The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-06-09

Fort Mcilenry being the crucial decisive
tion. The first encounter wholly on land was on
the afternoon of the 18th. The British stormed
the American earhworks but checked by a
fire Of shot, slugs. scrap iron and nails The lines
of both armies swayed back and forth, with vic
tory smiling first one side and then on the
other The British lost 600 that day. the Amer-
cana 100
At dusk a great storm broke and the fighting
halted. At daybrenk the rain ceased and the bat
tie began anew the British commander, Brooke
who had succeeded Ross, ordering his men for
ward to avenge the setbacks of the day before.
The fleet all commotion, for an officer from
Colonel Brookes staff had urgently requested Adj
miral Cochrane to open the bombardment of Fort
Mcilenry, which, If successful would seal the fate
OF the city. Soon the ships weighed anchor and
sailing up the Patapsco, got into battle formation
21e miles off the fort. The decks stripped
the bomb and rocket vessels opened their fire, and
l6 ships hurled bombs. rockets and solid shot into
the ramparts. The garrison of the 900 vol
unteers and reguars-was under Col George
Armlstead. Armistead unmasked his batteries and
directed brisk tre but the range of his guns and
mortars fell short of the ships This was disheart
enlng, and his anxiety was not lessened when a
24pouuder In the southeast bastion was demol-
ished by an exploding bomb mortally wounding an
officer and several of the cannoneers
Observing the confusion in the fort Admiral
Cochrane sgnaled three of his bomb vessels and
they moved closer to the ramparts to hasten the
victory. Armisead seized his opportunity and or
dered weldrected fire. and his wldemouthed
cannon wrought havoc on the decks of the three
one of Them the Erebus, being disabled
In the shadow of the British fleet that day and
night rode the American vessel siinden nyinr .
flag of truce, and used by American agents in rho
exchange of prisoners. While the bombar,ment
ragged none watched with more anxiety than Fran
els Scott Key He had gone TO the British fleet
In the Potomac To seek the release of an old friend
DR., William Beanes, physician seized on chorcas
of taking up arms against British stracglers Kav
ohtained his release, hut on the eve of the onern.
hons both were transferred 10 the Minden which
was detained under guard of marines until tho
British plans should be carried ont
From the decks of the cartel shin Key and his
companions watched every belch of the cannon
NuuhSht came ana l23o men, equipped with
scaling ladders. dropped from the fleet into barres
with the intention of surprising from the rear
How the hearts of the patriots beat as, beIness
10 give the alarm, they saw this strategy under
way with every prospect of success In ntta,pn.
ing to effect landing, however the exnali,iorau.
force struck lights and these lights cost II y mas
sIhe victory. The defenders promptly scr FL :,
haSStack ana, as its glow revealed tho h,rros
Fort McHenry and the redoubts shook win ~,
sa,N"S "t the guns. The stx-Cun battery under
Sailing Master Webster. which the Rr,tish h
mid
night coolly and quickly by little groun NJ car
n"ncerS whose Naor was sustained nv rho tt,,,t.
OF home and country, and 10 whom Colonial 60,
stead afierward said he was persuaded rho ra,,,
try was much indebted for the final rerpls -. ,,
enemy Many ot the landing party wore In,
ANA others wounded; two boats were sr,. 49,,
the survivors made hack to the neer rI, ',','
tenders lost killed ana II wounded Tho r, De
ter stroke had been delivered ANA h,I -
l,SAe shells had been thrown into the f,r,s,,. w.
but no white flag flew from the great sr,r
sunset had cast a leaden gloom un,f, ,,., ..,-..
al the defenders, hut dawn found their L t ,
and the invader beaten on That nirb, ,rt., ".S"
nate OF the city and perhaps the existarc, ~ ''e
lhIon hanging by a thread Key parsa ~ '''e
the Minden, aud each she'll thar Spea $500 Is.N u
from the ships was stab nj his b.,r, NN
lenge To all he held dear When tho FIR, " N''"',
morning tnsed the sky Key cazed tovnr, ,,' vi
Elements and with straininc eyes heh.I4 49, 'V vat
ana stripes SCARED, hut StIll deson,,r - H."'S
Inc oann"nading had ceased the tron,S ,',,''iS
them wounded, had been ccneveved - -, -,''S OF
and the fleet was setting its sails Tho ,'e SnlpS
was unrestrained. and from his souI ,La-. - NeN
the tar-Spansled Banner" came