STORY OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER - NON VALK

[DIGGER]

The story behind the "Star Spangled Banner" our National Anthem	powered by Aeva

[Willow]

I don't wish to diminish anyone's patriotic zeal, but this piece, although emotionally read, is almost entirely fiction and greatly inaccurate.

The reader repeatedly refers to "the colonies" and "the American colonies" placing the event in the wrong war.  He refers to Fort McHenry multiple times as Fort Henry.  He implies that the battle for Baltimore would end the war and that some sort of agreement regarding the flag was arranged between the British fleet and the American defenders of the fort.

The entire dialog he relates between the British commander and Mr. Key is made up.  Francis Key was not even the primary member of the party dining aboard the British vessel and he certainly didn't row himself out in a small boat.

If this reading inspires you, please research Francis Scott Key and "The Defence of Fort McHenry".  The true story is indeed inspiring enough.

[x]

Where does this stuff come from and why do people make it up?

[DIGGER]

I did what you said and looked this up on Wikapedia and it looks to me like it fits the story pretty accurately with the exception that the narrator DID get the name of the fort wrong.......in that he left off the Mc in Fort Mc Henry






The Star-Spangled Banner"
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 and 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.[4]

When the smoke cleared, 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, "The Defence of Fort McHenry", which he published in the Patriot on September 20, 1814. He intended to fit the rhythms of composer John Stafford Smith's "To Anacreon in Heaven".[4] 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.

In the fourth stanza Key urged the adoption of "In God is our Trust" as the national motto.[5] The United States adopted the motto "In God We Trust" by law in 1956.

[Bobbo]

It is obvious that the speaker took tremendous poetic license with that story.  Hundreds of ships?  History records 19.  Bodies holding up the demolished flagpole?  There were 4 Americans killed, and no mention of a damaged flagpole.  A British ultimatum for Fort McHenry?  No word of that can be found.  Heavy direct bombardment?  History shows the accuracy and effectiveness of the British guns to be so weak, they barely damaged the fort.  There are so many other inaccuracies, that it would be difficult to list them all.  This man may be a motivational speaker to people hungry for patriotic stories, but as a historian, he fails miserably.

I do thank you for posting, though!  It motivated me to learn the REAL story behind the Battle of Fort McHenry.   

[Jess Tolbirt]

this has been around for years and years...i'll see if i can find the original and post it on my site...
Here is the original radio broadcast,, now i'll have to find out what year this was..
http://www.jess2.com/fileshare/5760108