The Republican journal., 1914-12-17
Children Cry
FOR FLETCHER'S
G ASTORIA
A WARTIME POEM.


popular war time poem "All Quiet Along the
Potomac credited to Ethel Lynn Beers, re-
called the very animated controversy nearly
! fifty years ago as to its authorship. Lamar
! Fontaine Southern writer, claimed to be the
! author, and included it in volume of his
| poems. In support of his claim he said he
/ wrote it whie the Confederate army was at or
in the vicinity of Fairfax Court House, and
that ION the I'd day of August, 1861, first read
it to few of my comrades in Company l. I'd
I Virginia Cavalry" The captain OF the COM
panywhen called upon said he understood Mr..
Fontaine to be the author" and others that
/ they "believed'' he was the author.
Joel Chandler Harris of Georgia. later widely
known "Uncle Remus'') became interested
10 the controversy and after investigation
gave the following reasons for believing that
Mr.. Fontane was not the author of the poem
in question:
l. The poem appeared in Harper's Weekly
for November 80, 1861, 1.-The Picket Goard,'
| over the Initials of Mrs. Ethel Beers of New
York.
2 1t did not make its appearance in any
southern paper until about April or May in
1862
3. 1t was published as having been found
in the pocket of dead soldier on the battle
! field. 1t is more than probable that the dead
soldier was Federal and that the poem had
been clipped from Harper's.
a. l have compared the poem in Harper's with
the same as it appeared in the Southern papers,
and find the punctuation to be precisely the
same.
S. Mr. Fontaine, SO far as have seen. has
given elsewhere no evidence of the powers
displayed in that poem.
Mr.. Harris received letter from DR.. A. H.
Guernsey, editor of Harper's Magazine, under
date of March %, 1868. in which he said: "Sev-
eral persons have at various times claimed the
authorship of the poem. Among these have
before heard the name of Mr. Fontaine. Be-
yond this know nothing of that gentleman.
If he car show the publication OF the poem at
an earlier date than November. 1861, he makes
out fair case against Mrs. Beers. If he can
not show this, but still claims to be the author,
on his assertion as their knowledge of his
character warrants. Of this character know
nothing. good, bad or Indifferent"
AS to the merits of the poem there has been
and can be no controversy. The fact that it
finds place in the newspapers after lapse
of So years testifes to that. One Southern crit
ic said during the controversy as to the au
thorship: Its popularity may wane with time;
but it will he an preciated as a true poem so
long as wars and the memories of wars continue
as long as hostile hosts send sorrow over
civilized countries-as long as bloody deaths in
distant lands break loving hearts at home"
ALL QUIET ALONG THE POTOMAC.
"All quiet along the Potomac" they say,
Except now and then stray picket
Is shot, as he walks on his beat to and fro,
By ri1eman hid in the thicket.
IT'S nothing-a private or two now and then
Will not count in the news of the battle;
Not an officer lost-only one of the men,
Moaning out, all alone, his death-rattle.
"All quiet along the Potomac" tonight.
Where the soldiers lie peacefully dreaming:
Their tents in the rays Of the clear autumn
moon.
Or the light of the watch fire. are cleaning.
A tremulous sigh of the gentle night-wind
Through the forest-leaves softly is creeping;
While stars up above, with their glittering
eyes,
Keep guard. for the army is sleeping.
There's only the sound of the lone sent-y's
tread,
As he tramps from the rock to the fountain
And thinks of the two in the low trundle-bed
Far away in the cot on the mountain.
His musket falls slack; his face. dark and grim
Grows gentle with memories tender.
As he murm.rs q prayer for the children
asleep.
For their mother: "May Heaven defend her!"