Frederic Ray

The story is told with text and drawings. The 4-stanzas of the national anthem are reproduced on the back cover.

The War of 1812. The British blockaded the entire American coast, especially the Chesapeake where Admiral George Cockburn sailed at will. This fleet was joined by Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane in 1814, and they landed General Robert Ross with a large contingent of toops who swept up the Patuxent River and burned Washington DC.

A small truce ship from Baltimore approached the fleet seeking to intercede with Admiral Cochrane for the release of Doctor William Beanes, a prisoner being held aboard the fleet. The Americans were Colonel John Skinner, and a lawyer from Georgetown, Francis Scott Key. The British agreed to release the doctor, but they would not be allowed shore until after the pending assault.

After the Revolutionary War, in 1805 a new "star fort" was built to guard the harbor of Baltimore. Funds were contributed by the Federal government and by donations from the citizens. Named after James McHenry of Maryland, the secretary to General Washington and Secretary of War 1796-1800. The British naval bombardment began on September 13. Sixteen warships opened the bombardment with 13-inch sea mortars which hurled 200 pound bombs into the American works. Mortars and Congreve rockets were deployed, which were new at the time, and "spectacular".

Key sat out the shelling of Fourt McHenry from the deck of an American truce ship. He could see that the defenders in the Fort were unable to match the long range of the British guns. After a 25-hour bombardment, his vigil was a constant alarm of anxiety. Yet in the first rays of the next dawn, he could see that the flag still waved over the ramparts.… (more)