AMERICAN POETRY THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER FRANCIS SCOTT KEY This poem, recognized by the United States Army as our national anthem in General Orders No. 201 of the War Department, published December 15, 1906, was written by Francis Scott Key on Wednesday morning, September 14, 1814. It was during the War of 1812, while the British forces were attacking the city of Baltimore, that the author was a temporary prisoner on the British flagship Surprise. Key had gone to the ship to secure the release of a friend. From one o'clock Wednesday morning until seven o'clock, the bombardment of Fort McHenry had been so intense that the fort was enveloped in smoke. When the firing stopped, Key watched the outlines of the fort gradually re-appear until finally, with unbounded joy, he saw that the flag still floated in defiance of the shot and shell hurled against it. Inspired by that sight, he wrote the immortal words of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The original flag belongs to Mr. Eben Appleton of New York. It is twenty-eight by thirty feet in size and shows many battle scars. The song was first printed by The American of Baltimore as a pamphlet and distributed throughout the camps around the city, from which it spread over the whole country. Army regulations prescribe a certain formality to be observed when "The Star-Spangled Banner" is played. Although the song has never been formally adopted by congress as our national anthem, yet patriotism prescribes that a like formality should be observed by civilians when it is played. Within doors every one should rise and stand at attention, straight, with arms at the sides, facing the flag, or, if there is none displayed, facing the music. Outdoors it is customary for men to remove their hats and stand at attention with the hat held in the right hand over the left breast. Out of respect for our Ally, England, the third verse as originally written is now omitted. O SAY, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming! And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there; O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave On that shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines on the stream; 'Tis the star-spangled banner; O long may it wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved homes and foul war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto,-"In God is our trust": And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. WARREN'S ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS JOHN PIERPONT This poem was written in commemoration of the events taking place on the 17th of June, 1775. At noon of that day 3,000 British regulars were ordered forward to storm the hill upon which Warren's soldiers were massed. The reception accorded the regulars made them flee in disorder. STAND! The ground's your own, my braves! Will ye look for greener graves? Hope ye mercy still? |