The Washington herald., 1913-10-19
TALEOF WOMAN
And FLAG TRUE
Story Of Barbara Frietchie Is
Vindicated by Testimony
Of Friends.
CAPITAL MAN SPEAKS
James L. Parsons, Of Confederate
Army, Tells Of Aged Dame
Waving Banner.

An answer has appeared to the article
published recently by The Washington
Herald, In which doubt was thrown on
the story of Barbara Frietchie. The vim
dication Of the tale told in the Whittier
poem OF an ged woman who waved the
Stars and stripes was written by Clara
v. Mott, field secretary of the Barbara
Frietchie Memorial Association. which is
raising funds TO erect a monument to
the memory Of the intrepid old woman.
and the article was published In the
Baltimore American. The story follows:
The Confederate forces. crossing the
Potomac at White Ford. had entered
Maryland from Virginia and marched to
Frederick. They encamped north OF the
city, at worman's Mil, and all the next
day Sunday lay resting, dirty, footsore,
and weary. Gen. jackson attended d.
vine worship at the Old Reformed
Church. The country people for miles
around drove in to see the camp. Slick
farmer boys in their Sunday best stood
Rgape around Lees ragged horde
Some of them had come In with the
intention of enlisting," said James L.
Parsons, q wealthy contractor of WASH
tngton, d. c., who was member Of
Jzckson's Third Brigade. "but when they
saw our condition, and that we looked
almighty hungry into the bargain. they
didn't enlist. They were ready to night,
but not to starve-
CRuse of Disturbance.
"on the 9th orders came from Gen.
Lee to strike camp early the following
morning. Our brigade, Gen. Jones', Gen
Longstreets, and A. p. Hills were or
dered to capture Harpers Ferry. The
latter, being a small division, We called
the Light Brigade and they were given
the lead To get to the Hagerstown
road. they moved through Mill Alley to-
West Patrick Street, while Jackson's,
Jones', and Longstreet's troops, with our
men leading marched down North Mar
ket Street to the intersection of West
Patrick, and thence out that street to
where Mil Alley opens into it We got
there ahead OF some of the Light Bri-
gade and were ordered to halt until all
had marched by. We stood there prob
ably about ten or fifteen minutes.
Presently disturbance was noticed
at the head OF the line. The men were
much excited, and some very angry. i
was too far down the line to see what
was taking place. but word was passed
along that there was an old woman at
the front who was shaking the Yankee
flag right in our faces When the order
quiet. and 1 did not see Barbara
Frietchie, for she it was we learned aft
edward when we passed the house. Gen.
jackson, We heard, had gone to a church
early that morning, but he shortly after
ward rejoined his men. He seldom re-
n>ained with his stan, but he galloped up
and down the marching line, forward
and rear, and. in fact, everywhere.
Soldiers Were Lenient.
Gen. Lees orders had been very
strict as to making any disturbance. He
went into Maryland expecting sympathy
and recruits, and his orders to the
Junior officers were drastic: Not to allow
any form Of disorder that would arouse
the people. For this reason the incident
of an ole woman waving a flag was
given more Importance than it would
otherwise have received. and also was
handled very differently. When, later
on. Early came through, things were
very different. We knew we would get
no help from Maryland, and Early did
as he pleased eboLt ravaging the coun-
try.
What was it that aroused the men in
gray as they stood m that cool, sweet
smelling dawn? AN old woman shak-
ing the Yankee flag in their faces
A%C1 DoL bdld tel ner own
story, as she told it to the neice of her
husband, Caroline Ebert fifty years ago,
IN that little old house on West Patrick
Street Miss Ebert went TO see her Aunt
Frietehie 4 few days after the incident
occurred, when the old lady was in full
possession of her faculties, and was told
he following story. Said Barbara:
Version of barbara.
Little Halle Hanshew came running
INTO the house and called out:
" Aunt Frietchie, where's your fag?I
Where's your flag? The troops are COM
ng!'
Il thought they were the Union troops.
and took my flag and stepped out on
the porch and waved 1t at them. The
men stopped, and an officers rode up TO
the porch and said:
Granny give me your flag You
can't have it, / said. and then I saw
they were the Confederate soldiers, but
/ kept on waving il. He spoke to the
men. and they turned. facing me, and 1
thought they meant TO fire on me- but
leaving them there, he rode up to Mill
Alley, where more soldiers were passing,
and returned with another officer ana
some men. This officer said to me:
Granny. give me your flag and I'll
OAn-