When Francis Scott Key learned that a friend was being held by the British, he decided to try to arrange his release. Dr. William Beanes had been abducted from his home in Baltimore and was being held on a British warship. Key got a note from President Madison that got him in to see Adm. Cochrane. Cochrane agreed to release Beanes, but the two had to spend the night on the vessel. Key had a front row seat for the British bombardment of Ft. McHenry. The fort had a massive American flag flying above it. As darkness covered the harbor, Key knew that if the flag came down, it was an indication that the fort had surrendered. As the light of dawn broached, Key was relieved to see the flag was still flying. He was inspired to write a poem about it on an envelope. He set the poem to an old English drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven”. It became “The Star-Spangled Banner”. It did not become the national anthem until 1931 when a researcher for “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” named Doug Storer pointed out we had no national anthem. Songwriters throughout the country tried their hands at composing one, but Storer and others argued for “The Star-Spangled Banner” and Congress agreed.
– Whitcomb 229 / Ayres 33-34
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