the War of 1812 between the United States and England the British fleet, under Admiral Sir George Cockborn, on September 13, 1814, began the bombardment of Fort McHenry, which was situated two miles above Baltimore. The English forces had captured several Americans at a place called Marlborough and were detaining them, although some were civilians. A gentleman of Baltimore, Francis Scott Key by name, set out with a flag of truce to try to secure the release of one of these civilians, who was a friend of his. He reached the mouth of the Patuxent when he was captured. The British feared to let him return to Baltimore lest he should disclose their plans for taking the city, and so Key was brought up Chesapeake Bay and put on board the admiral's flag-ship.

The English officers on the ship were confident that Fort McHenry would surrender and Baltimore be easily captured, and Key had to listen to their predictions and watch the bombardment all day. The American flag was still flying from the fort when night prevented his watching it longer. The bombardment continued all night, but at dawn on September 14th, Key saw that the flag still bade defiance to the fleet. At a white-heat of emotion Key then and there wrote the lines of "The Star-Spangled Banner," one of the most stirring of all American songs.

The first copy of the song was written on the British flag-ship while the guns were thundering. As soon as he was released Key hurried back to Baltimore and there corrected what he had written. He then took it to a printer, who struck it off as a broadside, or poem printed on a large sheet of paper. As soon as it appeared it created enthusiasm and sprang into quick fame. The air to which it was sung was selected from a volume of music for the flute, and was called "Anacreon in Heaven," an English glee composed by Samuel Arnold. This air had already been used for the American patriotic song called "Adams and Liberty." It suited the words of Key's poem well, and soon became inseparably connected with the "Star-Spangled Banner."

by Francis Scott Key


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