, 1922-06-01

Fort McHenry being the crucial or decisive a-
tion. The first encounter. wholly on land, was on
the afternoon of the 18th. The British stormed
the American enrthworks, but were checked by a
fire of shot. slugs. scrap iron and nails. The lines
or 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 $50.
AT dusk a 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 commotion, for an officer from
Colonel Brooke's staff had urgently requested Adj
miral Cochrane to open the bombardment of Fort
McHenry, which, IL successful, would seal the fate
of the city. Soon the ships weighed anchor and
sailing up the Patapsco, got into battle formation
2h miles off the fort. The decks were stripped,
the bomb and rocket vessels opened their fire, and
IS ships hurled bombs, rockets and solid shot into
the ramparts. The garrison of the fort-1,000 vol
unteers and regutars-was under Col. George
Armlstead. 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. mortnlly wounding an
officer and several of the cannoneers.
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. ArmlsteHu SelZeu MS opportunity, ana Or
dered a wel.-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 Minden. flying a
flag of truce, and used by American agents In the
exchange of prisoners. While the bomba rdment
ragged, none watched with more anxiety than Fran-
els Scott Key. He had gone to the British fleet
I'm 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
lions both were transferred to the Minden, which
was detained under Il guard of marines until the
British plar= should be carried out.
From the decks of the cartel ship Key and his
companions watched every beich of the cannon.
Midnight cam and 1850 men. equipped with
scaling ladders, dropped from the fleet into bnrges
with the Intention of surprising from the renr.
How the hearts of the patriots beat as. helpless
70 give the alarm. they saw this strategy under
way with every prospect Of success. In nttempt.
ing to effect n landing. however. the expedltIonarv
force struck lights and these lights cost II n Dos.
sihle victory. The defenders promptly set fire Ia
n hnystnck and, as It's glow revealed the burgess
Fort MclIenry and the redOubts shook with rho
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 cnn-
noneers. whose yalor wns sustained by the Thoughts
of home and country. and to whom Colonel Arrnl-
stehu ntleFNhrn sHln ne was persuaded the conn
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 ANA
the survivors made back 10 the fleet. The de.
tenders lost 4 killed and "a wounded. The mas
ter stroke had been delivered and bad failed.
1,S00 shells had been thrown into the Notifications
but no white flag flew from the great stan.
Sunset had cast a lenden gloom upon the splrlts
of the defenders. but dawn found their homes hIgb
and the Invader beaten of. That night. with the
fate of the city and perhaps the existence OF the
Union hnnging by a thread, Key paced the deck az
the Minden. and each shell that sped screaming
from the ships WIS 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 bar.
Elements and with strnining eyes beheld the stnr,
and Stripes, scarrcd. but gtiil dennntly fontlnr
The cannonading had cenAed the troops. mnny OF
them wounded. had been conveyed 10 the ublpa
and the fleet WINS setting us sails. The 10y OF Kew
was unrestrnined. ana from his soul there came
"the Star-spangled Banner"