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 101152 - FRANCIS SCOTT KEY,
during the War of 1812. Key, accompanied by the American Prisoner
Exchange Agent Colonel John Stuart Skinner, dined aboard the British
ship HMS Tonnant, as the guests of three British officers: Vice
Admiral Alexander Cochrane, Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn, and
Major General Robert Ross. Skinner and key were there to negotiate the
release of prisoners, one being Dr. William Beanes. Beanes was a
resident of Upper Marlboro, Maryland and had been captured by the
British after he placed rowdy stragglers under citizen's arrest with a
group of men. Skinner, Key, and Beanes were not allowed to return to
their own sloop: they had become familiar with the strength an
position of the British units and with the British intent to attack
Baltimore. As a result of this, Key was unable to do anything but
watch the bombarding of the American forces at Fort McHenry during the
Battle of Baltimore on the night of September 13 - September 14, 1814.
At dawn, Key was able to see an American flag still waving and
reported this to the prisoners below deck. On the way back to
Baltimore, he was inspired to write a poem describing his experience,
"Defence of Fort McHenry", which he 
published in the Patriot
on September 20, 1814. He intended to fit it to the rhythms of
composer John Stafford Smith's "To Anacreon in Heaven", a
popular tune Key had already used as a setting for his 1805 song
"When the Warrior Returns," celebrating U.S. heroes of the
First Barbary War. (The earlier song is also the Key's original use of
the "star spangled" flag imagery). It has become better
known as "The Star Spangled Banner". Under
this name, the song was adopted as the American national anthem, first
by an Executive Order from President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 (which had
little effect beyond requiring military bands to play it) and then by
a Congressional resolution in 1931, signed by President Herbert
Hoover. Key's signature from the closing of a letter, a small
clip adhered to autograph book paper...F.S. Key, trifle separation
away from his signature, extremely rare, catalogues $500 as a
signature, first one we have ever offered...................................................$450.00
SOLD
9223 - THE FORMATION OF THE 16TH
REGIMENT, WAR OF 1812, 1 page letter dated at Philadelphia,
August 12th, 1812 by Lt. Colonel Richard Dennig to Captain Isaac
Barnard with details to begin forming the 16th Infantry Regiment. The
16th Regiment was very active in the northern campaigns near Canada.
Actually a folded letter sheet, very fine.......................$75.00
SOLD
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