The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-07-24
4 SOUTHERN S0NG.
The H1msapun Dress Written by
Miss Sinclair.
A SOUL STRING BALLAD
And lis History That Will 81 Read
Win interest BY Mary Old
Confedsrase Soidi:rS
and O;hsIs.

Inc !e!- owing SlOrS OI pOpOIaI tSi-
lad Of the war for southern iudepend-
ence, which We clip from The State will
prove Interesting to tho2e Of our
readess who sre rot cid enough to hsve
heard it sung when its loyal words
meant much, SIS veil as to the men and
women Who remember with what good
will it vas sung in that time. The &C
count is contained in tie report Of 3
committee appointed for the purpose Of
ascertaining the authorship Of "Ehe
Homespun Dress
7HE REPORT.
When the Coofed derste General Kirby
Smith invaded Northern Kentucky,
John Uti Lloyd, in common with sew
e1al other villagers stood in from: Of
the grocery pictured in his book,
'StringtoWn on the Pike" = group OF
Morgao's ca7s]rynsn aRsiting orders
being the at rAc:ion. During the in
tsrval one of the party struck up s song
beginning ''O5, yes, l an southern
girl" the others joiniog in the chorus
Wishing to incorporate it IN String
town." the ballad Ess sought, but with
out avail. Fin,l!y memory was trusted
for the two verses recorded IN the book
Subsequently, however, Professor L'ol &
made 3 prir TED x quest under date OF
Jsnuaey 5, 1901, Tor the full poem sro
the naue Ct Its author, Offering re
ward Of 500 to the perscu drst to sup
ply the ballad and the erect name Of
the author. Unexpectedly, the offar
resulted in q mass Of correspondence
and number Of claimants for the honor
Of authorship.
in this dilemma, a second cfec Of
$50 vas made for the inGisputsble es-
tablishmens Of the authors's name to
the satisfaction of 8 committee ccm-
posed Of three judges Of the Cincinnati
court who kindly consented to act.
The result, as pronounced By the
judges, is as follows:
The ballad and the correct name Of
the author were first given by Mr.
William J. Bryan, No, lib St, Gregory
street, Mt. Adsns, ClHc:nuat;; received
January 5, 1901, s 40 D. m, delivered
personally, award, 500 90.
''The first per5on giving .uEcontro
Vertible proof cf the authorship sup
piled by the above correspondent, vas
Mr.. Charles ", Hu5ner, Carnegie Lii
brary, Atlanta, Georgia. received Feo
ruary Is, 1901. awaid, $50 90.
''The total number of correspondents
in this contest is over 400 The names
Of forty-eight different authors we're
presented, Of whom thirty two could be
ruled cut st once. As to the remsin-
ing sixteen uuimpeachable evidence
gives the credit Of authorship to
MISS CARRIE BELL SINCLAIR,
Of Savannah, Georgia. This name in
connection with the ballad vas first
given by Mr.. Bryan. The conclusive
evidence was supplied (frst vis Mr..
Hubner, and subsequently Mrs. n Y.
Randolph, Of Richmond, Va BY Mrs.
G. I, Walker, Of Sumnerville, S. g.,
sister Of the author, and vas confirmed
in all details by Mrs. Sarah G. Mason,
Of Philadelphia, Pa, another surviving
sister Of the author.
Respectfully submitted,
Aaron MeNeill,
David Dsvis,
Msy 81, 1901. Howard Ferris.
HISTORY OF THE BoMEsPUN DRESS.
This ballad was written by Miss Sim
clsir in midsummer, 1e62 (TestimoDy
Of her sister, Mrs. Mason
SIN this connection, the date is con-
frmed in print BY G. n. Ssussy, now Of
Brainhridge, Ca, lieutenant colonel
OF the Confederate army, Who vas hone
in Savannah on furlough sitter being
wounded in the Shsrpsburg battle
(september Is and II, 1852. He was
favored with manuscript copy OF
the poem by the author, Miss Sinclair,
and also heard the sopg sung to the
popular air Of The Bonnie Blue Flsg
by lady members Of tie ''Qleen
Sisters" an English family, then mold
ing the boards Of the old Savannah
theatre.
Evidence from R n Harris, Atlanta,
Ca, kindly submitted By Mr.. Hubuer,
of Atlanta, throws light on the histors
Of this song and the personality Of the
talented author:
Atlanta, Ca, March q, 1901.
Charles ". Bubuer.
Dear Sir:-As there has been some
doubt expressed ss to the author Of
The Homrspun Dress ] csn g:va you
few facts which I knoW to te true.
In August, 1863, l vas detailed on
speola duty in oavsnDsb, and remained
there until the city vas surrandeIe1 to
Shermans army. I sHink 1t was 10
December, 1868, that I first met Miss
Sinclair. Sic remsined IN SaVannsh
several months, and II was ny gooa for
tune to meet bec many times; she was
very quiet litI!e woman; ard very
rarely spoke Of her Hr.n1gs, bu: l Ie-
member once il particular when she
told how she came to write The Home
spun Dress" Sac ssid it vas IN
Augusts, Ga. There was quite rl7-
airy with the girls SIS TO Tto should
have the neatss: ho2as2u0 dress, ana
from this incident shs took the idea
and wrote that ole war sorg. 1t was
first published in an Augusta paper and
was copied in the Savannah Mcnning
News. l. was also set 10 music and
published by B!acknsr, who st that
tine hsd q music store in Augusta.
These are facts that know to be tIue
IRON nv o#n personal knowledge. l
don't wish any newspaper notorlety ~
regard to this controversy, but as MISS
Sinclair cannot speak fer herself, I
want to see justice done her.
Yours truly,
r. n. Harris.
No. 16} Marietts street.
The fast that southern soldiers often
- hni-