Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-10-17
BARBARA FREITCHIE
ANOTHER VERSION OF THE INCIDENT
MADE FAMOUS BY WHITTIER.


the Flag at the Confederates-Hovv Bar
bara Came to Get the Credit-The Char
acter and Home of Barbara Freitchie.
1t seems pity to upset SO pretty a
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 the
flag after the arrival Of the Federal
troops. while younger woman dared
the rebels, without, however, being
fred upon.
Barbara's maiden name was Haner,
and she was born on Dec. 8, 1866,
in Lancaster, Pa. Her family moved to
Frederick, Md, when she was a child,
and in 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 in. September, 1862, when the
Union soldiers drove the rebels out of
Frederick, Barbara manifested her de-
light by standing at her window with
silk flag in her hand. Owing to her ad-
vanced age (nearly 96) she attracted
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 in and
rest Earlier in the day younger wo-
man had waved a small Union flag
from house in the same street while
the rebels were passing. She was not
fred upon, however.
I'm the excitement following on the
retreat Of the rebels the two incidents
became blended together, and resident
of the town, writing TO Mrs. E d. e. N.
Southworth, treated them as one. Mrs
Southworth, 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 Freitchis.
'Barbara's home was situated ON
West Patrick street on the east bank of
Carroll creek. Directly opposite was the
town spring, whose waters still bubble
up as refreshingly as they did through all
the years of our bitter strife. Whichever
party held Frederick was sure to be rep
resented by its soldiers at that spring
There during hot summer days they
would lounge in the shade of Barbara's
stoop- If it were the boys in blue, she
was very gracious and would come down
and lend them her tumblers or her dip
per and give them biscuits, but not so
the Confederates, whom she would drive
from her premises or order from her
portioo with a majestic motion of her
cane, her great age protecting her from
insolence or harm.
Barbara died on Dec. IS, 1862. at
the age of 90 years and 10 DAYS. She
was buried beside her husband in the
German Reformed church yard of Fred
erjck.
In 1868 a flood did great deal of
damage to property on West Patrick
street, and Barbara's house was con-
demned and torn down TO widen Carroll
creek The carpenter who RACED the
house made canes of the balustrade and
sold them. One was sent to General
Grant as a souvenir
after Barbara's death there was a
sale of . portion of her furniture, and it
was my pleasure q few years since to see
bedstead owned by her in an uphol-
sterer's store. Old fashioned, severely
plain and simple, / should have passed
1t hundred times without noticing il
had my attention not been called to il
by the storekeeper, who told me ne had
purchased it from a Frederick dealer
upon q sworn affidavit as to its senu-
ineness. The bed on which she died is
now owned and used by great-great-
nephew. Her sideboard is the property
of another nephew.
1.-The historic silk hAg is in the pos
session of the niece who stood upon
that memorable occasion by Barbara's
side while the latter held it in her hand;
also among her priceless treasures this
same niece values q blue china coffee
pot. which was the property of Barbara,
and from which coffee was served to
General Washington when he visited
Frederick in 1871. 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:
'sThe clustered spires of Frederick stand
Green walled by the hiils Of Maryland.
''Singularly enough, the churches
are all grouped together within a
stones throw of each other. Barbara
was a member of the German Reformed,
with DR.. Zaoharias as pastor. A few
years after the war he was interviewed
by some admirers Of Whittier's exqui-
site lines 'Ahs yes, answered the doctor
tenderly, I was Barbara Freitchie's
pastor for nearly 80 years. handed her
the cup and the bread. At cur COM
munion service she always partook, az
had been her lifelong habit, standing,
and afterward was sure to shake hands
cordially with her pastor. Boston
Herald.