Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-03-08
Cnion War-Songs and Confederate
Officers.

Union " 1E-0ni.s anu
Officers.
The reading Of Mr.. Brander
Matthews Songs of the War, in the
Ceat,uH 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 rs !
remember it after twenty-five years.
A dag or two after Lees surrender
in April, 1860, left our ship at
dutch Gap, in the James River, for
4 run MP to Richmond, where ! was
Joined by the ships surgeon. the pay
master, and one Of the junior officers.
After "doing" Richmond pretty
thoroughly we went in one evening
TO NV rooms for dinner. Dinner be-
inc over and the events Of the day re-
counted, the doctor. who was fine
playe 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 Com
Tolerate officers, no patriotic songs
were sung, Soon the lady Of the house
handed me this note;
Compliments of Goueral--and
staff. WIN the gentlemen kindly al
low MS to come over and hear them
sng?" OF course we consented, and
they came. As the general entered
tie room, | recognized instantly tue
face and figure of one VINO stood
second only TO Lee or Jackson, in the
Confederacv. After introductions and
the usual interchange of ciyiIities, we
sang for them glees and college songs,
until at last the general said: Eek
cuSe me, gentlemen, you sing delight
fully, but what we want to hear is
yonr army songs Then we gave
Them the army songs with JUNCTION,
The "Rattle HYMN of the Republic"
..Jolr Brown Body, Were Coming
Father Abraham" Tramp, Tramp,
Tramp, the Boys are Marching
throu Oh the whole catalogue, to the
spangled Banner, to watch
many foot beat time us if il had
never stepped to any but the ''music
OF the Union, and closing our con-
cert with Rally Round the Flag,
Boys. When the applause had subsd-
Ell, Il tall. tne-looking fellow in 4
majors uniform exclaimed, Gentle
men, If we'd had your songs we'd have
| licked YOU out of your boots! Who
couldn't have marched or fought with
such songs? While We had nothing
absolutely nothing, except n bastard
'Marspilaise, the Bonnie Blue Flag,
and Dixie. which were nothing
but iigs Maryland, my Maryland
was a splendid song, but the true, old
| Iauriger Horatius' was about rs in,
spring as the Dead March in Saul,
/ while every one of these Yankee songs
Is full OF marching and fighting spirit
/ Then turning to the general he said.
II shall never forget the first time
heard Rally Round the Flag T was
a NASTY night during the Seven Days
! Fiuht, aud if ! remember rightly il
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 il
! seemed to me that the whole Yankee
army was singing. Tom B. who
was with me, sung ont, Good heavens,
4 Can. what are those fellows made OF,
! anyway? Here we've licked 'em six
DAYS running, and now on the eve OF
the seventh, they're singing Rally
Round the Flag. | am notnaturally
! superstitious, but | tell you that song
| sounded to me like the 'kncll Of doom,
and my heart went down into my
boots; and though | We tried to do my
duty, it has been an uphill fight with
me ever since tha. night.
/ The l;ttle company of t ql0n singer;