Woman's Work in the Civil War Part 58

"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 s.n.a.t.c.hed 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 n.o.bler 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!

MRS. HETTY M. McEWEN.

Mrs. McEwen is an aged woman of Nashville, Tennessee, of revolutionary stock, having had six uncles in the revolutionary war, four of whom fell at the battle of King's Mountain. Her husband, Colonel Robert H. McEwen, was a soldier in the war of 1812, as his father had been in the revolution. Her devotion to the Union, like that of most of those who had the blood of our revolutionary fathers in their veins is intense, and its preservation and defense were the objects of her greatest concern. Making a flag with her own hands, she raised it in the first movements of secession, in Nashville, and when through the treachery of Isham Harris and his co-conspirators, Tennessee was dragged out of the Union, and the secessionists demanded that the flag should be taken down, the brave old couple nailed it to the flag-staff, and that to the chimney of their house. The secessionists threatened to fire the house if it was not lowered, and the old lady armed with a shot-gun, undertook to defend it, and drove them away. She subsequently refused to give up her fire-arms on the requisition of the traitor Harris. Mrs. Lucy H.

Hooper has told the story of the rebel efforts to procure the lowering of her flag very forcibly and truthfully:

HETTY McEWEN.

Oh Hetty McEwen! Hetty McEwen!

What were the angry rebels doing, That autumn day, in Nashville town, They looked aloft with oath and frown, And saw the Stars and Stripes wave high Against the blue of the sunny sky; Deep was the oath, and dark the frown, And loud the shout of "Tear it down!"

For over Nashville, far and wide, Rebel banners the breeze defied, Staining heaven with crimson bars; Only the one old "Stripes and Stars"

Waved, where autumn leaves were strewing, Round the home of Hetty McEwen.

Hetty McEwen watched that day Where her son on his death-bed lay; She heard the hoa.r.s.e and angry cry-- The blood of "76" rose high.

Out-flashed her eye, her cheek grew warm, Up rose her aged stately form; From her window, with steadfast brow, She looked upon the crowd below.

Eyes all aflame with angry fire Flashed on her in defiant ire, And once more rose the angry call, "Tear down that flag, or the house shall fall!"

Never a single inch quailed she, Her answer rang out firm and free: "Under the roof where that flag flies, Now my son on his death-bed lies; Born where that banner floated high, 'Neath its folds he shall surely die.

Not for threats nor yet for suing Shall it fall," said Hetty McEwen.

The loyal heart and steadfast hand Claimed respect from the traitor band; The fiercest rebel quailed that day Before that woman stern and gray.

They went in silence, one by one-- Left her there with her dying son, And left the old flag floating free O'er the bravest heart in Tennessee, To wave in loyal splendor there Upon that treason-tainted air, Until the rebel rule was o'er And Nashville town was ours once more.

Came the day when Fort Donelson Fell, and the rebel reign was done; And into Nashville, Buell, then, Marched with a hundred thousand men, With waving flags and rolling drums Past the heroine's house he comes; He checked his steed and bared his head, "Soldiers! salute that flag," he said; "And cheer, boys, cheer!--give three times three For the bravest woman in Tennessee!"

OTHER DEFENDERS OF THE FLAG.

Barbara Frietchie and Hettie McEwen were not the only women of our country who were ready to risk their lives in the defense of the National Flag. Mrs. Effie t.i.tlow, as we have already stated elsewhere, displayed the flag wrapped about her, at Middletown, Maryland, when the Rebels pa.s.sed through that town in 1863. Early in 1861, while St. Louis yet trembled in the balance, and it seemed doubtful whether the Secessionists were not in the majority, Alfred Clapp, Esq., a merchant of that city, raised the flag on his own house, then the only loyal house for nearly half a mile, on that street, and nailed it there. His secession neighbors came to the house and demanded that it should be taken down. Never! said his heroic wife, afterwards president of the Union Ladies' Aid Society. The demand was repeated, and one of the secessionists at last said, "Well, if you will not take it down, I will," and moved for the stairs leading to the roof. Quick as thought, Mrs. Clapp intercepted him. "You can only reach that flag over my dead body," said she. Finding her thus determined, the secessionist left, and though frequent threats were muttered against the flag, it was not disturbed.

