the war behind the lyrics [ssb]

[american_flag_uk]

i thought i should give a link to this video that i've just watched on YouTube

it tells the story behind the Star Spangled Banner in a very moving and inspiring way

it brought tears to my eyes- especially as my ancesters were the ones who were in the boats firing at the shore - demanding that the American Flag be pulled down and that they'd keep firing until it was on the ground

if you have 1o minutes to spare this is well worth a viewing

[parental guidance- this video contains vivid descriptions of warfare]

YouTube - Star Bangled Banner Story

im just drying my eyes now!

[Peter Ansoff]

Sorry, but that video is a piece of rubbish. The writer did not have the faintest idea what he was talking about, and it is riddled with so many errors that one doesn't know where to begin. In particular, the stories about the prisoners in the ship's hold, and the soldiers' bodies supporting the flag pole, are both complete nonsense.

If you're interested in the real story, there are several good books on the subject. The standard popular history is "The Dawn's Early Light" by Walter Lord. "The Star Spangled Banner" by Lonn Taylor (published by the Smithsonian) has a good brief account in Chapter 1. The summary in Chapter 7 of Quaife, et. al., "The History of the United States Flag" is also good.

Peter A.

[american_flag_uk]

my comment was true though - they DID want to the flag down - i knew it was not all truth but it stil twanged my heartstings

ive been to the site of ft henry beofre - and the star spangled banner museum at baltimore and that was cool

[Peter Ansoff]

they DID want to the flag down

Of course, they wanted the Americans to surrender, but it's not likely that they were trying to shoot down the flagpole. Mortars were not that accurate!

There is actually an interesting question about whether the flag that's preserved in the Smithsonian actually flew over the fort during the battle. There were two flags made for Fort McHenry, a 30 by 40 foot garrison flag and a 17 by 25 foot storm flag. Two eyewitnesses (one American and one British) stated clearly that the big flag was hoisted over the fort on the morning after the battle, which is when Key would have seen it "by the dawn's early light." However, it seems reasonable that the storm flag was the one flying during the battle -- it was a stormy, rainy night. The flag in the Smithsonian is the big garrison flag. I don't believe anyone knows what happened to the storm flag.

The part of the SSB that always gives me goosebumps is the beginning of the fourth verse:

"O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation"

May it always be so.

Peter Ansoff