Then, in that hour of deliverance, my heart spoke -- birthday of that Poet - Lyricist

from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media, Garrison Keillor, daily notices of calendar and anniversaries)

August 1 is the birthday of the man who composed the American national anthem, Francis Scott Key, born on the family plantation in what is now Carroll County, Maryland (1779). During the War of 1812, he was aboard a British ship off the coast of Baltimore negotiating a prisoner exchange and became aware of an impending British attack on the nearby Fort McHenry. He was held captive and for two days forced to watch the bombardment of the unsuspecting American troops. And after being released, he wrote a poem called "Defense of Fort McHenry," in which he recounted the sight of the flag still waving through the debris of battle. The poem was fitted to a popular English tune of the day and soon became widely known as "The Star-Spangled Banner."

President Woodrow Wilson declared it the national anthem in 1916, and Congress followed with a resolution in 1931, signed by President Hoover. Key later authored a book on religion and literature and had a career as a lawyer.
He said: "Then, in that hour of deliverance, my heart spoke. Does not such a country, and such defenders of their country, deserve a song?"