''Barbara Frietchie, The Frederick Girl'' is a play in four acts by Clyde Fitch and based on the heroine of

John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...

's poem "Barbara Frietchie" (based on a real person:

Barbara Fritchie Barbara Fritchie (née Hauer; December 3, 1766 – December 18, 1862), also known as Barbara Frietchie, and sometimes spelled Frietschie, was a Unionist during the Civil War. She became part of American folklore in part from a popular poem ...

). Fitch takes a good bit of artistic liberty and intertwines her story with that of his own grandparents' love story, which also takes place during the Civil War.

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

took her film name from the name of the play, and a British actress named Joan Stanwyck who starred in one of the play's productions, perhaps in London. An illustrated version of the poem is contained in James Thurber's ''

Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems Illustrated ''Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems Illustrated'' is a 1940 book by James Thurber. Thurber updates some old fables and creates some new ones of his own. Notably there is 'The Bear Who Could Take It Or Leave It Alone' about a bear who lapses in ...

''. The play met with mixed reviews in 1899 because of the romance he added to the tale, but it would be successfully revived a number of times. Fritchie, a central figure in the history of Frederick, Maryland, has a stop in the town's walking tour at her home. When

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

passed through Frederick in 1943, he stopped at the house and recited the poem from memory. At 90 years of age she waved the Union flag out of her window despite opposition from

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...

's troops, who were passing through Frederick. This event is the subject of the 1864 poem: :"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. Her name was ''Barbara Hauer Frietchie''

Known performances

*July, 1899 at the Y.M.C.A. auditorium in Mansfield, Ohio ource: Mansfield (OH) News: 11 July 1899*October 23, 1899–January 1900— Criterion Theatre, Manhattan *February 1900— Poli's Theatre, Naugatuck, Connecticut *March 19–March 24, 1900— National Theatre, Washington, D.C. Starring Julia Marlowe Presented by Charles Frohman * October 15, 1900

Chicago, IL (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

with Julia Marlowe & Bruce McRae at grand opening of Illinois Theatre *January 28–March 1901— Academy of Music, Manhattan

External links

''Barbara Frietchie''
at the

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade assoc ...

* 1899 plays Plays by Clyde Fitch Poetry and hymns by John Greenleaf Whittier {{1890s-play-stub