The British attack that backfired and created “The Star-Spangled Banner” instead

The Star-Spangled Banner (National Anthem, 1931)

Francis Scott Key never meant to write America’s national anthem. He was just a lawyer trying to free a friend from a British ship.

Soon cannons started firing at Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814, as he watched British warships pound the Baltimore harbor fort with rockets and bombs.

When dawn broke and the American flag still flew, Key scribbled a poem on the back of a letter. That poem became “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Here’s what happened that night, preserved today at Fort McHenry National Monument where you can walk the same ramparts Key saw.

The Mission to Free Dr. Beanes

Key and Colonel John Skinner left Baltimore on September 5, 1814.

They sailed on an American ship with a white flag showing they came in peace. They wanted to free Dr. William Beanes, a Maryland doctor.

British forces captured him after burning Washington, D.C., in August 1814, accusing him of aiding enemy operations near Upper Marlboro.

Key went to help free his friend.

Meeting with the British Command

On September 7, 1814, Key and Skinner boarded HMS Tonnant and dined with Vice-Admiral Cochrane, Rear-Admiral Cockburn, and Major-General Ross.

The Americans brought letters from wounded British soldiers which showed how well American doctors, including Beanes, had treated them.

This proof convinced the British to free the doctor. But now they knew Key and his friends had learned about their plans to attack Baltimore.

Detained on Their Own Vessel

The British sent Key, Skinner, and Beanes back but kept them guarded, preventing their return to shore until after the Baltimore attack.

The British feared they would reveal British troop positions and battle plans. This forced stay gave Key a clear view of the coming battle.

From their spot in the harbor, the three men could see Fort McHenry which guarded Baltimore Harbor and was the last defense.

More on The Great Garrison Flag

A year earlier, Major George Armistead had requested a flag “so large the British could see it from afar” for Fort McHenry.

Baltimore flagmaker Mary Pickersgill got the job in July 1813. She made a 30-by-42-foot garrison flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes for the 15 states.

Pickersgill worked with her daughter, two nieces, an African American servant named Grace Wisher, and her mother.

Fort McHenry got the flag on August 19, 1813.

The British Bombardment Begins

British ships fired on Fort McHenry on the morning of September 13, 1814. Admiral Cochrane ordered the attack as planned.

The ships stayed two miles from the fort. This kept them safe from American cannons while their guns could still hit the fort.

For 25 hours, British ships fired about 1,500 exploding shells at Fort McHenry. These bombs and rockets lit up the night with flashes and booms.

A Night of Uncertainty

Key watched the attack all night from his ship.

The constant explosions turned the dark sky into a frightening light show. The fierce attack made Key think the fort would fall by morning.

He later said it looked “as though Mother Earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire.”

He didn’t know if the American flag still flew or if the fort had surrendered.

The Dawn’s Early Light

As dawn broke on September 14, Key looked through his spyglass. He searched the horizon toward Fort McHenry to see which flag flew over the fort.

During the battle, the fort flew its smaller storm flag, measuring 17 by 25 feet. This flag stood through the rain and battle all night.

At dawn, as the British began to retreat, Major Armistead lowered the storm flag and raised the massive garrison flag to signal victory.

Writing the First Draft

Seeing the American flag still flying moved Key deeply.

He began writing a poem on the back of a letter from his pocket while still on the American ship, not as a prisoner on a British vessel as some stories claim.

Key did not write on an envelope as they were uncommon in 1814. He likely used plain paper with pen and ink to record his thoughts.

Completing the Poem at the Indian Queen Hotel

The British finally freed Key, Skinner, and Beanes on September 16, 1814. They returned to Baltimore, and Key checked into the Indian Queen Hotel.

In his room, Key improved his draft and added three more verses.

The anthem reflects seeing the flag survive Fort McHenry’s attack, symbolizing hope, per the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

The next day, Key showed his poem to Judge Joseph Nicholson, his brother-in-law who’d fought at Fort McHenry and realized its importance.

From Poem to Popular Song

A Baltimore printer made the first copies of Key’s poem on September 17, 1814. This single sheet had the title “Defence of Fort M’Henry.”

On September 20, two Baltimore newspapers printed the poem. Within weeks, at least 17 newspapers from Georgia to New Hampshire printed Key’s words.

Baltimore music store owner Thomas Carr published the words and music together, calling it “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Visiting Fort McHenry National Monument, Maryland

Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore lets you walk the grounds where the original battle took place, including ranger programs.

The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House in Baltimore showcases where Mary Pickersgill made the famous flag.

The National Museum of American History in DC reserves a dedicated chamber for the flag with historical presentations.

No reservations are needed for regular visits.

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