British ships kidnapping American sailors sparked the War of 1812, and America was once more fighting foreign troops on its shores.
Many felt the pain on a very personal level. Dr. William Beanes was one of these individuals.
The Arrest of Dr. Beanes
After British soldiers ransacked several local farms, allegedly in pursuit of food, Beanes helped arrest some Redcoats. The men were thrown into the Prince George’s County Jail, but somehow, one escaped.
Stranger still was the fact that this prisoner could make his way back to a British ship, where he told General Ross and Admiral Cockburn what had happened.
Ross and Cockburn were furious and decided to reciprocate by ordering the arrest of Dr. Beanes and the two colleagues who helped him.
The elderly Beanes was quickly found, put in chains, and taken aboard a British ship, where he risked execution as a spy for previously and inexplicably letting the British use his home as a base of operations.
Francis Scott Key
Friend and lawyer Francis Scott Key heard what had happened and, with President James Madison’s permission, had been granted leave to do what he could to negotiate for the release of such a prominent American.
Dr. Beanes had previously served as a doctor in Philadelphia during the War of Independence, treated soldiers at Valley Forge, and helped found the Medical Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland.
Taking several letters with him from British prisoners detailing how humanely the Americans had treated them, Key, and John Skinner set out to work a deal. Impressed by the letters, General Ross and Admiral Cockburn agreed to the release of Dr. Beanes.
The only condition?
Everyone had to wait until after Fort McHenry’s scheduled bombardment. And so, Key spent the next 25 hours watching as his homeland was blasted with enemy shells.
Ft. McHenry Bombardment
By daylight, Key could still see the American flag flying over Fort McHenry.
How his brothers-in-arms had been able to survive the night seemed a mystery. Why the British had given up after only a day was also a question.
The event so moved Key that he put pen to paper, writing a poem called “The Defence of Fort M’Henry.”
Once back on shore, the poem was quickly published anonymously in The Baltimore Patriot, an underground newspaper. It was quickly set to music and sung throughout America.
Only nobody called the song “The Defence of Fort M’Henry…”They called it “The Star Spangled Banner.”
This is a new style of article for Pew Pew Tactical, if you liked it — let us know in the comments! If you didn’t enjoy it…well phooey. To catch up on previous Pictures from History, click on over to our History Category.
The post A Picture from History: The Star Spangled Banner appeared first on Pew Pew Tactical.
