John A. Carpenter

John A. Carpenter is the author of The Star-Spangled Banner, a historical account that was first published in The Century in July 1894 and is now widely available through Project Gutenberg. His writing centers on the events behind Francis Scott Key’s anthem and the wartime setting that gave the song its lasting meaning.

Reliable biographical details about Carpenter himself appear to be scarce in the sources I could confirm. Because of that, it is safest to remember him as a historical writer whose surviving reputation rests mainly on this concise, accessible retelling of an important American story.