The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-20

The controversy concerning the fact in
the story of Barbara Frietchie'' has again
been stirred up by the popularity of the
play of that name. A letter from Whittier
has lately been published stating that he
believed the incident OF the poem to be
true at the time when it was given to the
public. The letter is as follows:
.sDear Friend: first heard Of Barbara
Frietchie by a letter from Mrs Southworth OF
Washington (the authoses=), calling my attention
10 the incident, and enclosing extract from
paper detailing II as it stands in the poem.
About the same time ! had a letter from
Dorothea Dix confirming ii. ! thought the testi-
1T has been denied since. but it is admitted By
all that BaruaTa was a brave, OulsPOkeiI, loyal
woman: that she had a nion flag in her pos
session and that She drove the rebel soldiers from
the Sidewalk think She deserved all ] said OF
her even ii ] was mistaken on some oi the de-
tails.
81 am thy friend, JOHN e. WHITTIER"
The publication of the famous poem
(which first appeared in the Atlantic
Monthly") made Barbara Frietchie's name
a household word for the time being. and
the great majority of the public accepted
the story as literally true. Later it was
Indignantly contradicted. principally on
account of the alleged reflection on Stone
wall Jackson and on the general character
of Confederate troops. 1t was asserted
that there was no such person as Barbara
and that Whittier, who was cordially
hated by many of those opposed to his
principles, had purposely manufactured
the whole thing in order to inflame North
ern feeling against the South. Now comes
| the play, introducing the incident of the
| flag. but representing Barbara as a young
! girl instead Of an old woman. The result
of all this is that the mind of the average
| person is in state Of confusion with re-
gard TO the facts in the case.
! Whittier's letter, above quoted. estab-
! fishes the fact that he was innocent Of
| any Intentional falsehoca and that he fully
believed that. in giving the story as ne
| did. he was using no poetic license. The
story was sent him by responsible persons
| and there was no way, short of going down
! into Maryland and investigating the
/ thing himself, that he could have discov-
| cred anything wrong with it. Obviously,
| in the circumstances then existing. that
was impossible. and it can hardly be said
/ that the poet was to blame for taking the
| incident as il was sent TO him and using
| II in the way he did.
The true story seems 20 have been that
Barbara at the time of the flag Incl
| dent was a very old woman, OF German
descent and outspoken loyalty; that she
kept Union flag flying from her window
that on one occasion the flag was fired
upon. and that she shook ii in the faces
Of the Confederate soldiers as they
marched by. The dramatic version adopt
| ed by Whittier might easily have been
| oondoned in time of war, when all sorts
of fictions find credenee. and, with all the
| investigating that has been done there is
| so little evidence one way or another that
| II Is by no means absolutely certain just
what the facts are.
The liberty which has been taken with
| the name OF Barbara Frietchie by the play
wright is rather less excusable than that
| of Whittier In plain terms. the name
and the flag incident have been used as a
! bit of theatrical advertising to draw people
! TO see the play. The Barbara Of the drama
| is a young girl and her career has nothing
whatever to do with the Barbara of his
| tory. She is purely fictitious character
In the denouement, this heroine. half wild