The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-08-21
Two or Three Songs Of the War, and other
Matters.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. IS, 1868.

lar ieellng from time to time, as the war drags
its heavy months along, finds expression in
the songs of the street. None OF us who are
now living will evr again see such days as
those of the memorable spring of 81, when
volunteers all over the land went marching
away to the front, elate and blithe as If hidden
to festival, and the patriotism which had
slumbered under the ashes of long, peaceful
years burst everywhere into clear fame How
perfectly the gay melody of Dixie" fitted the
enthusiasm of the hour 81 hate that tune,n
said friend tie other night 81 came to
Washington two years ago, sick and lone
"some, a stranger in strange city, and every
"organ-grinder and every dirty vagabond in
"thestreet was grinding or granting 'Dix-i-ie,'
Dix-i-ie,' till can never hear it without
remembering that time" To most of us, it
brings other mcmories-of sad yet proud
partings, of the grand proof which whole
people then made haste TO give of abiding love
and sacred devotion to the Republic.
But such exatation could not last. "March-
ing along" notwithstanding its grand move
ment, is pitched i'll a lower key than Dixie
and makes a state of feeling, firmer perhaps,
but less joyous. And so the war rolled on
and last winter, after Fredericksburg, the cold
rains splashed heavily on the shallow graves of
our volunteers. 1t was long and gloomy
pause which followed, and you know how well
the depression of the moment was improved
by the opposers of the war throughout the
the North. 1t was then that simple, little
song, of no great merit save in its reference to
the coming time, "When this cruel war is
over" won its way throughout the land. Pro-
fessor Child's exquisite resurrection of Lii
libulero" attracted the admiration of the COM
paratively few reverent lovers of Uncle Toby
aud his ancient ditty but the simple song Of
a nameless ballad-maker touches all hearts.
1t is good omen, that just now In WASH
ington, and doubtless elsewhere, the favorte
song is, :" Rally round the flag, boys, rally once
again !" l hear it as write you may hear
it at any hour 1t has been current in the ar
my of the Potomac for months. At Chancel--
lorville, you remember, when jackson fell
with his whole force upon Towards cruelty
exposed corps and overwhelmed and crushed
it, Berry's command was sent to fhe right to
check the rout. As the 4th Ohio regiment OF
that command pushed through tangled wood
toward the point OF attack, it was necessarily
thrown into disorder, and the Colonel ordered
his men as soon as they got through, to form
upon the colors." As they emerged into the
open space somebody sang the first stave, and
then the whole regiment, and another, and yet
third woke the echoes with Rally round
the flag, boys, rally once again y Again we
heard of it in Maryland village, where two
young ladies sang it, as our brave fellows
marched cheering by from Gettysburg. And
now, at last, it is on every body's lips. The
nation has got its second breath and means
business. Yesterday the grand attack upon
the defences Of Charleston was TO have begun.
Admiral Farragut is here, soon, it is rumored,
to be assigned to an important command.
Burnsde's 9th corps, the big class in geog-
raphy," will prosecute their studies in Ken
lucky and probably /" go through" Tennessee.
North Carolina, so the Richmond Enquirer of
Monday says, will send delegation of I'm
ionists to this city.
While everything looks SO prosperous in the
field, a sullen cloud still hangs over New York
The next riot, it is safe to predict, will not be
nismanaged like the last. Ffteen or sixteen
thousand troops are said to be concentrated
there. The army was perfectly furious at the
intelligence of the former riot. ] have this
from the lips OF an officer, who was in the
field at the time. The draft here takes one in
three-,early the same proportion as in Maine
mot one in five, as in New York. But there
is no mumuring, only the same half jocular ex-
citemeut you experienced in Portland few
weeks ago. Your regular correspondent drew
prize, as he has perhaps informed you. The
drafted men are beginning to arrive quite rap
idly, and are at once sent forward to their re-
giments. The 10th company of the first bat
TALON Of the Invalid Corps, now encamped on
Meridian Hill, left this city for Boston
Wednesday--to take charge of conseripts
there. it is supposed. Conscripts from this
District are sent into camp on Mason's Island,
near Georgetown. Lieut.. Col. Talbot, LIST
Maine Heavy Artillery, commands the post
Poppenberg's band is in high favor. "Icau
tell now what they're playing" said man
Tuesday evening, in Lafayette square, but
"when that blessed Maine band plays Yam
kee DOODLE in the CLASSICAL STYLE can't
"guess what tune it ISL One might almost
fancy himself in Portland seeing and hearing
the familiar faces and music. H.w.R.