NILES' WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore, Feb. 24, 1816  In additional to the regular 16 page issue, this being the last issue in the volume it also contains an"Addendum To Volume IX"  and the more lengthy "Supplement To Volume The Ninth" which comprises 192 pages of a wide range of noteworthy material which did not find room in the regular issues for the six months ending Feb. 24.
Of great significance is an items found on page 83, under a section of "National Poetry" which takes 12 pages and with the very first piece titled: "Defence of Fort McHenry", which has a simply terrific introductory paragraph which details how this piece--now known as the Star Spangled Banner--came to be written, including in part: "The annexed song was composed under the following circumstances.--A gentleman had left Baltimore in a flag of truce...went as far as the mouth of the Patuxent...the flag vessel was kept under the guns of a frigate & he was compelled to witness the bombardment of Fort M'Henry...He watched the flag of the fort through the whole day with an anxiety that can be better felt than described, until the night prevented him from seeing it. In the night he watched the bomb shells & at early dawn his eye was still greeted by the proudly waving flag of his country." And what follows are the versus to the song (see). It also notes it is to be sung to the tune "Anacreon in Heaven".
Terrific to not only have an early printing of the national anthem in a newspaper (albeit the Addendum to the issue) but also in a Baltimore publication, and with the great introductory piece which explains the conditions under which it was written. The Supplement has a full "Table of Contents" page which notes "Defence of Fort M'Henry" (see).
Given the great length of the Addendum and Supplement there are a total of 216 pages making it appear more as a booklet than a newspaper. Measures 6 1/4 by 9 3/4 inches, nice condition.