Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-02-27
Songs and Confederate
Officers.
Unior

The reading Of Mr.. Brander Mat
thew's "Songs OF the War;" in the
Century, wildly recalls to mind an
incident of my own experience which
seems to me so apt an illustration Of
the effect of army songs upon men
that venture to send it TO you as |
remember it, after twenty-five years.
A day or two after Lees surren-
der, in April, 1865, left our ship at
"Dutch Cap" in the James River,
for run up to Richmond, where !
was joined by the ships surgeon, the
paymaster and one of the junior Of
ficers. After "doing" Richmond
pretty thoroughly, we went in the ey-
ening to my rooms for dinner. Dim
ner being over, and the events Of the
day recounted, the doctor, fine
player, opened the piano, saying
"Boys, we've got our old quartette
here let's have a sing" As the house
opposite was occupied by paroled
Confederate officers, no patriotic
songs were sung. Soon the lady Of
the house handed me this note:
"Compliments Of Gen and staff.
Will the gentlemen kindly allow us
To come over and hear them sing|
OF course we consented, and they
came. As the general entered the
room, / recognized instantly the face
and figure of one who stood second
only to Lee and Jackson in the whoe
Confederacy. After introductions
and the usual interchange Of ciyili-
ties, we sang for them glees and coll
lege songs, until at last the general
said:
Excuse me, gentlemen, you sing
delightfully."-, but what we want to
hear is your army songs" Then we
gave them the army songs with unc-
ton, the "Battle Hymn of the Re-
public" "John Browns Body"
'We're Coming, Father Abraham"
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys
are Marching, through the whole
catalogue, to the "Star Spangled
Banner, to which many a foot beat
time as If it had never stepped To any
but the emusic of the Union, and
closed our concert with "Rally Round
the Flag, Boys" When the applause
had subsided, tall, ine-looking fell
low in a majors uniform exclaimed
Gentlemen, if we'd had your songs
we'd have licked You out Of your
boots Who couldn't marched or
fought with such songs 7 While we
had nothing, absolutely nothing, ex-
cept a bastard 'Marseillaise,' the
'Bonny Blue Flag and Dixie, which
were nothing but jigs. Maryland,
my Maryland was splendid song,
but the true old 'Lauriger Horatius'
was about as inspiring as the Dead
March in Saul, while every one of
these Yankee songs is full Of march
ing and fighting spirit" Then turn
ing to the general he said 81 shall
never forget the first time | heard
Rally Round the Flag. Twas
nasty night during the Seven Days
Fight, and If remember IL rightly
it was raining. / was on picket,
when, just before taps some fellow
on the other side struck up that song,
and others joined in the chorus, until
it seemed To me the whole Yankee
army was singing. Tom B., who
was with me, sung out, "Good heay-
ems, Cap, what are those fellows
made of, any wayI Here we've lick
ed 'em six days running, and now on
the eve of the seventh, they're singing
"Rally Round the Flag" am not
naturally superstitious, but tell you
that song sounded TO me like the
'llneil of DOOM and my heart went
down into my boots and though I've
tried to do my duty, it has been an
uphill fight with me ever since that
night"
The little company of Union sing
ers and Confederate auditors, after
pleasant and interesting interchange
of stories of army experiences, then
separated, and as the general shook
hands at parting, he said 10 me
"Well the time may come when we /
can all sing the "Star Spangled Ban
ner again" ! have not seen him
since. Richard Wentworth BfOtCn. /
Bobby was spending the afternoon /