Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-23
Origin of barbara Frietchiev?

Origin of barbara Frietchie"?
Ever since Whittier wrote Barbara
Fritchie," historians have discussed the
truth of the incident described in his
most famous poem. There has been
discussion pro and con in literary and
historical circles for fifty years 1t is
left to current ma gazine to shed new
light on this interesting question. Pic
toriai Review prints in it's December
issue the second instalment of 1.-The
Love Letters of Confederate Cen
eral. written fifty years ago and now
published for the first time. in
which an episode very similar to that
of Barbara Frietehie is described
in a letter which the General wrote
to his sweetheart who later
became his wife. IL will be of inter-
est TO every student of American his
tory. The letter follows:
Greencastle. Pa, June "a, 1863.
] never could quite enjoy being a
'Cobquering Hero. No my dear, there
is something radically wrong about my
Hurranism. | can fight fer a cause |
know to be just, can risk my life and
the lives in my keeping without a
thought of the consequences; bur when
we've conquered. when we've downed
the enemy and won the victory, | don't
want to hurrah. | want to go off all by
myself and he sorry for them--want to
lie down in the grass. away off in the
woods somewhere or in some lone val
ley on the hillside far from all human
sound. and rest my soul and put my
heart to sleep and get back something
II don't know what-but something l
had that is gone from me-something
subtle and plainable-something
never knew / had till / lost it'll il
was gone-gone
Yesterday my men We're marching
VIGOROUSLY through the little town of
Greeneastle. the bands all playing our
glorious. soul inspiring, southern airs:
THE Ronny Blue Flag" My Mary
land" Her Bright Smile Haunts Me
Still" and the soldiers all happy. hope
full ioyously keeping time to the mu-
sic. many following ii with their voices
anG making up for the want of the
welcome they were not receiving in the
.eneniys country by cheering them
selves and giving themselves a well
come. As Flow erees band playing
Dixie was passing a vine powered
home, young girl rushed out on
the porch and waved United States
flag. Then, either fearing that it
might be taken from her on finding it
too large and unwieldly, she fastened
it around her as an apron, end taking
hole of it on each side and waving it
in defiance, called out with all the
strength of her girlish voice and all
the courage of her brave young heart:
Traitors = traitors - traitors come
and take this flag. the man of you who
daresl'
knowing that many of my men We're
from section of the country which
had been within the enemy's lines. and
fearing lest some might forget their
manhood. l took off my hat and bowed
to her, saluted her flag and then turn
ed, facing the men who felt and saw
my unspoken order. And don't you
know, my darling, that they We're all
Nirginians and didn't forget it. and
that almost every man lifted his cap
and cheered the little maiden who,
| though she kept on waving her flag,
ceased calling us traitors. till finally
| letting ii drop in front OF her she cried
out;
''Oh. | wish-1 wish I had rebel
flag; I'd wave that. too"
| The picture of that little girl in the
| vine covered porch, beneath the purple
! morning glories with their closed lips
| ana bowed heads waiting and saving
! their prettiness and bloom for the COM
| ing morn-of course. thought OF you
my darling. For the time, that little
| Greencastle Yankee girl with her be-
loved flag was my own little promised
| to-be-Wife, receiving from her Soldier
| and her Soldiers soldiers the reverence
| and homage due her.
| We left the little girl standing there
| with the flag gathered up in her arms,
| as if too sacred to be waved now that
| even the enemy had done il reverence,
| and we shall none of us forget that
| picture of heroic womanhood.
| As ever,