The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: tombogan03884 on July 01, 2011, 12:12:36 PM
-
On the anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg, does any one remember this ?
Up from the meadows rich with corn,
Clear in the cool September morn,
The clustered spires of Frederick stand
Green-walled by the hills of Maryland.
Round about them orchards sweep,
Apple and peach trees fruited deep,
Fair as the garden of the Lord
to the eyes of the famished rebel horde,
On that pleasant morn of the early fall
When Lee marched over the mountain-wall;
Over the mountains winding down,
Horse and foot, into Frederick town.
Forty flags with their silver stars,
Forty flags with their crimson bars,
Flapped in the morning wind; the sun
Of noon looked down, and saw not one.
Up rose old Barbara Frietchie then,
Bowed with her fourscore years and ten;
Bravest of all in Frederick town,
She took up the flag the men hauled down;
In her attic window the staff she set,
To show that one heart was loyal yet.
Up the street came the rebel tread,
Stonewall Jackson riding ahead.
Under his slouched hat left and right
He glanced; the old flag met his sight.
"Halt!" the dust-brown ranks stood fast.
"Fire!" out blazed the rifle-blast.
It shivered the window, pane and sash;
It rent the banner with seam and gash.
Quick, as it fell, from the broken staff
Dame Barbara snatched the silken scarf.
She leaned far out on the window-sill,
And shook it forth with a royal will.
"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head,
But spare your country's flag," she said.
A shade of sadness, a blush of shame,
Over the face of the leader came;
The nobler nature within him stirred
To life at that woman's deed and word;
"Who touches a hair of yon gray head
Dies like a dog! March on!" he said.
All day long through Frederick street
Sounded the tread of marching feet:
All day long that free flag tost
Over the heads of the rebel host.
Ever its torn folds rose and fell
On the loyal winds that loved it well;
And through the hill-gaps sunset light
shone over it with a warm good-night.
Barbara Frietchie's work is o'er,
and the Rebel rides on his raids no more.
Honor to her! And let a tear
Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall's bier.
Over Barbara Frietchie's grave,
Flag of Freedom and Union, wave!
Peace and order and beauty draw
Round thy symbol of light and law;
And ever the stars above look down
On thy stars below in Frederick town!
-
I remembered only the most known line
"Shoot if you must this old grey head"
Thanks for posting the source.
-
Been a long time.
-
Coming up on the FOURTH, it's a good time to get that "refresher." Thanks.
-
I ran across mention of Fredrick on the date that John Buford's (Henry armed ) calvary brigade held Seminary Ridge against Henry Heth's entire division.
-
It was those repeating carbines that saved the day. Many things happened in those three days that could have swung victory either way.
Everyone have their Flags flying today?
-
Tom, I believe Bufords men had Spencers, not Henrys. Also Jackson had died of pneumonia before the march to Gettysburg
-
Tom, I believe Bufords men had Spencers, not Henrys. Also Jackson had died of pneumonia before the march to Gettysburg
Can't find a reference now, would have sworn one of his units was armed with Henry's but all I found was a painting, that shows Spencer's.
The poem is about the approach to Antietam, the previous year when Gen. Jackson was still very much alive.
-
Ok, I saw the line about Frederick and thought Gettysburg
-
Actually, the march described played an extremely important part in the battle.
When Union troops camped there later they found a document wrapped around 3 cigars.
It was Lee's battle plan.
McClellan said "With this document, if I can't beat Bobby Lee I will happily go home"
Because of various command failures, such as Burnside spending half the day trying to take a bridge across a knee deep stream, and McClellan's failure to pursue, he achieved only a stalemate, and Lincoln did indeed send him home for the second, and last, time.
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbTjbLliL00