Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-12-12
BARBARA FREITCHIE
ANOTHER VERSION OF THE INCIDENT
MADE FAMOUS BY WHITTIER.

It Was % Younger Woman Who Waved
the Flag at the cConfc,Icrates-IIow Bar
bara Came to Get the Crcdit-Thc Char
nctcr and Home Of barbara Freitclie.
1t seems a pity to upset so pretty
picture as the one drawn by Whittier
of the aged Barbara Freitchie waving
the stars and stripes over the heads of
the rebel hosts as they marched through
Frederick, but truth compels the state
ment that Barbara only displayed tho
flag after the arrival Of the Federal
troops, while a younger woman dared
the rebels, without, however, being
fred upon.
Barbara's maiden name was Hancr,
and she was born on Dec 3, 17GG,
i'll Lancaster Pa. Her family moved to
Frederick, Md, when she was child,
and i'll 1906 she married John Casper
Freitchie. One of her relatives now liv-
ing in Frederick is authority for the
following statement:
Barbara was intensely patriotic
| and i'll September, 1862, when the
Union soldiers drove the rebels out of
Frederick, Barbara manifested her de-
light by standing at her window with IA
silk flag i'll her hand. Owing to her adj
vanced age (nearly 96) she attracted a
great deal of attention, both officers and
privates breaking ranks to shake her by
the hand. For three hours she continued
by the window, until, becoming exhaust
ed, she was persuaded to come i'll al d
rest. Earlier i'll the day younger No-
man had waved small Union flag
from house in the same street while
the rebels were passing She was not
fired upon, however.
"In the excitement following on the
retreat of the rebels the two incidents
became blended together, ard resident
of the town, writing to Mrs 4. d. L. n
Southworth, treated them as one. Mrs.
SouthWCrth, feeling that she could not
do justice to the theme wrote an ac-
count of it to the poet Whittier, who,
stretching poets license to the limit,
penned the well known verses entitled
Barbara Frcitchie.
"Barbara's home was situated on
West Patrick street, on the cast bank of
Carroll creek. Directly opposite was the
town spring. whose waters sill bubble
up as refreshingly as they did through all
the years of our bitter strife. Whichever
party held Frederick was sure to tie r;p-
resented by its soldiers at that spring.
There during hot summer days they
would lounge i'll the shade of Barbara's s
stoop. If it were the boys in blue, she
was very gracious and would como down
and lend them her tumhlcrs CT her dip
per and give them biscuits, but not so
the ConfederutCs, whom she would drive
from her premises or order from her
portiCo with Il majestic motion of her
cane, her great age protecting her from
insolence or harm.
Barbara died OH Dec. IS, 1862, at
the age of 96 years and 10 days. She
was buried beside her husband in tho
German Reformed church yard of Fred
erick.
I'm 1868 flocd did great deal of
damage to property Oh West Patrick
street, and Barbara's house was con-
demned and tern down I o " iden Carroll
creek. The carpenter who razed the
house made canes of the balustrade and
sold them. One was sent to General
Grant as souvenir
AFTER Barbara's death there was a
sale of a portion Of her furniture and it
was my pleasure afew years since to see
a bedstead owned by her i'll an uphol-
sterer's store. Old fashioned, severely
plain and simple, should have passed
1T hundred times without noticing it
had my attention not been called to it
by the storckecper, who told me he had
purchased it FROM il Frederick dealer
upon sworn affidavit as to its genu-
ineness. The bed ON which she died is
now owned and used by great great
nephew. Her sideboard is the property
of another nephew.
''The historic silk flag is in the EOS
session of the niece who stood upon
that memorable occasion by Barhara's s
side while the latter held it in her hand;
also among her priceless treasures this
same niece values blue china coffee
pot, which was the property of Barbara,
and from which coffee was served to
General Washington when he visited
Frederick in 1891. Upon that occasion
Washington spent the night at Mrs.
Kimbal's hotel, where the City hotel
now stands, and Barbara Freitchie
brought her Liverpool china to grace
the table.
Whittier painted truthfully when
he said:
| "The clustered spires of Frederick stand
Green walled by the hills of Maryland.
''Singularly enough, the churches
are all grouped together within u
stones throw of each other. Barbara
was II member of the German Reformed,
with DR.. Zacharias as pastor. A few
years after the war he was interviewed
by some admirers of Whittier's cxqui-
site lines. 'Ah, yes, answered the GCctor
tenderly, Il was Barbara Freitchie's
pastor for nearly 80years. l handed her
the cup aud the bread. AT our COM
munion service she always partook, as
had been her lifelong habit, standing,
and afterward was sure to shake hands
cordially with her pastor. boston
| Herald.
| Not a Mere Clerk.
Wealthy Parent-What Engaged
If t.,v