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Show : ARBARA ARBARAFIETCHIE ARBARAFIETCHIEORRMTHI FRIETCHIE R . , i _ ORRMTHI ? By ELMO SCOTT 'V V ' WATSON ATSON - * . , * SEPTEMBER "SEPTEMBER JSEPTEMBER " morning mornmg 75 years ago . Through the thestreets thestreets , streets of the little city of Fredeiick Fredeuck , , Md MdL . . , , marched a column of soldiers wearing wearmg the grayumform grayuniform gray T grayT uniform umform of the armies of the Confederate Statesof Statesf Statesof States f Jr StatesJr of America Amenca . Their commander was Gen . ThomasJ Thomas ST J ThomasJ ) J J- J JJ8 . , - Jackson J8 0 " ' , smce Since the Battle S e of Bull Run , renowned ret renowned re- re reiy - iy nowned as "Stonewall Stonewall " " Jackson . 't t ' t a yyredenck FrederIck 'tFrederIck lI\- lI lived lIed \ - ed a woman named Barbara FnetchIeSL Fnctchie FnetchIe Frietchie , ft-six ft six By-six By six ' ( -SL SL - " { years old . At the outbreak of the Civil war sheeclared she Beclared 4eclared 4 eclared "The The " Union Umon of the States will be maintained mamtamed . lakes kes care of His people and He will take care of this tIus tIusry thisry thisry ry . , " She had frequently repeated that belief . In af af a Kt f divided allegiances she had remained remamed intensely mtensely loyal loyalUmon loyalUnion loyalX Union Umon and as proof of her loyalty she frequently dis- dis disfan dISd dISall disd disan - d ( fan all an American Amencan flag f from o the window wmdow of her home . se se statements can be betedias te tedias " as facts , as matters mattersstorlcal mattersstoncal ' storlcal storical record record . Butlyou But'you But Butyou lyou 'you you ' you go beyond them themfind , [ rid d yourself in a maze mazehon mazetlon mazebuon hon tlon and fact , of asser-i asser i asser- asser asserand assersand - - and sand denials demals , of contra- contra contraens contraons contra-&ns contra &ns ns - & ens ons and controversy . All Allas Allas [ as { s I lesultedfrom esulted from a po poem poemn poemten em emI emn I n by John Greenleaf GreenleaftIer Greenleaftier Greenleaftier ; tIer which has taken Its Itse itse itse e , along alonl'1 alonl1 b ' with Henry Henrysworth Henrysworth [ sworth Longfellow Longfellow's Longfellows Longfellow'sRevere's Longfellow'sil Longfellowsil ' , s sRevere's Revere's Reveres ' Ride " and andF andt 41 41r t . r } E Efr fr ; Y Yr r 15 15yfH yfH ' + , U- U U'i - 'i i ' r rt It ' f i iARBARA F | BARBARA ARBARA FRIETCHIE'as FRIETCHIE FRIETCHIC FRIETCHIEpias tARBARA pias as Buchanan Read's Reads Read'seridan's Read'sendan's Readsendans ' 'as as ' ' ' " eridan's eridans ndan's ndans Ride , among amongrica's amongrica's amongrica's amongricas rica's ricas ' favorite favonte "patn- "patn patn "patri- "patri patri "patriecitations "patnrecItations "patn-recitations "patn patn recitations " - recItations ecitations . . " > w much truth is there m in mtIer's intier's intier's intiers [ tIer's tIers ' poem ? Did the m in- in init m-at m at - . it t described m in it actu- actu actutake actutake actu-take actu take - take place as he has told toldf toldIf f not , on what basis of ofdoes ofdoes of'does ofdoes ' does his poetic version versionus versionis IilS us is article , based upon a aed aed ' ed d collection collectlon of eVidence evidencean Q.an Qan . an evaluation of that evi eVl evie 1 e , is an attempt to anthose anthose an- an anthose - those questions . , " | rst 5t st of all al1 , let it be recorded recordedlame recordedDame recordedDame Dame Barbara's Barbaras ' name was ; washie washte hte hie despite the fact that thaton thaton thatnon lame on usage has made "FrIetthe "Frietthe "Fnet- "Fnet Fnet "FrIet- "FrIet FrIet "Fnetthe " - - the accepted spelling spel1lOg ( It ItccaslOnalIy Itccasionally Itccasionally ccaslOnalIy ccasionally spelled spel1ed "FreIt- "FreIt FreIt "Frert- "Frert Frert "Frertalso "FreItalso " "Freit-'s "Freit Freit 's s " - ' also ) She was born m in Lan- Lan Lanr - . r , Pa , on December 3 , 1766 1766aughter , aughter of Niclaus Nlclaus and Cath- Cath Cath-s Cath s - - CathZeller CathZeiler Zeilcr Zeller Zeiler Haucr Hauer , who had em- em emed emed - ? ed em-d em d from Germany to Penn- Penn Pennnia Pennma Pennma - baptizedMember baptIzedecember nia ma in m 1754 She was baptIzed ecember 14 , 1766 , and gIven givenlame gIvename ame of Barbara for her spon- spon - BarbaTa Barbara spon-Barbara spon Barbara sponBarbaTa sponBarbara Gamber . laus claus clans ? moved with his famIly famIlywIfe familywife familywife daughter'nnc daughternnc wIfe , another daughter , ' rme rrne , and a son , Jacob ) , to toerick toerrck toenck erick errck , Md . , in 10 1767 or 1768 there 1768there grewne Barbara Haues Hauea Hauer , grew ? ne of the great events In Inearly inearly inearly early life , according accordlOg to a aauthentIcated aauthenticated aauthenticated authentIcated tradition , wasIt wasit v/as v as was / It by by George Georg ( > Washington Washmgton to toerlck toerrck towick erlck errck in m 1791 The first Presspent Pres- Pres Presspent Pres-spent Pres spent - - spent the night mght at the tavern tavernand tavernand tavernand and his dinner dmner was served servedm 01 servedby by the prettiest girls oflUage of ofage ofage age , among them Barbarar Barbara ' t r , ' , According Accordmg to the story story"ngton storyngton . , " byappearance ington was so impressed by pleasantws pleasanters pleasantors apPearance and pleasant ers ors that he presented her hera a beautiful china chma bo\\ bo bo\\l bo l bo1 boil \ \ 1 wInch which wInchreasured whichreasured whichreasured reasured reasuredas as long as she livedAn lived l1ved \ An Old Maid . spite Barbara Hauer's Hauers ' beau- beau beauowever beauowever beau-owever beau owever - - owever , she docs does not seem seeme ve ye seemve seemye e been much afterle aHere aftere sought aHer after Frederick"y Fredericky e Young men of FrederIck , . . " Y rate , in m an era of early ragestshe un-tlc un tlc ages lages earlyages earlylages , she postponed hers un- un une unas un une - - e _ tsas ' \as as \ as an "old old " maid " of , . On May 6 , 1806 , she was icd reel wasIcd wasreel to John Casper Fntchie FrItchle Fritchie , , glovefy glovery as the proprietor of a glove [ ry and , yearseer yearser incidentally mCIdental1y , , 14 years | er than his bridertly bride brldc brideP P rtly Iy before the Civil war war'Dame warDame , , ' Dame Barbara was past pastHarriet pasiy pastyears Harriet years of age , her cousm cousin-Harriet cousin Harriet , , ; r 10stalledr HarrIet - home dhome Yonegrewas Yoner Yoncr , was mst-1110 mst 1110 10stalled install - d as a - proby probby compamon companion , prob- prob - by Kittyew y her nieces meces , Mrs Kitty Kith Carolmet Carolinet hew ew and MISS Carolme Caroline t As prevIously related , e Barba BarbaUnion Barbara was mtensely intensely loy- loy by- by byt byLee's - Untont tthe loytthe he Union Unton Unionintensely UnionJ t . j . Lee's Lees ' Invasion . J , cd ed armycd armyed September Septetriber P the armthe nber 5 Lee's Lees ' army ] Potomac , smgmi smgmg singing smgmgi singingr i r "Maryland Maryland " , My Maryland ' ! " The Themam Themain Themain mam main body camped at Fredenck Frederick FredenckJunctIon FrederickJunction FrederickJunction JunctIon , three miles mlles south of ofrrederlck ofFrederick rrederlck Frederick ofFrederick ofthe , but a large largc portion of ofthe ofthe the army , including mcludmg the forces forcescommanded forcescommanded forcescommanded commanded by "Stonewall Stonewall " " Jack Jack- Jackson Jackson Jackson - son , marched through the town townand townand townand and camped at Worman's Wormans ' MIll Milltwo , daysthe two miles nules north For three days the Confederates remained remamed m in mand inand inand and around Frederick Then early earlyon earlyon earlyon on the morning mormng of September 10 10the 10the 10the the beganto army broke camp and began to move west , marching march10g out