Evening star., 1932-06-02
RESIDENTS URGED
TO VIEW BANNER
INSPIRING ANTHEM
Oldest Inhabitants Hear His
torian Tell Tale of Writing
of Nations Hymn.
FLAG HANGS ON WALL
OF NATIONAL MUSEUM
Association at Meeting Plans Float
for Use on Flag
Day.

The original Fort McHenry flag,
which inspired Francis Scott Key to
write the Star Spangled Banner"
should be seen by all residents of Wash
ington and visitors to the Capital, John
Clagett Proctor told the Association Of
Oldest Inhabitants last night at their
regular meeting at the Old Union En-
gine House. The flag hangs in the north
hall of. me old building of the National
Museum.
Speaking on the subject of the Star
Spangled Banner" its author and the
circumstances under which the song
was written, Mr.. Proctor said the flag
Is still we'll preserved, although it has
hole where one shell passed through it.,
and it is shorter now than it was.
Originally, the speaker explained, It
was 81 feet, inches, by 80 feet 10
inches, but in the early days a number
OF small pieces were clipped from the
end and presented to different people,
the result being that as the flag stands
today it length is reduced to about its
original height The flag is the prop
erty Of descendant of Lieut.. Col.
George Armistead, who at "a years of
age was in command OF Fort McHenry,
the bombardment of which Key i'm
mortalized in song. Mr.. Proctor gave a
vivid description of the shelling of the
fort and the bravery OF the commanding
officer and his men.
Waited for Daybreak.
Key was quoted as writing Of the oc-
caslon that, from his position on board
ship, he did not know whether the fort
had surrendered or the attack had been
abandoned. He paced the deck for the
remainder of the night, but did not
learn till daylight that the flag was
still there" Key said he had COM
menced writing the song on the deck of
the vessel at the moment when he saw
the enemy hastily retreating to their
ships.
The song first was sung in the Holi-
day Street Theater. Baltimore. Mr..
Proctor said. and in Washington. he
explained, we first come across it in
the National Intelligencer for Septem-
Der 26, 1914, and it is recorded as hav-
ing been first sung here at McKeown S
Hotel, now the Metropolitan, about De-
cember, 1914"
The music, Mr.. Proctor said, was
known to have been first printed in
Scotland, the composer being John
Stafford Smith, while the words, by
Ralph Tomlinson. we're entitled ITO
Anacreon in Heaven"
Made in Baltimore.
The flag itself was made as a gar
riSon flag by the wife of Col Henry
S. Pickersgill of Baltimore. who ex-
perienced difficulty in finding a room
1o, ,ol, ;, ~, nI, t4
together and consequently was forced
purpose. After the bombardment Col
Armistead retained the flag as a
memento and it is still the property
of one of his descendants.
In the museum in the same case
with the flag is silver punch bowl
given by the citizens of Baltimore to
Col Armistead for his heroic defense.
1t is in the form and size of the
largest bombshen thrown into the
fort; the ladle in the form of shrap-
mel shell and the goblets represent
powder barrels
Judge Robert E. Mattingly will be
the principal speaker at the Fourth
of July celebration of the Association
of Oldest Inhabitants at the Old Union
Engine House, it was announced. John
B. Dickman will read the Declaration
of Independence and Howard Moon
will be the soloist.
Plan for Float.
Plans are being completed for float
to represent the association on Flag
day, to show Washington crossing the
Delaware.
Members of the association were in
vited to visit the United States frlgate
Constitution on Thursday, June 10,
from 10 to pm, and large num-
ber plan to 60.
John B. Dickman was elected vice
president of the association to succeed
the late Dr. William Tindall. Nal
Gen. Anton Stephan was given a formal
vote of thanks for pictures of the Ma
tional Rifles, Gen. Charles Ourand, and
Capt. John Miller.
Thomas L. McEneany was elected to
membership in the association.
Theodore w. Noyes, president OF the
association, presided.