Mrs. Moore (Parson Brownlow's daughter) was another of these fearless defenders of the flag. In June, 1861, the Rebels were greatly annoyed at the st.u.r.dy determination of the Parson to keep the Stars and Stripes floating over his house; and delegation after delegation came to his dwelling to demand that they should be lowered. They were refused, and generally went off in a rage. On one of these occasions, nine men from a Louisiana regiment stationed at Knoxville, determined to see the flag humbled. Two men were chosen as a committee to proceed to the parson's house to order the Union ensign down. Mrs. Moore (the parson's daughter) answered the summons. In answer to her inquiry as to what was their errand, one said, rudely:

"We have come to take down that d----d rag you flaunt from your roof--the Stripes and Stars."

Mrs. Moore stepped back a pace or two within the door, drew a revolver from her dress pocket, and leveling it, answered:

"Come on, sirs, and take it down!"

The chivalrous Confederates were startled.

"Yes, come on!" she said, as she advanced toward them.

They cleared the piazza, and stood at bay on the wall.

"We'll go and get more men, and then d----d if it don't come down!"

"Yes, go and get more men--you are not men!" said the heroic woman, contemptuously, as the two backed from the place and disappeared.

Miss Alice Taylor, daughter of Mrs. Nellie Maria Taylor, of New Orleans, a young lady of great beauty and intelligence, possessed much of her mother's patriotic spirit. The flag was always suspended in one or another of the rooms of Mrs. Taylor's dwelling, and notwithstanding the repeated searches made by the Rebels it remained there till the city was occupied by Union troops. The beauty and talent of the daughter, then a young lady of seventeen, had made her very popular in the city. In 1860, she had made a presentation speech when a flag was presented to one of the New Orleans Fire Companies. In May, 1861, a committee of thirteen gentlemen called on Mrs. Taylor, and informed her that the ladies of the district had wrought a flag for the Crescent City (Rebel) regiment to carry on their march to Washington, and that the services of her daughter Alice were required to make the presentation speech. Of course Mrs. Taylor's consent was not given, and the committee insisted that they _must_ see the young lady, and that she must make the presentation address. She was accordingly called, and after hearing their request, replied that she would readily consent on two conditions. First, that her mother's permission should be obtained; and second, that the Stars and Stripes should wave around her, and decorate the arch over her head, as on the former occasion. The committee, finding that they could get no other terms, withdrew, vexed and mortified at their failure.

Mrs. Booth, the widow of Major Booth, who fell contending against fearful odds at Fort Pillow, at the time of the b.l.o.o.d.y ma.s.sacre, a few weeks after presented the blood-stained flag of the fort which had been saved by one of the few survivors, to the remnant of the First Battalion of Major Booth's regiment, then incorporated with the Sixth United States Heavy Artillery, with these thrilling words, "Boys, I have just come from a visit to the hospital at Mound City. There I saw your comrades, wounded at the b.l.o.o.d.y struggle in Fort Pillow. There I found the flag--you recognize it! One of your comrades saved it from the insulting touch of traitors. I have given to my country all I had to give--my husband--such a gift! Yet I have freely given him for freedom and my country. Next to my husband's cold remains, the dearest object left to me in the world, is that flag--the flag that waved in proud defiance over the works of Fort Pillow! Soldiers! this flag I give to you, knowing that you will ever remember the last words of my n.o.ble husband, '_never surrender the flag to traitors_!'"

Colonel Jackson received from her hand--on behalf of his command--the blood-stained flag, and called upon his regiment to receive it as such a gift ought to be received. At that call, he and every man of the regiment fell upon their knees, and solemnly appealing to the G.o.d of battles, each one swore to avenge their brave and fallen comrades, and never, _never surrender the flag to traitors_.