The Washington herald., 1909-08-15

Like 80 many other poems born
during the civil war. which found
their way eventually into public
print and became popular in the ex-
citing and turbulent times. All
Quiet Along the Potomac" was
printed with no authors name at
tached and the credit OF having
written them was yelled IN mystery.
As the poem. which was original
" printed as "The Picket Guard"
grew IN popularity. an Investigation
was set afoot. and an attempt was
made TO credit these beautiful
verses 20 the proper authorship. n
tho controversy which arose. two
persons IN particular claimed credit.
Ethel Lynn Beers. a New York poet
ess. and Lamar Fontaine. n Con-
federate soldier. Several autho-i-
ties. whose decision in such matters
IS usually looked upon as judicial.
credit the poem 70 Mrs. Beers. She
wrote IN a private letter. a number
OF years before her death. THE
poor Picket has had so many au-
thentic claimants and willing spon-
sors. that I sometimes question my
self whether I did really write II
that cool September morning. after
reading the stereotyped announce
ment. All quiet sc. 20 which
was added in small type A picket
shot"
The poem was first printed IN
Harper's on November 80. 1851. with
no name signed. Mrs. Beers later
claimed the authorship, and as she
had written q number OF poems. they
were collected and published along
with The Picket Guard" IN 1879.
the first copy OF the book coming
from the hands OF the printers on
the day she died.
When the controversy was going
on, Gen. Charles P. Mattocl<s pre-
pared for a Boston paper what he
affirmed was the true story or the
writing Of the poem. He credited
the authorship 20 Lamar Fontaine,
whom he claimed TO know very well,
and with whom he kept up a cor
respondence for many years after
the war. Gen. Mattocks asserted
that the poem was known and had
become popular IN the South several
months prior 10 its reaching the
North and being printed IN Har-
per's.
Notwithstanding the detailed mar
rative written by Gen. AIattocks.
and given hereafter. It seems that
the weight Of evidence IS in favor OF
Mrs. Beers. She had written other
meritorious poems and they were
published. but there is no evidence
that Maj. Fontaine produced any
other verses than these. At the
same time. in a spirit OF fairness,
the exceedingly interesting and
romantic story written by Gen. Mat
tocks is offered as a contribution 10
a controversy that Is perhaps the
most attractive IN the history OF
American popular songs.
1Nll- AdltOthS hCtOuuL runs as
follows: Maj. Lamar Fontaine en-
listed IN the Eighteenth Mississippi
Regiment when the war broke out,
and participated IN the first battle
Of Bull Run. Immediately after
ward he was transferred 70 the Sec
ond Virginia Cavalry.
IN August Of 1861 Fontaine was
doing picket duty just above the
head Of an island near the Seneca
falls. on the Potomac. He and g
young married man named Moore
had formed for each other a close
friendship. and were seldom separ-
ated. whether on or of duty. Moore
fairly idolized his young wife and
two children, whom he had left
when his state called its citizens to
arms. He never tired OF talking of
them. and Fontaine was a good lis
tener Both were well educated and
lovers Of poetry. One had brought
with him a pocket edition Of Burns.
the other one Of Byron and they
would sit IN the cool shade Of the
river and read aloud to each other
the love passages and the youthful
and homely philosophy from these
favorite authors.
At the point on the Potomac
where these two young men were