The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-26
BARBARA
ERLETCHZE.
True Story of tie Famous
Heroine h,n,oralised by
the Poet Whittier.
Who touches hair of yon gray head
Dies like a dog. March on" he said

L
war. poor old Barbara Frietchie
and now the success Of Clyde
IL Fitch's play. Barbara Fret
chic" has revived an old con-
troversy as 10 the amount OF fact which Is
woven into the poetry of Whittier's famous
ballad So far no one seems TO remember
that Whittier himself. in letter to the
Century, written shortly before his death.
acknowledged that the incidents as he
gave them were not historical He had re-
ceived In good faith story sent him in
good faith by Mrs. f. ID. F.. n. South
worth, the novelist. She had clipped 1t out
Of newspaper. The incidents. as he mar
rated them, followed as closely as posi-
! bic the account given In the newspaper
slip Many years afterward he learned
that the report was erroneous. He does
not seem, however, to have ever learned
that Ii was erroneous only in confusing
two events Barbara Frietchie did exist.
and was associated with the waving OF a
Union flag in congratulation Of Union.
not in defiance of Confederate. army. 1t
was also true that Union flag was fiaunt-
ed In the face of Stonewall jackson, but
not by Barbara Frietchie
Here are the true facts in the case: In
September, 1862 Gen. StonewalI Jackson
had been ordered to capture the Union gar
rison at Harper's Ferry. His troops went
into camp near Frederick, Md. On the 9Th
they moved and passed through the town.
/ Barbara Frietchie was An enthusiastically
loyal old lady nearly sixty years OF age.
living at the time on Patrick street. Mel
Their 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 Jack
sons march another devoted Union wo-
man. Mrs. Mary A. Quantrell, whose
! husband was compositor In the office
OF the National Intelliseneer at Washing
ton Mrs. Cuantrell was at that time a
woman OF y. black-haired and very pref
ty On the day that Stonewail Jackson
passed through Frederick she and her lit
tie daughter yirgie were standing at the
gate of their house They had several
small Union flags, which they brought
there to wave as the Confederate troops
passed by AS virgie stood waving a
small flag many of the Confederate sol
diers called out Throw down that flag.'
but the little girl kept waving 1t. Sud
denly 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
larger flag In 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.
saving ITO you, madam. not your flag.
Such f. the story, II was told by the
Baltimore Herald Of September %. 1854,
by Joseph Walker. who subsequently be-
came yirgie's husband.
But Mrs. Barbara Frietchie had a nag
and she did wave II. though not on the
9Th to Jacksons men, but the 18th TO
Rurnside's. who followed fast upon the
Confederate heels. Again n relative Of
the heortne tells the true story. This
was Mrs. Frietchies niece. a 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 almost op
posite aunts place. She and my mothers
cousin Harriet Youer. lived together
Mother said / should &c and see aunt
and tell her not to be frightened. You
know that aunt was then almost IS years
old When / reached aunt's place she
knew as much az I did about matters.
and Cousin Harriet 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
hv the hand" May YOU live long. you
dear old SOUL" cried one after the other
as they rusnea into the yard. Aunt be
ing rather feeble. and In order To save