The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-05-04
MORE ABOUT DAME BAR
BARA.
DR.. Hamlin, Of Bangor, Me-,
Says Whittier's Story is
True-Record of Her Birth
Found in a L ancast er
Church.

The Boston Eoeniag Tran
script published the following,
in connection with the Barbara
Frietchie controversy, which is
now going the rounds of the
press:
Regarding the statement of
General Henry Kyd Douglass,
formerly of Stonewall Jackson's
military staff, that the story of
Barbara Frietchie. as embodied
in Whittier's famous poem is a
myth, Colonel Augustus G. Ham
lin, of Bangor, Maine, a Civil
War historian, comes out with a
fiat denial and an explanation
which adds another chapter to
the controversy. Colonel Ham
lin is better known in Bangor as
DIR. Hamlin. He has been re.
tired for many years, engaged in
historical work relating to the
rebellion. DR.. Hamlin is well
known to Grand Army officers as
the historian of the battle ofChan-
cellorsville, and is high in the
circles of the Military Order of
the Loyal Legion.
81 have had special interest in
the Barbara Fritchie incident, y
he says, "on account Of piece
of good fortune which came to
me as far back as 1869. In that
year | was present at the annual
meeting of the American ASsoci-
alton for the Advancement of Sci
ence i'll Salem, Mass. There [
met, as another member of the
association, Senator l.. ii.
Steiner, of Maryland. We talk
ed of the rebellion, then but just
closed, and the conversation came
around to the incident of Fred
erick, made famous by Writers
poem. Senator Steiner was res
ident of Frederick, knowing
every body there, including Bar
bara Fritchie. Senator Steiner
had two canes made from timber
in the house from which Barbara
Fritchie waved the flag. He had
had them made in an attractive
form. with silver mountings,
with view to sending one of
them to Mr. Whittier as a thank
offering for the poem written on
the incident, then fresh in the
minds of the Frederick people.
The other he gave 10 me-"
The cane presented by Senator
Steiner i'll 1869 to DR.. Hamlin is
topped with silver cap on
which is engrayed: "From the
House of Barbara Fritchie. Pre-
sel-ted to A. G. Hamlin by l.. III.
Steiner, of Maryland" DR.. Ham
lin has no hesitation in saying
that Senator Steiner had told
him of the flag incident aud that
the woman lived there. DR.. |
Hamlin has written a note on the |
subject to General Douglass, !
whose speech in ridicule of the
poem and the story was made in
Cooper Union. New York, on
Monday night. The Doctor says
there may be doubt that the flag
was waved in the face of Stone
wall jackson himself, but that
it was waved before his officers
and that the poets license is suf-
ticent to rescue Whittier from the
sneers Of General Douglass and
other ex-Confederates.
A press dispatch from Lancas-
ter, Pa, says:
Recent discussions over the in
connected with the life of
Barbara Fritchie, the heroine of
Whittier's poem, has brought to
light the entry in the records of
the First Reformed Church. this
city, of her birth. The record
says that "Barbara, daughter
of Nicholas Hauer and Catha
rine," was born in Lancaster.
Pa, on December 3, 1866. and
was baptized in that church by
the Rev. William Hendel, on De
cember 10 OF the same year, Mrs.
Barbara Gambler acting as spon-
sor for the infant.
The date accords with the age
ascrihed to Barbara, at the time
of the war incident narrated by
Henry Kyd Douglass, of "Stone.
wall Jackson'S" staff. She re.
moved from Lancaster to Fred.
eriek with her parents when
quite a little girl, and there mar
RED Rev DR.. j. II. Dubbs. of
Franklin and Marshall College.
Lancaster, has Dame Barbara's
Bible, regarding it as a precious
gelic.
sc, 70