retreated without daring To
measure forces with them. The soldiers
turned the task of circumventing the
batteries of Hampstead Hill over to the
fleet. for 1t was recognized that the only
chance of success lay first in capturing
Fort McHenry, which stood at the
| mouth OF the city's inner harbor. Tha
was the strategic key TO the situation
The British stationed a force of six.
| teen bomb and rocket vessels where the,
could bring their weapons to bear upon
Fort McHenry and together with the
fleet fire was opened upon that position
by the foe Just after sunrise Septem.
Der Is. From o'clock in the morninl
until in the afternoon the British KEEP,
up continual bombardment.
Failing to carry the fort by fronta
attack, Admiral Cockburn determine,
to make flank move after nightfal!
Accordingly several rocket vessels ant
birges with force of 1850 picked mer
passed around south OF Fort McHenr,
ana tried to assail the city from the
rear They succeeded in passing tn,
fort unnoticed and in their mistaken
glee they sent aloft rockets to motif,
the fleet OF their success and also to IL.
lumine landing place.
Then II was that Commodore
Rodgers's "invincible crew" at For