Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-06-12
BARBARA FREITCHIE.
Some Personal RecOIleCtiOns of the
Early Days Of the War.
Detroit Free Press.

bNtAoAt AiSN lcscsl
There has been considerable contro
versy over this venerable dame, whom
Whittier has immortalized in song a,
Brayest of All in Frederick Town
Some claim that she is a myth that
there was no such person in existence
and that the scenes which Whittier
has so graphically described were only
pigments Of the poets fancy. That
Barbara Freitchie lived there is al
present no question, and, also, that she
was alive at the time Stonewall Jack
son visited the city of Frederick is
also proved beyond a doubt; but for
the rest of the story, from all the
facts | can gather there seems nc
authority other than the poem. At
the time when these events were
claimed to have occurred, Dame
Barbara was very old and very de-
crepit, so much SO that she hobbied
around with a large staff, and it is
doubtful if she could have mounted
the stairs to the attic for the purpose
of waving the little silk flag which she
kept laid away in a bureau. That
she had no great love for the Confed-
crates is shown in the curt speeches
she is said to have made to some of
them who happened to cross over the
bridge and sat down on the piazza at
the end of her house, which was at
the end of the bridge, oyerhangiug the
creek, "OH with you" she said,
with many uncomplimentary personal
illusions, and poked them with her
staff. This, certainly, was not very
complimentary, and probably wasn't
intended to soothe their feelings, as
we learn that Barbara had that worst
Of female weapons, a sharp tongue
and, though so very old, she knew how
to use it, as her nephew, a secession
sympathizer, could testify. Barbara
used to speak of him as an arrant
knaye, and whenever she drew her
quarterly allowance he always got
a bit of advice not at all in
keeping with his secesh proclivities
| am not inclined to consider
as authentic the account of the
shooting Of the flag staff, and
of Dame Barbara's picking it
UP, first, because the rebel
army did not enter Frederick City on
the occasion named. They came
down the BOnnaughstown road, to-
ward the city, but turned off before
reaching it, and took a road running
in the other direction, so that they
would have left Barbara's horge be-
hind them. Another reason is, that
we don't believe Stonewall Jackson
would have ordered his troops to fire
at a private house in that way, espec-
tally if Dame Freitchie was in sight,
for it is established on good authority
that he had great respect for aged
women, and it was his special delight
to engage them in conversation. Con-
siderable romance has clustered
around this venerable dame, and we
should hesitate to detract an iota from
the honors that cluster around her and
make her famous. But let us not d.
injustice to the illustrious dead by
giving credence to unworthy tales.
Barbara Freitchie's work is Ger.
And jackson rides on his raids no more.
Honor to her, and let a tear
FALL for her sake on Stonewalls bier.
Anl not for her sake alone, but foi
his, for Stonewall Jacksnn was a re.
markable man-certainly one of the
most illustrious Of our times. No more
prominent character was developed by
our late unpleasantness." There ar,
many who believe that had his lif,
been. spared through the war, there
might have been a different ending t.
the conflict. He could truly be said t.
be q host in himself, and it is doubtful
If the loss of many thousand mel
would have crippled the Confederate
army as did the loss Of this one man
Certain it is, that the next great bat
tic between'the army of the Potoma,
and the army Of Northern Virgin.
brought defeat to the latter. and the
gained no more substantial victories
The battle Of Gettysburg was thl
turning point of the war against thu
Confederates, and from that time thei
fortunes declined till they culminater
in the fall Of Richmond and Peters
burg, April 2, 1868.
a PRIVATE OF a MAINE REGIMENT.