Washington Irving had searched for a job…
July 1815 CE
Washington Irving had searched for a job after the success of A History of New York and eventually became an editor of Analectic magazine, where he wrote biographies of naval heroes like James Lawrence and Oliver Perry.
He was also among the first magazine editors to reprint Francis Scott Key's poem "Defense of Fort McHenry", which would later be immortalized as "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States.
Like many merchants and New Yorkers, Irving had originally opposed the War of 1812, but the British attack on Washington, D.C., in 1814 had convinced him to enlist.
He had served on the staff of Daniel Tompkins, governor of New York and commander of the New York State Militia.
Apart from a reconnaissance mission in the Great Lakes region, he saw no real action.
The war was disastrous for many American merchants, including Irving's family, and in mid-1815 he leaves for England to attempt to salvage the family trading company.
He will remain in Europe for the next seventeen years.
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