The Raymer enterprise., 1922-06-01


ton The FIRST encounter. wholly on land, was on
the afternoon Of the 18th. The British stormed
the American earthworks but were checked by q
nre 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 100
At dusk 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 feet was all commotion, for an officer from
Colonel Brooke's staff had urgently requested Ad-
miral Cochrane to open the bombardment Of Fort
McHenry which, II successful. would seal the fate
of the city. Soon the ships weighed anchor and
sailing up the Patapsco, got into battle formation
~ miles of the fort The decks were stripped
the bomb and rocket vessels opened their Gre. and
10 ships hurled bombs. rockets and solid shot into
the ramparts. The garrison Of the fort-1,0O0 vol
unteers and regulars-was under COL George
ArmIstead. Armistead unmarked his batteries xnd
directed brisk fire. but the range Of his guns and
mortars fell short Of the ships. This was disheast-
ening, and his anxiety was not lessened wher q
24pounder In the southeast bastion was densol-
ished by IN exploding bomb. MORALLY woundlng 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. Armlstead seized his opportunity, and Or.
dered o 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 fet6 that day and
night rode the American vessel MiAden, flying
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, physician seized on charges
of taking up arms against British stragglers Key
obtained his release but on the eve Of the opera
lions both were transferred to the Mnden which
was detained under 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 1880 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 landing however. the expeditlonary
force struek lights and these lights cost 1t DOS.
sible victory. The defenders promptly set fire to
a haystack and, as Its 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 cooly and quickly by 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 feet The de.
tenders lost killed and "a wounded. The mas.
ter stroke had been delivered and had failed:
1900 shells had been thrown into the Notifications
but no white flag flew from the great stafY.,
Sunset had cast leaden gloom upon the spirits
Of the defenders, but dawn found their hopes hieh
and the invader beaten on. That night, with the
fate Of the city and perhaps the existence Of the
Union hanging BY thread, Key paced the deck Of
the Mlnden, and each shell that sped screaming
from the ships was a stab at his heart, a chal-
lenge to all he held dear. When the first blush OF
morning tinged the sky Key gazed toward the bat.
Elements and with straining eyes beheld the Stars
and Stripes, Scared. but still deHantly floating.
The cannonadlng had ceased; the troops many Of
them wounded had been conveyed to the ships
and the feet was setting Its sails. The Joy Of Kew
was unrestrained, and from his soul there came
"the Star.Spangled Banner"