Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1884-07-20
BARBARA rRircH,l.
Did She or Did She Not wave a Flag
ut Frederick

BARBARA fRfTChfk.
DID She or Did she Not wave a Flag
at Frederick
When Stonewall jackson marched into
Frederick City on that September morn
ing of 1862 with his Confederate army
LASTLY chanting "My Maryland" he
made the sleepy old town from that
moment one of the chief historic spots
of the war OF the rebellion.
Not because of a great battle, but
through poem, the growth OF an met
dent said to have occurred during his
progress through the streets. An old
dame, fired with an inextnguishabe de-
voti0n to the Union, was reported to
have waved small United States flag
from an upper window Of her humble
home as Jackson rode by, That was
Barbara fritchic. The incident was
told to MIR. Whittier some say by Mira.
Sonthworth- out OF the sentiment
aud patriotism OF the act the poet has
woven story so simple aud beautiful
that it will live as long as the war is re-
membered with interest ia the history
OF the nation.
Nearly all concur in one fact-Stone-
wall JACKSON did not pass the house Of
Barbara Fritchie. but entered by another
street aud thence through Mill alley and
no by the residence of some old friends.
At the corner Of the alley, according TO
some Mrs. Quantrell waved small
hand flag; but you may walk Tor day
and you will fail to find any one In Frod-
erick who saw her do it. Ii seems 10
have been born of the after. crop OF that
fruitful imagination which ripened and
bore 80 marvelously ben the cruel war
was over. Respectable people who
stand up boldly Tor Barbara snesr with
contempt at the Quantrell rivalry. aud
buadreds Of other respectable people
Smile with stolid incredulity at the
claims Of both.
UNCERTAINTY
You 20 into Frederick firm believer
In Barbara, and you leave il in dsze OF
uncertainty. The Republican man or
woman, whether in Frederick at the
time or not. will declare loudly for the
whole truth OF Mr.. Whittier's little epic,
unless, indeed. you meet Others who ig-
more old Barbara, and tell you il was
woman named Qnanirell who waved
that flag at the old Ironsides of the Con
federates. She, they will tell you, IA in
one Of the Washington departments
holding n clerkship on credit OF that
same flag. Others will as boldly declare
that the event never occurred. Repub-
leans, again, will say that these last
simply voice the sentiment of old Mary
land. Aud so you founder.
WHAT HE SAW.
An intelligent colored man was found
vino saw i ,rbara Fri;ohic waye the flag
from the dormer window OF her small one
and one.half story house. 10 stood on
the bank of the creek and by the bridge
crossing, and on this bridge Fitz Hugh
Lee sat on his horse while his men lay
around at their ease ut "a halt" There
was a flag presentation TO Capt. Dorseys
company oi cavalry raised IN or NJ ar
Frederick. The colored man saw Miss
Fanny Ebbert-, then young girl, pre-
sent the flag, and at that moment Bar
bara Fritchio waved the Union flag from
her window. There was a small excite
ment among the Confederates, and two
men rushed to the house and tried to
force open the door. Fitz Hugh Lee
ordered them back, but there was no
shooting and mo particular great excite
ment" after it. All of this the intelli-
gent colored man saw for himself and
was glad TO describe circumstantially
adding that good old Union man, one
Jacob Engelbrecht, living Immediately
opposite Barbara Fritchie, saw this also
and was exultant quietly, that some
one lived that was brave enough to wave
the old flag in tue face OF the rebels.
WHAT SHE KNEW.
This statement was strong enough to
serve as basis of inquiry. The young
girl OF twenty two years since was found
Ia Mrs. Dorsey. the widow of that
very Capt. Dorsey to whose company
she had presented the flag by the bridge
while Fiiz Hugh Ice looked on and Bar.
bara Fritchie stood up so boldly for her
side. Mrs. Dorsey, a refined lady in
spectacles, denied all knowledge OF the
waving of the flag by ,he old woman,
and also did not recolect presenting any
flag to any company of the Confederate
cavalry. 1t may have been; it was so
long ago, and she very young. She had
heard it reported of Mrs. Quantrell,
but of herself knew nothing, Mrs. frit
chic was brave enough to have done such
thing. Yesl She was of that character
of woman. She was known to go out
and chase the Confederate soldiers from
her door and from in front OF her
niue mouse WIN her oaue' no' spa,'ns
in her patriotic denunciation and espou
sal of the Union cause. Mrs. Dorsey
clearly Understood ,na' such an 'hc,ue ',
did not reheot on zen o.ohewa', JACK,
son OF the Confederate cause VI mat gay
put tnere was nothing III !" oue hir'
Whittisrs peaut'iui poem, 90 iar was was
shattered the eircams,aht'a' narrative
Oh the ih'e'''seh' co'ore" ""h'
THE lirrlt hoosh'
photograph eaie'y wus Np,o,eu
anu pictures oi oaroara rr''en'o anu he,
nt.,e house were ','u'r w; i"no'eus Vi
ooth hsu oee' soio, ine PhoVoRr"Phei
was ou.' put uoup'iess II ne i,au o.eh IN
ne wou'o nave s'ooo stou.y W 'ho o'o
haay ,"o'ho'y -anu nis pictures. ,o
Ing mousse was Pu'ieu uowh III i1oo'
ana tney are those VINO no NO. hesi'
tate TO say tnnt the aur'hf I,
OF tnat ume iouh" convenient
10 widen tue creek III 'ha' precise
spot III oruer 10 destroy tuI'
monument 70 BARBARA 'r',ch.e s'auheh
ioyaity: on tue ouner siue' .he non DC
'eVors III Danu pa'p"ra i,"iouie VIC
'uea us aps"roiy ,aise, oanes we's
"aac iro'h ''o woou Vi ,"'s muse anu
soid AT the oen'eih'si- nu'i'reus o'
'he,i WIN oe'.,u'"Io "e."o. e.'
10 return 10 GU jacob rhSsIp'ecn.'
tne ta,lor' VINO h'eo opp"s'.e Nrs. rr.t
cue wheh sue "aVeu ''ie nag 'ua VINO
was e,aa oi H. honest on Jacob ms
joined tne majority ou' ne mas iett
gary peh'hd written u, every hue ana
DAY oy day himseh. ms was seen anu
FOUND 20 De t"'i OF 'n''re u