The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-05-03
Communicated
THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG.
Its Author and the Circums 'auces Under
Which II Was Written aud First Sung.

fredericksburg, Va, May LIST, 1902.
To The FREE LANCE:
There was considerable discussion
some time since in many Of the Virginia
papers as to the author of ''The Bonnie
Blue Flag" and as to where it was writ
ten and first sung. | do not know that
more than settling the question as to it's
authorship was accomplished by that
discussion, and the questions still might
be asked where was it written and " hat
occurrence brought it FORTH think
these questions are now fully settled,
which will he matter of interest to
those old soldiers who sang it with such
zest around the camp fires and not un-
frequently on the march.
Ia an historical address delivered in
Mississippi last July by Col. J. l.. Power
(since dead) then Secretary of State and
historian of Mississippi, a most intepst-
ing account il given of its origin and the
circumstances under which it was in
spired and written.
IL was on the 9th day of January,
1861, when military companies were
organizing all over the State, when the
entire populace were greatly stirred,
and martial music could be heard
throughout the land. The constitutional
convention had been in session at Jack
son for several days and the ordinance
OF secession, prepared by the late Judge
l.. q. {. Lamar, had been under conside-
ration and the hour for the vote. 30
+. M.-had arrived. The body had been
in secret session for six and half hours,
and while nearly every member favored
the adoption Of the ordinance a deep
solemnity pervaded the body and each
member felt that il was a momentous
occasionl What was to follow this ac-
ton? War, blOodshed, devastation
Yea, and even worse than the most far
sighted could see or even imagine. At
that late hour and amid these solemn
surroundings, and to decide this momen-
tous questions; the names of the members
were to be called in alphabetical order
OF this vote and the flag incident the
able and lamented historian, Col. Power
says;
The first name called was j. l.. Alcorn
afterwards Republican Governor and
United States SENATOR, at the time an
ardent co-operationist. His vote was
awaited with intense interest, and when
he arose, he said: Mr.. President, the
die is cast, the Rubicon is crossed; fol-
low the army that goes to Rome; | vote
for the ordinancer
Ninety and nine votes were cast-one
delegate absent. The vote having been
announced, the president called on Rev
Mr.. Harrington to offer prayer
''At this point Mr.. c. r. Dickson en-
tered the hall bearing a beautiful silk
flag with single white star in the center
(made that morning by Mrs. Ii. III.
Smythe), which he handed to President
Barry, who, after brief pause, waved
it and with tears in hiseyes and a tremor
in his voice, remarked that it was the
first flag unfurled in the young republic
The members saluted il by rising, the
vast audience uniting in shouts of ap-
plause. Nominations and artillery sa-
lutes in Jackson and elsewhere through
out the State expressed the popular ap-
proval of this drama in the history of
our State.
"It may be interesting here to note
that the popular war song, The Bon
ME Blue Flag, That Bears Single Star, >
was the product of this episode. Harry
Mccarthy, a comic actor, was then hold
ing forth in the old theater en- Spengler's 3
corner. He wrote this song Immediately
after the scene at the Capitol; the next
day my fingers put it in type. and that
night 1t was sung for the first time by
it's author"
No one whoknew Col. Power will, for
a moment. doubt the accuracy of any
statement made in the above extracts.
s. j. QUINN.