Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-12-08

true that union flag was Haunted
in the face of Stonewall Jackson, but
not by Barbara Frietchie.
Here are the true facts in the case:
In September, 1862, Gen. Stonewall
Jackson had been ordered to capture
the union garrison at Harper's Ferry.
His troops went into camp near Freder-
ick, Md. On the 9th they moved and
passed through the town. Barbara
Frietchie was an enthusiastically loyal
old lady, nearly 60 years of age, living
at the time on Patrick street. Neither
Jackson nor any of his men passed
through that street. Lee did, but no
flag was waved before him.
But there was living on the line of
Jackson's march another devoted union
woman, a Mrs. Mary A. Quantrell,
whose husband was a compositor in
the office of the National Intelligencer
of Washington. Mrs. Quantrell was at
that time a woman of 80, black-haired
and very pretty. On the day that
Stonewau Jackson passed through
Frederick she and her little daughter
Virgie were standing at the gate of
their house, They had several small
union flags, which they brought therel
to wave as the confederate troops
passed by. AS Virgie stood waving
small flag many of the confederate SOL
diers called out: Throw down that
! fag!" but the little girl kept waving
it. Suddenly a lieutenant drew his
sword and cut the staff in two, the flag
falling to the ground. The little girl
then waved another. This, too, was cut
from her hand. Then Mrs. Quantrell
waved a larger flag in a conspicuous
manner until Jackson and his men had
marched past the house. She was not
molested. Some of the officers raised
their hats to her, saying: ITO you,
madam, not your flag"
Such is the story as it was told in
the Baltimore Herald of September 30,
1884, by Joseph Walker, who subse-
quently became Virgie's husband.
But Mrs. Barbara Frietchie had
flag and she did wave it, though not on
the 9th to Jacksons men, but on the
18th to Burnside's, who followed fast
upon the confederates' heels. Again
relati of the heroine tells the true
story. This was Mrs. Frietchie's niece,
Mrs. Abbott.
jackson and his men," she informs
us, had been in Frederick and had left
short time before. We were glad
that the rebels had gone and that our
troops came. My mother and / lived al
most opposite aunt's place. She and
my mothers cousin, Harriet Youer,
lived together. Mother said l should
GO and see aunt and tell her not to be
frightened. You know that aunt was
then almost 90 years old. When L
reached aunt's place she knew as much
as did about matters, and Cousin Har-
riet was with her. They were on the
front porch and aunt was leaning on
the cane she always carried. When the
troops marched along aunt waved her
hand, and cheer after cheer went up
from the men as they saw her. Some
even ran into the yard. God bless you
old lady Let me take you by the
hand May you live ling, you dear
old SOUL cried one after the other, as
they rushed into the yard. Aunt be.
} ing rather feeble, and in order to save
her as much as we could Cousin Harriet
! Youer said: Aunt ought to have flag
: to wave The flag was hidden in the
family Bible and Cousin Harriet got il
and gave it to aunt. Then she waved
the flag TO the men and they cheereG
her as they went by. She was very
patriotic and the troops all knew o
her."-Chicago Chronicle.
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