"O SAY DOES THAT STAR SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE?"

SIGHT OF GIANT FLAG INSPIRES BALTIMORE LAWYER TO WRITE POEM

Baltimore, Maryland (JFK+50) A giant American flag was raised by U.S. soldiers over Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland on the morning of September 14, 1814.  The flag raising was in celebration of an important victory in the War of 1812.

A Baltimore lawyer, Francis Scott Key*, was being detained on a British troop ship four miles away.  He saw the flag and was inspired to write a poem titled "Defence of Fort McHenry ."

Key wrote one verse on the back of an envelope and finished three more verses back in Baltimore.  The poem was set to music under the title, "The Star Spangled Banner."  It was one of the most famous patriotic songs in our history, and in 1931 became "Our National Anthem."

"O say does that star spangled banner yet wave,

o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

*Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) was born in Frederick County, MD.  He graduated from St. John's College in Annapolis in 1796 & then read law.  Key owned a number of slaves but freed them in the 1830s.  FSK, who was a devout Episcopalian, publicly criticized slavery. 

SOURCE

"The Star Spangled Banner," Smithsonian, www.amhistory.si.edu/

 

1st Sheet Music of 

The Star Spangled Banner

by Thomas Carr (1814)
  

2000 ROCKETS & MORTAR SHELLS FIRED IN 25 HOURS

BRITISH BOMBARD FT. McHENRY

Baltimore, Maryland (JFK+50) On September 13, 1814, a British fleet of 19 ships began the bombardment of Fort McHenry outside of Baltimore.  British guns fired 2000 rockets and mortar shells for a period of 25 hours before withdrawing out of range of American return fire.

One thousand American soldiers under command of Major General George Armistead* waited out the bombardment.  Amazingly only 4 Americans were killed during the siege.**

*George Armistead (1780-1818) was born in Caroline County, Virginia & was commissioned as an ensign in the 7th US Infantry in 1799.  GA was promoted to Lt in 1801.  During the War of 1812, he served at Fort Niagara before being assigned command of Ft. McHenry.

Upon arrival at the fort, GA ordered the manufacture of a 42 x 30 ft. American flag so the British could see it from far away.  The strain of leadership during the siege took its toll & GA died 3 years later at the age of 38.

**The Battle for Baltimore (September 12-15, 1814) was part of the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States.  The American Fort McHenry held and the British withdrew.  The battle is best known for the writing of the poem by Francis Scott Key which became Our National Anthem.

SOURCE

"The Battle for Baltimore," National Park Service, www.nps.gov/

Major General George Armistead

Fort McHenry, Baltimore, MD.

Photo by Midnightdreary (2008)