The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-27
GALL QUIET ALONG THE POToM4'
An Old Question R%eopened.

The following communication adds another
to the list of those who claim to have written
the we'll known poem, "All Quiet Along the
Potomac" We print 1t with pleasure, and
should be pleased to see Mr.. Oliver substan.
tiate the claims of his father in q manner that
would admit of no doubt:
MADISON, Ca, April II, 1872.
TO THE EDITOR OF TIE NEWS.
Prompted by the mingled feelings of desire
that Justice should be done, and Of resent
ment against actual injustice. and impelled
also by the love of my heart, 1 a my pen
to state q few facts In reference to the poem
whose name heads this article. Until recently
I was not~aware that any one had publicly
laid claim to Its authorship, and, as an
was willing that II should go down to pos
terity. But some weeks ago / saw, for the
first time. the work of Professor Davidson,
of the University of South Carolina, on the
writer's Of The South, in which is cited Q brsg-
CART, srread-feather letter from Lamar
Fontaine, asserting that 'sthe world may
howl over 1t as 1t may, but the poem Ia bis,
and he wrote it." The real author was a may
of extreme modesty and lack of pretenslon,
and, were he living, would be the last to re-
fer to the fact that 1.-THE world" had noticed
bis poem, much less been 30 exercised about
1t as to wrangle and "howl over 1t"
Published without bis consent, and in oppo-
sition to his express wish and request, and
himself In the Army Of Virginia at the time of
It's publication, he did not Know 1t was in the
simmortal custody of the press" till 1t had
been scattered broadcast throughout the land.
Published and republished, Set to music and
sung by the wives and daughters OF Conled.
crate soldiers, he was utterly amazed at its re.
ceptiop. In August, 1864, his 'dust returned
to the earth as II was, and his spirit unto
God who gave it," and other hand than that
which wrote It. must seek 10 save his poem
from men mo would rob the dead. There
was but one witness to the writing, which
took place in the late summer or early fall
of 1861. It was read Immediately after to q
circle of literary friends. One OF these copied
1t and had 1t published. The outgoing Of q
heart that tenderly loved the wife and mother
star away in the cot on the mountain" and
s.the two on the low trundle bed" the elder OF
those here claims these words, which. Till war
anal cease. are set to seul.music, as the pecu.
liar possession of his mother, his brother ana
himself. who hold them dOubly dear because
they are the expression of a husband and q
fathers love. That husband and father, and
not the least of Southern poets, though ne
died In his prime, was Thaddeus Oliver, OF the
Second Georgia Regiment, whose home was
Buena Vista, Marion County, Ga. If there be-
any still living who can testify to the truth OF
the facts above stated, I earnestly request
them to do 90 forthwith. In the meantime,
have the satisfaction OF knowing that my
fathers poem has been claimed for MIN; tnst
the usurpers of his rights have not gone un-
rebuked, and that nv hands have woven q
garland with which to decorate his grave.
HUGH F. OLIVER.