Barbara Frietchie

“Barbara Frietchie” is a narrative poem, or ballad, written by 19th-century American poet John Greenleaf Whittier. It was published in the Atlantic Monthly in October 1863. Whittier was a renowned poet in his day and this patriotic poem, written during the Civil War, quickly became popular and was reprinted many times in the North. It was even set to music as a song. The poem is set in Frederick, Maryland, on the day in September 1862 when Confederate troops entered the town. It is based on what Whittier believed was a real incident that took place that day, although to this day it has proved impossible to verify the details. Whittier was a lifelong advocate for the abolition of slavery, and “Barbara Frietchie” reflects his enthusiastic belief in the Union cause.

Poet Biography

John Greenleaf Whittier was born on December 17, 1807, near Haverhill, Massachusetts. He came from a family of farmers and Quakers. He had little formal education early in his life but read poetry, especially the Scottish poet Robert Burns. His first poem was published in 1826 in a local newspaper. The following year, Whittier attended Haverhill Academy for two terms. By this time, he was a committed abolitionist.