The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-07-24
A SOUTHERN SONG.
Tho Hcmsspun Dress Written by
Miss Sinclair.
A SOUL sTiRiNo BALLAD
And Its History That Will Be Rsad
With Interest by Mary Old
Confsdoraee Soldiers
and Oihers.

The following story of popular bal
Lad Of the war Tor southern independ-
enoe, which we clip from The State will
prove interesting to those of our
readess who are not cid enough to have
heard it sung when it's loyal words
meant much, as we'll as to the men and
women who remember with what good
will it was sung in that tims. The &C,
count is contained in the report of 8
committee appointed for the purpose of
ascertaining the authorship Of "rhe
Homespun Dress
THE REPORT.
When the Confederate General Kirby
Smith invaded Northern Kentucky,
John Uri Lloyd, in common with sew.
eral other villagers stood in front of
the grocery pictured in his book,
"Stringtown on the Pike" group Of
Morgsn's csvalrymen awaiting orders
being the attraction. During the in
terval one of the party struck up song
beginning "Oh, yes, L am southern
girl, the others joining in the chorus
Wishing to incorporate it in String
town" the ballad was sought, but with
out avail. Finally memory was trusted
for the two verses recorded in the book
Subsequently, however, Professor Lloy d
made printed request under date of
Januaey B, 1901, tor the full poem and
the name Of its author, Offering re
ward OF 500 to the person first t. sup
ply the ballad and the cor 'ect name of
the author. Unexpectedly, the offer
resulted In 3 mass Of correspondence
and number of claimants for the honor
of authorship.
In this dilemma, second offer Of
800 was made for the iudisputable es-
tablishment of the authors's name to
the satisfaction Of committee COM
posed of three judges Of the Cinoin att
court who kindly consented to act.
The result, as pronounced by the
judges, is as follows:
1.-The ballsd and the correct name o.
the author were first given By Mr.
William j. Bryan, No, lib st. Gregory
street, Mt Adams, Cincinnati; received
January 3, 1901 8 40 .. m, delivered
personally. Award. S1Q0 90,
first person givirg uucOp tBo.
vertipIe proof of the authorship sup
piled by the sba..a correspondent, wss
MIR. Charles w, Hubner, Carnegie Lii
brary, Atlanta, Georgia, received FEB.
rusry 16, 1901, award, $50 90.
The total number OF correspondents
In this contest is over 400 The names
of forty-eight different authors were
presented, of whom thirty.txo could be
ruled out at once. AS to the remain
ing sixteen unimpeachable evidence
gives the credit of authorship to
MISS CARRIE BELL SINCLAIR,
of Savannah, Georgia. This name in
connection with the ballad was first
given by Mr.. Bryan. The conclusive
evidence was supplied (frst vie Mr..
Hubner, and subsequently Mrs. N. V.
Randolph, of Richmond, Va) by Mrs.
q. l. Walker, of Summerville, s. O., a
sister of the author, and was confirmed
in all details by Mrs Sarah G. Mason,
OF Philadelphia, Pa, another surviving
sister Of tho author.
Respectfully submitted,
Aaron McNeill,
David Davis,
May 81, 1901. Howard Ferris.
HISTORY OF THE HoMEsPUN DRESS.
This ballad was writton by Miss Sin
clair In midsummer, 1862 (Testimony
of her sister, Mrs. Mason
In this connection, the date is con-
frmed in print by g. n. Ssussy, now of
Brainbridge, Ca, a lieutenant colonel
OF the Confederate army, who was home
In Savannah on furlough after being
wounded in the Sharpsburg battle
(September 16 and II, 1862. He was
favored with & manuscript copy Of
the poem by the author, Miss Sinclair.
and also heard the song sung to tho
popular air of "The Bonnie Blue Flag {"
by lady members Of the 80 Ieen
Sisters, " an English family. then mold
ing the boards of the old Savannah
theatre.
Evidence from r n Harris, Atlanta,
Ga, kindly submitted by Mr.. Hubner,
of Atlanta, throws light on the history
OF this song and the personality of the
talented author:
Atlanta, G1., March u, 1901.
Charles w. Hubner
Dear Sir:-As there has been some
doubt expressed as to the author Of
1.-The Homespun Dress, | can give you
few facts which | know to be true.
In August, 1868, | was detailed on
special duty in Savannah, and remained
there until the city WAS surrendered to
ShermSn's army. ] think it was In
December, 1868, thst first met Miss
Sinclair. She remained in Savsnush
several months, and it was my good for
tune to meet her many times she was
very quiet little woman; aud very
rarely spoke Of her writings, but | re-
member once in particular when she
told how she came to write THE Home.
splr Dress" She said it was in
Augusta, Ga. There was quite riv
airy with the girls as to who should
have the neatcst homespun dress, and
from this incident she took the idea
and wrote that old war soDg IL was
first published In an Augusta paper and
was copied in the Savannah Morning
News. 1t was also set to music and
published by B.sCkmar, who at that
time had = musio store in Augusta.
These are faoIs that know 10 bo tue
from my own personal knowledge |
don't wish any newspaper notorlety ia
regard to this controversy, but as Miss
Sinclair cannot speak for herself, |
want to see Justice done her.
Yours truly,
II n. Harris.
No. 16I Marietta street.
The TACT that southern soldiers often
received copies Of the song from their
= i i l.. e IL