Today marks the 210th anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore and the subsequent writing of the American National Anthem. One of the founders of the Medical & Chirurgical Faculty, now known as MedChi, played a pivotal role in its writing.
Dr. William Beanes, one of the 101 Founders, was a physician/farmer in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. As the British moved up the shores and waters of the Potomac River, the soldiers camped at Beanes' farm. On their way back from burning the capital, they again camped at his farm. They were jubilant after their victory, and stole a pig to celebrate.
Dr. Beanes thought that was a violation of his agreement with the British, and arrested one of them. He was then arrested by the commander of the British Army and taken by boat down the Potomac and up the Chesapeake towards Baltimore. The British planned to burn and bomb Baltimore into oblivion like they did in Washington.
A young lawyer, Francis Scott Key, nephew of MedChi's first president, was given the job of negotiating with the British for Dr. Beanes' release. As the boat Key and Beanes were on moored off of Fort McHenry, they watched the Fort being bombed for 25 straight hours. 
When the sun rose on the morning of September 14, Key and Beanes could see that "the flag was still there" and Key began to write the poem that eventually became our National Anthem.
In summary, if Dr. Beanes had not been arrested, and if Beanes' friend, Upton Scott, MedChi's first President, hadn't had a nephew who was a lawyer, then neither of these two men would have been in the Baltimore harbor, and the anthem would not have been written.
To watch a short video about MedChi's role in writing the National Anthem, please click here to go to the MedChi Museum and Archives' YouTube channel. While you're there, we have several other videos about our history and some of our early accomplishments.
If you would like to make a contribution to support MedChi's Museum and Archives, please click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment