The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-06-02

ton. The first encounter, wholly on land, was on
the afternoon of the 18th. The British stormed
the American ~earthwOrks, but were 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 on one side and then on the
other. The British lost 600 that day, the Ameri-
cans 80.
At dusk q great storm broke and the fighting
halted. At ~daybreak 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 was all connection, for an officer from
Colonel Brooke's staff had urgently requested AID
miral Cochrane TO open the bombardment Of Fort
McHenry, which, if successful, would seal the fate
of the city. Soon the ships weighed anchor and
sailing up the Patapsco, got into battle formation
2A miles off the fort. The decks were stripped,
the bomb and rocket vessels opened their fire, and
16 ships hurled bombs, rockets and solid shot into
the ramparts. The garrison of the fort-1,000 vol
unteers and re~gulars-was under Col. George
Armistead. Armistead unmasked his batteries and
directed a brisk fire, but the range of his guns and
mortars fell short of the ships. This was disheart-
ening, and his anxiety was not lessened when a
24-pounder in the southeast bastion was demol-
ished by an exploding bomb, MORALLY wOunding an
officer and several of the cannopeers.
Observing the confusion in the fort, Admiral
COchrane signaled three of his bomb vessels, and
they moved closer TO the ramparts to hasten the
victory. Armistead seized his opportunity, and or
dered q well-directed fire, and his wide-mouthed
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 Linden, flying a
flag of truce, and used by American agents In the
exchange of prisoners. While the bombardment
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, a physician seized on charges
Of taking up arms against British stragglers. Key
obtained his release, but on the eve of the opera
tons both were transferred to the Minden, which
was detained under a guard Of marines until the
British plans should be carried out.
From the decks of the cartel ship Key and his
companions watched every belch of the cannon.
Midnight came and 1850 men, equipped with
scaling ladders, dropped from the fleet into barges,
with the intention Of surprising from the rear.
How the hearts of the patriots beat as, helpless
to give the alarm, they saw this strategy under
way with every prospect Of success. In attempt
ing to effect a landing, however, the expeditionary
force struck lights and these lights cost it q DOS
sible victory. The defenders promptly set fire to
a haystack and, as it's glow revealed the barges,
Fort McHenry and the redOubts shook with the
salvos of the guns. The six-gun battery under
Sailing Master Webster, which the British had
planned to take by storm, was served that mid
night coolly and quickly by a little group Of can
nOneers, whose valor was sustained by the thought
of home and country, and to whom Colonel Armi-
stead afterward said he was persuaded the coun-
try was much indebted for the final repulse of the
enemy Many Of the landing party were killed
and others wounded; two boats were sunk and
the survivors made back to the fleet. The de-
tenders lost 4 killed and "a wounded. The mas
ter stroke had been delivered and had failed;
1900 shells had been thrown into the fortfcations.
but no white flag flew from the great staff.
Sunset had cast a leaden gloom upon the spirits
of the defenders, but dawn found their hopes high
and the invader beaten off. That night, with the
fate of the city and perhaps the existence of the
Union hanging by a thread, Key paced the deck of
the Minden, and each she'll that sped screaming
from the ships was a stab at his heart, a chal-
lenge to all he held dear. When the first blush ot
morning tinged the sky Key gazed toward the bat
Elements and with straining eyes beheld the Stars
and Stripes, SCARED, but still deiantly floating
The cannonading had ceased; the troops, many of
them wounded, had been conveyed to the ships
and the fleet was setting its sails. The joy of Key
was unrestrained, and from his soul there came
"the Star. Spongled Banner"