as I get back I hope I shall be able to set out for Fred[ericksburg] – ... Under sanction from President Madison, on September 3, Key traveled 40 miles by land from Washington to Baltimore, arriving there on the morning of September 4. He located Col. John Stuart Skinner (American agent for prisoners of war) who leased a 60 foot sloop-rigged packet ship belonging to John and Benjamin Ferguson, brothers who owned a cargo and passenger service between Baltimore and Norfolk. The ship had a nine man crew and was captained by John Ferguson (co-owner of the ship). They sailed from Baltimore the next day (September 5) out through the Patapsco River and then south, down the Chesapeake Bay. As recorded in the British ships' logs, on September 6, they had rendezvoused with HMS Royal Oak and the British troopships, near the mouth of the Patuxant. There they learned Dr. Beanes was aboard HMS Tonnant further down in the Bay. Rear Admiral Pulteney Malcolm assigned the frigate Hebrus to escort the American sloop to Tangier Island, where he thought Tonnant was. On September 7, around noon, they spotted Tonnant near the mouth of the Potomac. The flagship then anchored and brought Key and Skinner aboard. It was aboard HMS Tonnant, after dinner, that Skinner and Key successfully secured the release of Dr Beanes from Major General Robert Ross and Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane. At first, Ross refused to release Beanes but relented after reading letters, brought by Key, written by wounded British prisoners praising the American doctors for their kind treatment. Because Key and Skinner had overheard details of the plans for the attack on Baltimore, they were held captive until after the battle, several days later. From Tonnant, Key, Skinner and Dr Beanes were transferred to the frigate HMS Surprise the morning of September 8. The fleet then slowly moved up the Chesapeake toward Baltimore. The truce vessel was in tow with Surprise. On September 11, off the North Point peninsula, Col. Skinner insisted that they be transferred back to their own truce vessel, which they were allowed to do, under guard. It was still tethered to Surprise. Admiral Cochrane then transferred his flag to the shallow draft Surprise so he could move in with the bombardment squadron. Having advanced into the Patapsco River with a 16 ship attack force toward Fort McHenry, the 25 hour bombardment commenced at