From the West
From the West,
Many Brothers may be very well aware of the history of The Star-Spangled Banner, but did you know that many contest that Franics Scott Key was also a Brother? There is no written verification of this, but it is highly believed, by many masonic scholars, that Key was a member of Concordia Lodge No. 13 in Maryland. Even though this may remain a mystery, I think we can all agree that his brave actions and devotions to this country is something that we, as Masons, can all admire and respect.
It was on the night of September 13th, during the War of 1812 at the Battle of Baltimore, while serving as quarter master, Bro. Key witnessed the onslaught of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy. He was aboard a naval ship which had been delayed reaching port due to the battle. While onboard, he anxiously watched as the battle ensued. The battle continued throughout the night and when Bro. Key arose the next morning to see the American Flag was still flying over the Fort, he was inspired to write his poem.
During the Battle of Baltimore, the fort was flying the smaller storm flag. It was not until the morning of September14th when Bro. Key arose, that he saw the much larger Garrison Flag had been raised. This flag was specially brought in at the request of Major George Armistead, the fort’s commander. He expressed a huge desire to have the very large 15-star flag at the ready, in anticipation of the attack. At the time of the bombardment, it was the attacks from the British ship, HMS Erebus, that provided the “rockets red glare” and from the HMS Terror, Volcano, Devastation, Meteor, and Aetna unloading their heavy mortars came the, “bombs bursting in air.” Fortunately, Fort McHenry was well armed with heavy cannons, and this cannon fire forced the British Fleet to fire from their maximum range, keeping them with minimal accuracy.
Even though Bro. Key began to write his poem while aboard the ship, it was not until September 16th, when he was able to disembark from the ship and go to his hotel that he was able to complete the lyrics. The poem that Bro. Key first wrote had no title. It was later added as “Defence of Fort M’Henry”. After that it was changed to “The Star-Spangled Banner”. It was this poem that gave us the lyrics to our national anthem, and it was not until 117 years later, on March 3rd, 1931, that the first stanza of this poem, turned into song, was actually adopted as such, in a joint resolution passed by the US Congress.
I would like to present to you the full original version of The Star Spangle Banner.
The Star-Spangled Banner
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d 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
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 - O 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 wash’d out their foul footstep’s 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.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d 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.
Source: NMAH | The Lyrics (si.edu)
Fraternally and On the Level,
Noel Lukas
Senior Warden
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