Chasing Freedom Runaway Slaves and Soldiers During the War of 1812

Authors

Lane Lisonbee, Brigham Young University

Keywords

The War of 1812, Runaway Slaves, Runaway Soldiers

Abstract

On the morning of September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key made an indelible contribution to United States patriotism. Through the night he had witnessed the British bombardment of the American Fort McHenry while aboard the H.M.S. Tonnant, a British ship on which he had been detained after helping to negotiate the release of an American prisoner of war. He and his companion, Colonel John Stuart Skinner, had anxiously kept their eyes on the flag flying over the fore, and when in the early light of day they could see chat the stars and stripes stripes of che American banner had not been taken down in defeat., Key commemorated the moment by writing a poem entitled Defence of Fort McHenry. His poem would lacer come co be known as The Star-Spangled Banner. Most Americans are familiar with the first verse of Key's poem, but rarely hear or sing the additional three verses. The third verse provides a fascinating glimpse into one aspect of the War of 1812:

"And where is that band whoso vauncingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,

A home and a country, shall leave us no more?

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps 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."

Recommended Citation

Lisonbee, Lane (2024) "Chasing Freedom Runaway Slaves and Soldiers During the War of 1812," The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing: Vol. 45: Iss. 1, Article 8.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thetean/vol45/iss1/8