Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-01
LAMAR FONTAINE, POET.
Submits Proof TO show That lie
Wrote "Au Quiet Along the Poto-
mae TO-Njrht.v

mae Tonight"
Memphis Commercial-Appeal)
Major Lamar Fontaine, of Lyon, MISS
spent yesterday in Memphis, and he mad
with him what he considers as positive
proof OF his claim that he wrote the Ia
nous poem, "All Quiet Along the Poto-
mac" Ii is a letter written during the
war by a Mississippi youth to his father,
stating that the poem by Lamar Fonthne
was then a strong favorite among the
men. and the date OF the letter is ahead
Of the time the other claimants for the
honor have mentioned as the date Tor
writing the POEM Some time ago the
COmmercial-Appeal mentioned the tact
that the Mississippi major claimed to be
the author OF the literary gem, and imme-
diately there was a rival claimant. rms
wrought the Mississppian up consider
ably. and yesterday he held up TO re-
porter for the Commercial-Appeal let
ter that had all of the appearance or
having been written thirty-six years ago.
1t was scrubbed in pencil upon sheets OF
brown paper, long and narrow, showing
By the sharp, ragged edges and rules that
they had been torn from blank-book
The letter is well preserved, but there IS
that discOloration which comes with age
in paper.
Here is conclusive proof" said the
Major "of the fact that / am the author
of All Quiet Along the Potomac 1t IS
a letter from John Pettus TO his father,
the Hon. j. j. Pettus, who was theh INC
war Governor of Mississippi
The full text of the letter follows:
I'm Camp, near Leesburg. Va,
October 2. 1861.
"My Dear Father: Since my last we
4 a eli IL
have had good deal or sickness III cdiip,
The measles broke out, and there are
several hundred cases, and there nave
been some deaths My bunkmate, ia.
Therett. is down with II, ana mas peeh
carried out TO Mr.. NOrre' 5, the FteSDy "
rian preachers house. 1t is getting quite
cold, and we are thinking OF going INTO
winter quarters soon, II the Yankees VIII
let us. They are camped In force near
Poolsville, and from Fort Evans L we t TSit
have a good view of them. l suppose mat
Captain Fontaiue has reached jackson
ere this. We were all sorry 10 lose hitn'
The poem written by mis- son, Lamar,
who left us 10 join Captain Alexander >
cavalry company of Virginians, IS a great
favorte in camp. 1t tells very patheucal-
ly OF the death of picket, ana Is SET ~
good music. l don't know any name ! lOa
il. as it is headed All Quiet Along the
Potomac He wrote a great many copies,
and then got a printer here TO print II
on small strips Of paper for NM lie uoe2
not sell them, but gives them away; L
ing by the sample he is giving away. L
hope you will not think me Negligent De-
cause 1 don't write oftener, but en-
deavor 10 do so as often as l can, FdpSr
is getting very scarce in camp, ana INK IS
something we can't get. Some OF the boys
Just wet their gunpowder and write 10
their sweethearts with the black water II
makes. j got this paper out OF an olu p g!
that Thad. Miller has with him. Inn
Cooper and Tom Catchings join me IN !
love to you, and John NJ. says don't Ior-
get him. | hope TO give you a 8OOd az
count of myself in the next battle we |
have as I am determined 60 be something |
more than 4 mere private before TINS
war Is over. l trust that the cares oI
State are not weighing too heavily upon
Won in these trOublOus times We have Il |
constant round OF picket duty and camp |
guard with best love to you and all at /
nome am your iOiieS''N H@'joHN."
.'You will see" continued the Major |
that the date Of this letter is October = |
1861 and even then my poem was quite
well known ana popular in the army |
Now, the lady who claims 10 nave been
the author Of IL says she wrote in II Mo-
vember. If 1t was popular in october or
the same year. some one must nave writ
ten IL before she did, and l was that one.
The Captain FOntaine that he refers 10
was my father. and what he wrote about
my first having written and then having |
had printed many copies OF the poem ID
true as Gospel. ,..-
There Is no question about the lelter
having been written by John Pettus 10 his
father. and even if any one were Inclined
to think that it had been antedated Tor
this occasion. he would have no ground
for thinking so, as John was killed in the
baltic that was fought at Leesburg on Oc-
tober 2lst of that year. Poor boy! lie
went in 10 make the reputation that ne
wrote his father about. lie made 1t, but
died i'm the act. The Tim Cooper that he
refers to Is now a citizen Of Memphis,
and Tom Catchings is the same t: {.
Catchings that represents the Shoe
string Mississippi District in Congress.
Now. be careful with that letter.
closed the Major, as he gave it TO the
reporter TO copy for l would not take
81 900 900 for it."
Where did you get it?" asked the re-
porter.
'Only a couple of days ago a lady from
Florence, Ala, sent II 10 me, but just
now do not care TO give her name. That
will come out with the fac-simile copy OF
the letter that will be published soon
with the entire history OF the poem az
fair"
Major Fontaine left last night for his
home. to join a big bear-hunt that is pro-
ected for that neighborhood this week.