The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-27
BARBARA FRlETCHIE,
Died December Is, 1852.
Aged Ninety-six years.

In the year 1886 | wrote a history Of the
famous Cumberland Valley in Southern
PENNSYLVANIA While prosecuting the work
l had occasion to give some attention to
the subject of Whttier's poem. | was
referred TO a former resident Of Frederick.
a gentleman who was in the town at the
time the circumstance which gave rise to
the poem is said to have occurred, Lewis
II. Steiner. in charge of the Enoch Pratt
Library of Baltimore. His letter is so
sensible that I present it in full:
Baltimore, March 10, 1886
Mr. J. Fraise Richard. ChambeTsburg, Pa.
Dear Sir: In reply to yours Of 18th inst, |
write to say: l. There was such A person as
Barbara Frietchie living in Frederick during its
occupancy by the enemy IN 1862 , She was pa
triotiC and brave enough to have thrown a flag,
indicative Of her sentiments, out OF her window
in such an idea had occurred to her. 3
Whether Mrs.. Frietchie, who died in the winter
Of IsG2-G3, did throw ont a flag, one has ever
been able to disproye if, as alleged, no one has
proved
Do We measure or weigh our poetry as we DO
our dry goods and provisions. to see whether
it squares with the duh provisions Of real life?
Yours, LEWIS II. STEINER.
As a matter Of fact Stonewall Jackson
did not pass along the street on which
Dame Barbara lived. Early on the
morning of September 10, 1862, jack
sens troops passed through the town. The
general mad. however turned aside to sce
his old friend DR.. Ross, Presbyterian
minister Of the place. He left the follow
ing note a the door:
Regret not being permitted to see DIR. and
Mrs. RIOS: but could not expect to have that
IT. J. JACKSON"
september 10, 1862. 5;15 a. m"
1t is hardly probable that Dame Bar
bara was awake at that early hour. Some
basis for the story is found, however. in
the fact that day or two later. when
the Union troops Of General Reno were
passing through the town. little girl
standing by the side Of Dame Barbara
held d Union flag in her hand and waved
1t
Whittier received his statement from
Mrs. Southworth and thereupon wrote
the poem. It struck a popular chord, and
all the powers this side Of the judgment TO
come are insufficient TO correct any mis-
statements of facts. if such there he.
1t matters little whether the poet de-
tailed facts or not. There was sufficient
basis for him, under the prerogatives OF
poetic license. to write what and as to
did The csrping criticism which seeks for
exact chronology, topography and per-
soual identity in every line Of the poem
would utterly destroy every precious poem
in our literature or in that Of any ether
language on earth II would invade the
realms Of the most exalted Hebrew poetry
and subject 10 ridicule the declaration u at
The hills melted like wax at the presence
Of the Lord. 20 il would subject to like fate
the statement that the trees clapped their
hands for joy" or the hills skipped like
lambs
II this spirit Of liberalism and punctiii-
Gus accuracy be insisted upon, We shOu
retain nothing but salt sea deposits of lit
erature The life and true poetic spirit
Of all precious composition would be IT.
terly and wantOnly sacrificed.
j. FRAISE RICHARD.
Washington. April %.