That poem was distributed in Baltimore and across the United States dated September 17, 1814 entitled “Defense Of Fort McHenry” with the following excerpt before it: “The annexed song was composed under the following circumstances – A gentleman had left Baltimore, in a flag truce for the purpose of getting released from the British fleet, a friend of his who had been captured at Marlborough. He went as far as Patuxent and was not permitted to return lest the intended attack on Baltimore should be disclosed. He was therefore brought up the bay to the mouth of the Patapsco, where the flag vessel was kept under the guns of a frigate and he was compelled to witness the bombardment of Fort McHenry which the Admiral had boasted that he would carry out in a few hours and that the city must fall. He watched the flag at the Fort through the whole day with an anxiety that can better be felt than described until the night prevented him from seeing it. In the night he watched the ‘Bomb Shells’ and at early dawn his eye was again greeted by the proudly waving flag of his country.”

At the first light Adm. Cochrane of the British navy also saw that same American Flag flying over Fort McHenry and knew his attack was in vain and signaled his bombarding squadrons to return to North Point. He also sent a message to Col. Brooke to do the same and they sailed to New Orleans to advance up the Mississippi, the southern prong, where they would also be defeated by Major Gen. Andrew Jackson on 1/8/1815.  Even though the Treaty of Ghent was signed 12/24/1814 and it was considered the final major battle of the war of 1812 and the greatest American land victory.  Ft. McHenry along with a handful of militia made all the difference at the Treaty of Ghent and the Battle of New Orleans along with a ‘Rooster’ we’ll call ‘Henry’ who stood on the parapet all night during the battle at Ft. McHenry and crowed at the British and gave inspiration to the militia. Unfortunately he was hit with scrap metal and died two days later.

Out of 1,000 militia at Fort McHenry only 4 died and 24 were wounded. Gen. Samuel Smith sent a letter to James Monroe, acting Secretary of War; “Sir, I have the honor of informing you that the enemy, after an unsuccessful attempt, by land and by water on this place appears to be retiring.”  P.S. “The enemy’s vessels in the Patapsco are all underway going down river.”  The London newspaper however, on June 17th, 1814 printed, “In diplomatic circles it is rumored that our naval and military commanders on the American soil have no power to conclude any armistice or suspension of arms. They carry with them certain terms which will be offered to the American government at the point of a bayonet. There is reason to believe that America will be left in a much worse situation.” News did not travel very fast in those days, no e-mail! 🙂

Many years latter in a speech delivered in his native Frederick County, Francis Scott Key recalled his feelings at the time: “I saw the Flag of my country waving over the city, the strength and pride of my native state, a city devoted to plunder and desolation by its assailants. I witnessed the preparation for its assaults and I saw the array of its enemies as they advanced to the attack. I heard the sound of battle, the noise on the conflict fell upon my listening ear, and told me that, ‘the brave and the free’ had met the invaders.  “Through the clouds of the war the stars of that banner still shone in my view, and I saw the discomfited host of its assailants driven back in disgrace and mortified humiliation to their ships. Then, in that hour of deliverance and joyful triumph, my heart spoke; ‘And does not such a country and such defenders of their country deserve a song?’ With it came an inspiration not to be resisted and even though it had been a hanging matter to make a song, I must have written it. Let the praise then, if any be due, be given not to me, who only did what I could not help doing, not to the writer, but to the inspirers of the song.”

It wasn’t until Key, Skinner, Beanes and their party got to Baltimore the next day and Key found a quiet room at the Indian Queen Hotel that he revised and expanded his poem into what you have today.  Then he gave it to a friend and in-law, Judge Joseph Nicholson who had it printed and distributed as a handbill. It was Thomas Carr who set it to music to an old tune, ‘To Anacreon in Heaven.’  It wasn’t declared our ‘National Anthem’ until March 3, 1931 when the VFW delivered over 5 million signatures and the US Congress and Senate caved in and voted it in. The ‘National Code:’ If the ‘National Anthem’ is played while the U.S. Flag is displayed, everyone present should face it, stand at attention and salute the flag when it is raised, lowered or passes by in a parade. If the flag is not displayed, all persons should stand and face the music. Persons in uniform should salute throughout the Anthem. All others should stand at attention and men should remove their hats. A man or woman in a military uniform should give a hand salute. A man not in uniform salutes by removing his hat with his right hand and holding it at his left shoulder with his right palm inward over his heart. A man without a hat salutes by placing his right hand over his heart. A woman also salutes by placing her right hand over her heart, women do not remove their hats to salute the flag. The flag should be saluted at the moment it passes by in a parade or in review. Citizens of other countries stand at attention but do not salute. Mrs. Reuben Ross Halloway, a patriot and advocate for the National Anthem said, “When the National Anthem is played even if you are in a bathtub you are to stand at attention.”

Let me close with Johnny Cash’s poem “The Ragged Old Flag” and I would encourage you to go on you-tube and listen to it:

“I walked through a country court house square; On a park bench an old man was sitting there. I said,”Your old court house is kinda run down;” He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town.” I said, “Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit; And that’s a ragged old flag you got hangin’ on it.” He said, “Have a seat,” and I sat down. “Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?” I said, “I think it is.” He said, “I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud of that, ‘Ragged Old Flag.’

“You see, we got a little hole in that Flag there; When Washington took it across the Delaware. And it got burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it; Writing, ‘O Say Can You See!’ It got a rip in New Orleans; With Packingham and Jackson tugging at its seams. And it almost fell at the Alamo; Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though. She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville; And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill. There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg; And the south wind blew hard on that, ‘Ragged Old Flag.’

“On Flanders Field in World War I; She got a big hole from the Bertha Gun. She turned blood red in World War II; She hung limp, and low, a time or two. She was in Korea and Vietnam; She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam. She waved from our ships upon the briny foam; Now they’ve about quit wav’in her back here at home. Here in her own good land she’s been abused; She’s been burned, dishonored, denied and refused.

“And the very government for which she stands; Has been scandalized throughout the land. And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearin’ thin; But she’s in good shape, for the shape she’s in. Cause she’s been through the fire before; And I believe she can take a whole lot more. So we raise her up every morning; And we bring her down slow every night. We don’t let her touch the ground; And we fold her up right. On second thought, I do like to brag; Cause I’m mighty proud of, That Ragged Old Flag.”            ‘Between The Lines’