Friday, July 4, 2008 Return to top
~Snooper~
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The Star-Spangled Banner
Oh, 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 thru 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.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru 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.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the 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, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
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, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the 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!
This is the story:
The British entered Chesapeake Bay on August 19, 1814 and in just 5 days invaded and captured the young Republic's Capital, burning down both the Capitol and White House with flames visible 40 miles away in Baltimore which was soon to be attacked by both land and sea.
The war of 1812 was quickly coming to a sad end. Earlier in 1813 Maj. George Armistead (US) the commander of Fort McHenry (Baltimore Port) ask for a flag so big "the British would have no trouble seeing it from a distance."
During the attack of Baltimore the townsfolk asked a young, 35 years old, attorney, Mr. Key, for his assistance in obtaining the release of the town physician, Dr. William Beanes, who was being held as a prisoner. Mr. Key along with Col. John Skinner, an agent for prisoner exchange, sailed under a flag of truce 3 September. Producing a pouch of letters from wounded British prisoners praising their care which Dr. Beanes provided, they were able to secure his release.
A decisive sea attack was soon to be launched by the British and the American party was not allowed to return back to Baltimore having seen the enemy's preparations. The British began a bombardment of Fort McHenry which lasted 25 hours, firing bombshells weighing as much as 220 pounds.
Seeing the flag still flying at day break, the attorney, Francis Scott Key, an amateur poet, wrote on the back of a letter and while sailing back to Baltimore and later in his lodgings at the Indian Queen Hotel the poem which became our National Anthem. It was printed in the Baltimore Patriot on 20 September, and the Baltimore American the next day followed by a dozen more newspapers in the following weeks.
Between their loved home and the 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!
This is the story:
The British entered Chesapeake Bay on August 19, 1814 and in just 5 days invaded and captured the young Republic's Capital, burning down both the Capitol and White House with flames visible 40 miles away in Baltimore which was soon to be attacked by both land and sea.
The war of 1812 was quickly coming to a sad end. Earlier in 1813 Maj. George Armistead (US) the commander of Fort McHenry (Baltimore Port) ask for a flag so big "the British would have no trouble seeing it from a distance."
During the attack of Baltimore the townsfolk asked a young, 35 years old, attorney, Mr. Key, for his assistance in obtaining the release of the town physician, Dr. William Beanes, who was being held as a prisoner. Mr. Key along with Col. John Skinner, an agent for prisoner exchange, sailed under a flag of truce 3 September. Producing a pouch of letters from wounded British prisoners praising their care which Dr. Beanes provided, they were able to secure his release.
A decisive sea attack was soon to be launched by the British and the American party was not allowed to return back to Baltimore having seen the enemy's preparations. The British began a bombardment of Fort McHenry which lasted 25 hours, firing bombshells weighing as much as 220 pounds.
Seeing the flag still flying at day break, the attorney, Francis Scott Key, an amateur poet, wrote on the back of a letter and while sailing back to Baltimore and later in his lodgings at the Indian Queen Hotel the poem which became our National Anthem. It was printed in the Baltimore Patriot on 20 September, and the Baltimore American the next day followed by a dozen more newspapers in the following weeks.
Labels: 4th Of July, Patriotism, Snooper Speaks
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