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THE STAR…SPANGLED BANNER
THE STAR…SPANGLED
BANNER
by John A。 Carpenter
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THE STAR…SPANGLED BANNER
On August 18； 1814； Admiral Cockburn； having returned with his fleet
from the West Indies； sent to Secretary Monroe at Washington； the
following threat：
SIR： Having been called upon by the Governor…General of the
Canadas to aid him in carrying into effect measures of retaliation against
the inhabitants of United States for the wanton destruction committed by
their army in Upper Canada； it has become imperiously my duty； in
conformity with the Governor…General's application； to issue to the naval
forces under my command an order to destroy and lay waste such towns
and districts upon the coast as may be found assailable。
His fleet was then in the Patuxent River； emptying into the Chesapeake
Bay。 The towns immediately 〃assailable；〃 therefore； were Baltimore；
Washington； and Annapolis。
Landing at Benedict's； on the Patuxent； the land forces； enervated by a
long sea…voyage； marched the first day to Nottingham； the second to
Upper Marlborough。 At the latter place； a town of some importance；
certain British officers were entertained by Dr。 Beanes； the principal
physician of that neighborhood； and a man well…known throughout
southern Maryland。 His character as a host was forced upon him； but his
services as a physician were freely given； and formed afterward the main
plea for his lenient treatment while a prisoner。
As the British army reached Upper Marlborough； General Winder was
concentrating his troops at Bladensburg。 The duty of assigning the
regiments to their several positions as they arrived on the field was
performed by Francis Scott Key； a young aide…de…camp to General Smith。
Key was a practising lawyer in Washington who had a liking for the
military profession。 He was on duty during the hot and dusty days which
ended in the defeat of the American army。 Subsequently； he could have
read a newspaper at his residence in Georgetown by the light of the
burning public buildings at Washington； and he passed with indignant
heart the ruins left by the retreating army when； after a night of frightful
storm； they silently departed in a disorderly forced march of thirty…five
miles； to Upper Marlborough。 He then knew what any other city might
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THE STAR…SPANGLED BANNER
expect upon which the 〃foul footsteps' pollution〃 of the British might
come。
The sorry appearance of the British army gave the Marlborough
people the idea that it had been defeated； and on the afternoon of the
following day Dr。 Beanes and his friends celebrated a supposed victory。
Had they stayed in the noble old mansion that the worthy but irascible
doctor inhabited near Marlborough； 〃The Star…Spangled Banner〃 would
never have been written。 Tempted by the balminess of a warm
September afternoon； however； the party adjoined to a spring near the
house； where； the negro servant having carried out the proper utensils； the
cool water was tempered with those ingredients which mingle their
congenial essences to make up that still seductive drink； a Maryland punch。
It warms the heart； but if used too freely it makes a man hot…tempered；
disputatious； and belligerent。 Amid the patriotic jollity； therefore； when
three British soldiers； belated； dusty； and thirsty； came to the spring on
their way to the retreating army； their boasting met with an incredulous
denial； which soon led to their summary arrest as chicken…stealers and
public enemies。 Confined in the insecure Marlborough jail； one of them
speedily escaped； and reached a scouting…party of British cavalry； which；
by order of Cockburn； returned to Upper Marlborough； roused Dr。 Beanes
out of his bed at midnight； and conveyed him to the British ships at
Benedict's。
As soon as Key heard of the arrest of Dr。 Beanes； one of his most
intimate friends； he hurried； under the protection of a flag of truce； to the
British fleet at the mouth of the Patuxent to arrange for his release。 John
S。 Skinner of Baltimore； then commissioner for exchange of prisoners；
accompanied him with his cartel ship。
When Key and Skinner reached the British fleet it was already on its
way up the Chesapeake Bay to the attack on Baltimore。 Its destination
was too evident for Cockburn to allow Key to depart and give the alarm。
He was informed in the admiral's grimmest manner； that while he would
not hang Dr。 Beanes at the yard…arm； as he had threatened； yet he would
have to keep every man on board a close prisoner until certain
circumstances occurred which would render their release advisable。
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THE STAR…SPANGLED BANNER
When the ships arrived at their destination he assured them that it would
be only a matter of a few hours before they would be free。
From the admiral's flag…ship the Surprise； upon which he was then
detained； Key saw some of the finest soldiers of the British army； under
General Ross； disembarked at North Point； to the southeast of the city of
Baltimore。 Then on Tuesday morning； September 13； 1814； the fleet
moved across the broad Patapsco； and ranged themselves in a semicircle
two and a half miles from the small brick and earth fort which lay low
down on a jutting projection of land guarding the water approaches to
Baltimore on that side。
Cockburn's boast to Key that the reduction of the city would be 〃a
matter of a few hours〃 did not look improbable。 It was garrisoned by a
small force of regulars under General Armistead； assisted by some
volunteer artillerists under Judge Nicholson。 It was armed with forty…two
pounders； and some cannon of smaller caliber； but all totally ineffective to
reach the British ships in their chosen position。 In addition； a small earth
battery at the Lazarettowhich； it will be seen； did good serviceguarded
the important approach to the city by the north branch of the Patapsco；
while Fort Coventry protected the south branch。 These batteries were
armed only with eighteen and twenty…four pounders。
From seven on the morning of Tuesday until after midnight of
Wednesday the fleet bombarded Fort McHenry at long range； occasionally
the gunners in the fort fired a useless shot at the ships。 But at midnight
word was brought to Cockburn that the land attack on the North Point road
to the east of the city had failed。 Therefore； unless the fleet could take
Fort McHenry on the west； retreat was inevitable。
Taking advantage of the darkness； a little after midnight sixteen British
frigates； with bomb…ketches and barges； moved up within close range。 At
one o'clock they suddenly opened a tremendous and destructive fire upon
the fort。 Five hundred bombs fell within the ramparts； many more burst
over them。
The crisis of the fight came when； in the darkness； a rocket ship and
five barges attempted to pass up the north channel to the city。 They were
not perceived until the British； thinking themselves safe and the ruse
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THE STAR…SPANGLED BANNER
successful； gave a derisive cheer at the fort under whose guns they had
passed。 In avoiding Fort McHenry； however； they had fallen under the
guns of the fort at the Lazaretto； on the opposite