Fort McHenry (LSD 43) - Naval Cruise Book

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Iriiiui ' - Stdlt K( - Aullior III llir Sl.ir S|i.mi;lril I ' .iiiiur ]iir lciiiil I listinn III SiK ((71 FRANCIS SCOTT KEY and THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER O! sa i can ijou see bij the dawn ' s early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight ' s last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. O ' er the ramparts we watch ' d. were so gallantly streaming ' ! ' And the rockets red glare, the Bombs bursting in air. Gave proof through the night that our Flag was still there: 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 was born ori August 1. 1779. m western Mar ;land. When Francis was 10 years old. his parents sent him to grammar school in Annapolis. After graduating at the age of 17 he studied law in Annapolis while working with his uncle ' s law firm B]j 1805. he had a well established law practice of his own in Georgetown, a suburb of Washington. DC By 1814. he had appeared manxj times before the Supreme Court, and had been appointed the United States District Attorneij. Francis Scott Key was a deeply religious man. Because of his religious beliefs. Key was strongly opposed to the War of 1812 However, due to his deep love for his country, he did serve for a brief time in the Georgetown field artillery in 1813. During the War of 1812. Dr. William Beanes. a close friend of Key ' s was taken prisoner by the British. Since Key was a well-known lawyer, he was asked to assist in efforts to get Dr. Beanes released. Knowing that the British were in the Chesapeake Bay. Key left for Baltimore. There Key met with Colonel John Skinner, a government agent who arranged for prisoner exchanges. Together, they set out on a small boat to meet the Royal Navy. On board the British flagship, the officers were very kind to Key and Skinner. They agreed to release Dr Beanes However, the three men were not permitted to return to Baltimore until after the bombardment of Fort McHenry The three Americans were placed aboard the American ship, and waited behind the British fleet. From a distance of approximately eight miles. Key and his friends watched the British bom bard Fort McHenry After 25 hours of continuous bombing, the British decided to leave since they were unable to destroy the fort as they had hoped Realizing that the British had ceased the attack. Key looked toward the fort to see if the flag was still there. To his relief, the flag was still flying! Quickly, he wrote down the words to a poem which was soon handed out as a handbill under the title. Defense of Fort McHenry. Later, the words were set to music, and renamed. The Star Spangled Banner. This became a popular patriotic song, and in 1931 it became our national an- them.

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