the star spangled banner song sir francis scott key poem

When the British finally quit firing, Key looked toward the fort and, as his poem exclaims, “the flag was still there!,” signalling that the British Navy failed to take the fort. On SeptemKey watched the daylong bombardment from the British vessel. They arranged for the prisoner exchange but weren’t permitted to leave until the British had finished their attack on Fort McHenry. Key and Colonel John Skinner, who had assisted in prisoner exchanges before, boarded the British ship HMS Tonnant where Beanes was being held. William Beanes was taken captive by British forces in 1814, Key was enlisted to help. Key is best known for his role in commemorating the War of 1812 with a poem, “Defence of Fort M'Henry,” which was later set to the tune of a popular British drinking song and became “The Star Spangled Banner.” Deeply religious, Key opposed the war even as he served in the Georgetown Light Field Artillery. John’s College, he became a well-known lawyer with a practice in Georgetown. Francis Scott Key was born in Maryland to a wealthy plantation-owning family.

The star spangled banner song sir francis scott key poem