The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-04-02
DISPUTE RISEN
+. OVER BARBARA

TloNAL HEROINE, BARBARA
FRITcHIE, WHO FIGURED IN
FAMOUS WHITTIER POEM.
Fifty years, after the Civil war is
over, the people or Frederick, Md,
are having somewhat Of a controversy
among. themselves over the deed that
has always been accredited to Bar
bara Fritchie which has long made
her a national heroine along with
Molly Pitcher.
It all came about through the pro-
position to erect an appropriate
monument to the. old gray-haired wo-
man, who on the day when through
Frederick street could be heard the
tread Of marching feet" "took
up the flag that the men hauled
down.
Public spirited citizens OF Frederick
felt that a monument should perpetu-
ate the memory of the famous woman
patriot among the coming generations.
When the proposition was well
launched, g. controversy arose over
the real identity Of the heroine who
said to Stonewall Jackson OF that
memorable morning:
shoot If you must his old gray
head,
But spare. your oountry's flag"
The controversy has grown into a
dispute that has reached throughout
Maryland. Many people still living
in Frederick claim that it was not
Barbara Fritchie who performed this
heroic act and defied the rebel
hAo pJ . 1rsN n~~ Me-, UE~~-. O,,n,.kr:IJo
who lived near Mrs. Fritchie.
Barbara Fritchie occupied no con-
spicuous place in Frederick She was
considered just a good-hearted old
woman who lived alone and went the
even tenor of her way. During the
wal and the events leading up to it,
she was a northern sympathizer. She
was far from the charming young
southern society belle depicted by the
late Clyde Fitch who wrote that fas-
cinating drama around the incident
for Julia Marlowe a number Of years
ago. ..
Mrs. Quantrille, who is now pro-
claimed at this late date by some Of
the Frederick citizens as the real hero
inc, is said to have occupied much
the same sort Of position in Frederick
as did Barbara Fritchie.
The Frederick Daily News Of recent
date publishes a letter from one of
Mrs. Quantities supporters, Mrs.
Nora Walters Of that city. which is
as follows:
IF you will give a little space in
your columns l would like to tell the
public the truth about the flag wav-
ing. There was a lady who raised
the stars and stripes to the confeder-
ates on their march through Frede-
rick, but it was Mrs. Mary Guam
trille, and not Barbara Fritchie, and I
would say the items taken from MI.
Engelbrecht's diary are the true truth
and anyone who doubts it can find
many persons yet living in the town
who lived in the neighborhood of both
Mrs. Quantrille and Barbara, their
homes being in good sight Of each
other.
Il do think it will be a disgrace
rather than an honor to nave a monu
ment erected filed with false inscrip-
tons for the purpose of d%eceiving
strangers who come. to Our gates.
Anyone wishing to see the house
where the incident took place,
will find it yet at 22O,~West Patrick
street. The house Is the same as in
the time of the confederate march
except the porch had a railing around
and 1t was on that corner post that
~~A - WIN LAS1 Ill WILL
he stars and stripes letting it float
to h breeze. After holding it quite
a while a soldier cut it down. She
asked If anyone had another. Miss
Mary Hopwood having one handed it
to her and she raised that but it only
floated a short while when the same
man cut that. She asked for another
but no n having another, she had
to stand through the rest Of the
march empty handed.
1T can also be proven that it was
Mrs. Quantrille to whom the generals
halted and talked with, there
being five in number in their turn.
General Jackson came first, then the
Hills n h Lees and there were no
insults or oaths spoken as has been
published so many times. Neither
was there In shooting but the gener-
ais did order the bands back that
had gone a short distance up the street
and had them give her a grand seren-
ade.
Anyone wishing to learn if this is
rue or hear any more about it can
do SO by calling on any of the per-
sons who were present at the incident.
/ will give a few names and they no
doubt can direct you to others. The
following live on West Patrick street;
Gust Eberts, William Brengle. Marion
Fauble, Mrs. Emma Hubbard, Mrs. Ru-
dolph Neidhardt, Mrs. Lidie, Mrs. J.
w. Starr and Mrs. George Railing"
While much credence has been given
this new development, man. of the
Barbara Fritchie supporters in Frede-
rick feel that it is indeed strange that
the story of Mrs. Fritchie should be
allowed to go on uncorrected all these
years and at this late date, when but
few survivors are left who actual
ly remember, another name is sprung
to supplant the one who has always
reaped the credit. Mrs. Fritchie's
supporters feel that had she not been
the one who actually performed the
act, people at the time would never
have given her the credit. Therefore
there is considerable controversy in
Frederick.
Mr.. and Mrs. c. r. Holmes Of this
city, are just home from a trip to
Frederick and Baltimore. Frederick
was formerly their home. Mr.. Holmes
says there Is quite a division Of senti-
ment regarding the Barbara Fritchie
monument.
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