on onWest onWest onWest West Patuck Patllck Patrick street which took tookthem tookthem tookthem them past the home of Dame DameBarbara DameBarbara DameBarbara Barbara But "Stonewall Stonewall " " Jack Jack- Jackson Jackson Jackson - son , TABS \ ; as not with his troops when whenthey whenthey whenthey they reached her home He had hadleft hadleft hadleft left the line Ime at West Second street streetand streetand streetand Presbyterian and ridden up to the thc Presby Presby- - . terian terlan parsonage where lived I1ved the theRev theRev theRev Rev . Dr . Ross Under the doorof door doorof doorof of the parsonage an orderly orderlysl1pped orderlyslipped orderlyslipped sl1pped slipped this tlns note : permittedto "Regret Regret " not being bemg permItted to see Dr . , and Mrs Ross , but butI butcould butcould butcould I could not expect e\.pect e.pect e .pect pect ' \ . to have that thatpleasure thatpleasure thatpleasure pleasure at so unseasonable an anI anhour anhour anhour I hour hourT September10 -T T - T . J . Jackson , September SeptemberI I 10 , 1862-5 1862 5 1862 - - 5 15 am a m . " I As he rejoined reJomed the column columnwhich , I IwhIch whIch had halted haIted , a sudden ex- ex excItement excitement ex excitement - - 'rear rear the'rear , ' citement broke out toward the therear therear rear alongthe The word passed up along the line lme that an old lady was shak- shak shaking shak shaking . - ing mg a Yankee flag right in 10 m theIr theIrfaces theirfaces theirfaces faces and defying defYlOg them to take It Itaway itaway itaway away from her . Order was soon soonrestored soonrestored soonrestored restored and at the command"Forward commandForward command command"Forwardmarch command"Forwardmarch "Forward-march "Forward Forward march " - march I ! " the long longgray longgray longgray gray column filed out of town . What Happened . It was not until some time later laterthat laterthat laterthat that Dame Barbara confessed to toher toher toher her niece mece , Caroline Carolme Ebert , what whathad whathad whathad had happened . Her account of ofthIs ofthis ofthis thIs incident was substantially asfollows as asfollows asfollows follows : Early that morning mornmg some peo peo- people people people - ple had rushed up to her door and andtold andtold andtold told her to get out her flag be- be because because be because - cause the soldiers were com1Og coming com1OgHearlOg comingHearing comingHearing HearlOg Hearing the tramp of marchmg marching marchmgmen marchingmen marchingmen men and believing behevmg that they were wereUmon wereUnion wereUnion Umon Union soldiers soldlcrs , she took tooh . her bttle little bttlesIlk littlesilk httlesilk sIlk flag from between the leaves leavesof leavesof leavesof of her Bible and stepped out on onthe onthe onthe the porch where she began to towave towave towave wave the banner . . Immediately an officer rode up upsaying , saY10g saying "Granny Granny " , give me your yourflag yourflag yourflag flag " "You You " can't cant ' have it , " re- re repIled replied re replied - - plied pIled Dame Barbara , then notic nobc- nobc notic- nobcmg noticing noticing - - ! ing mg the gray uniforms umforms , she beganwaving began beganwaving ! , wavmg waving it more energetically energetIcal1y than thanever thanever ever The officer spoke to his men menand menand menand and they turned facing faclOg her . For a amoment amoment amoment moment she believed bel1eved that they theywere theywere theywere were going gomg to fire on her , but butshe butshe butshe she continued contmued to wa\ wa wave wae wage \ e her flagV flag flagThen V , av- av avhN } a hNa hN - I r rfl rflp rfl1tfs p 1tfs , It Itci t ci cit cir cir cirr r r rr tiR tiRF tiRr F r r / . Then the officer rode on a short shortdIstance shortdistance shortdistance dIstance and returned with an- an another another an another - other officer . This officer said to toher toher toher her "Give Give " me your flag , Granny Grannyand , and ' I'll Ill ' stick it in my horse's horses horse'shead horse'shead horse'shead horseshead ' " " can't cant ' have It it"replied itreplied " head "No No , you , repl1ed replied Dame Barbara , where where- whereupon whereupon whereupon - upon one of the soldiers shouted shouted"Shoot shouted"Shoot shouted"Shoot shoutedShoot "Shoot Shoot " her damned head 011 off [ ! " The officer turned angrily upon uponWm uponhim uponhim Wm him , saying saymg "If If " you harm a haIr haIrof hairof hairof of her head , ' I'll Ill ' shoot you down downbke downlike downhke bke like a dog dogl ! " Then , turning turmng to the theold theold theold old lady , he said sald "Go Go " on . , Granny Grannyv/ave Grannyv ave , wavc wave / your flag as much as you youplease youplease youplease please , " : and md : a moment later gave gavethe gavethe gavethe the order for the troops to march marchon marchon on . This is the story which is gIven givenin givenin 10 in "A A " Sketch of Barbara Fnet- Fnet Friet- Friet Fnetchie Frietchie Fnet.chie Fnetchie - - . chie , " a booklet written by MISS MISSEleanor MissEleanor MissEleanor Eleanor D . Abbott , a great grand- grand grandmece grandniece grand-niece grand niece - - mece niece of Damo DamG Dama Barbara , and it issubstantiated is issubstantIated issubstantiated substantIated by the later test testa testamony teshmony ! mony of C Confederate < , nfederate soldiers whc who _ 'II II ' ' ' ' 1--- 1 1ir " ' - - . - " " - ir < 5 6K/ 6K 6Krrr } / + rrr A . " ' . } . t . I 1 " 9 Y d " rr rrV . I/6b I 6b I6bY / { Y V/ V VX44 / . X44 X44N N M t tN ; : N w wS S : 7 7R R r . " h 6 6LN /LN LN / * . ft t e : . , re ' f fa a . a ae x k kA ka a f 9 Y ! 6 A k . 0 e o + nYnwosawwot . , ? y , a : 1 hsrN hsrN9&t 9&t 9t & _ M4 , , v r , / , , , m.w mw . . . . , . . : Lt LtRestored Restored home of Barbara Fnctcwe Frietchie m in rrcderlck Frederick , Md . Shown Shownat Shownat at the theundow \undow undow vtindow \ wIth the flag IS her grandmcce grandniece , Mrs . Julia H . Abbott . were in m the column which halted haltedm haltedin m in front of her house and wit wIt- wItnessed witnessed witnessed - nessed Amongthem her flag-waving flag waving flag-wavmg wavmg - Among them was Capt . , Frank Myers Myerswho , who asserted that he was the of- of officer officer of officer - ficerho ficer who \ho ho rho , \ forbade the soldiers to tofire tofire tofire fire upon her . Three days after the Confed Confed- Confederates Confederates - . erates left Frederick , Uruon Umon Uruontroops Umontroops Uniontroops troops commanded by Gen A E E.Burnside EBurnside . Burnside , the advance of Mc-Clellan's Mc Clellan's Clellans Mc- Mc McClellan's McClellan's - Clellan's Clellans city.Dame cityDame ' army , entered the CIty , . Dame Barbara's Barbaras ' feat was com com- common common common - mon talk among the citizens and andwhen andwhen andwhen when Gen Jesse Lee Reno heard heardabout heardabout heardabout about it he called ca1led on the old lady ladywho , who showed him two flags One Oneof Oneof Oneof of them was the small silk flag flagWhIch flagwhich flagwhich WhIch she had waved at the Con Con- Confederates Confederates Confederates - federates and the other was alarge a alarge alarge large cotton banner which she shehad shehad shehad had , on occasion , displayed from froma fromn n a window wmdow m in the attic of her homeHer home homeHer Her Flags Preserved . She gave General Reno the thelarge thelarge thelarge large cotton flag and , after he hewas hewas hewas was killed at the Battle of South SouthMountam SouthMountain SouthMountain Mountam Mountain the next day , it wassent was wassent wassent sent with his rus body to his home homein homein 10 in Boston Later members of the theReno theReno theReno Reno family presented it to the theMassachusetts theMassachusetts theMassachusetts Massachusetts commandery of ofthe ofthe ofthe the Loyal Legion of the Umted United UmtedStates UnitedStates UnitedStates States and it is still on dIsplay displayin 111 in the |