The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-02-23
UNION WAR SONGS AND CONFED-
ERATE OFFICERS.

The reading of Mr.. Brander Matthew's
Songs of the War; in the August mum.
Der of The Century, vividly recalls to
mind an incident of my own experience
which seems to me 30 apt an illustration
of the effect of army songs upon men
that | venture to send it to you, as | re-
member it, after twenty-five years.
A day or two after Lees surrender IN
April, 1865, left our ship at Dutch
Gap in the James River, for run up
to Richmond, where | was joined by the
ships surgeon, the paymaster, and one
of the junior officers. After doing
Richmond pretty thoroughly we went
in the evening to my rooms for
dinner. Dinner being over and the
events of the day being recounIed the
doctor who was fine player, opened the
piano, saying Boys, we've got our old
uuartette here, let's have u sing As
the house opposite was occupied by pa
rolled Confederate officers. no patriotic
songs were sung. Soon the iady of the
house handed me this note :
Compliments of General -- and
Staff. Will the gentlemen kindly allow
us to come over and hear them singP
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 or Jackson, in the whole Confedera.
cy. After the intTodUctions and the
usual interchange of civilites, we sang
for them glees and college songs, until
at last the general said :
Excuse me. gentlemen, you sing de-
lightfuIly, but what are want to hear is
your army songs
Then we gave them the army songs
with JUNCTION, the Battle Hymn of the
Republic, John Browns Body We're
Coming, Father Abraham Tramp.
Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are Marching,
through the whole catalogue, to the
Star Spangled Banner. Ito which many
foot beat time as if il had never step
ped to any but the music of the Union
AMI closed our concert with Rally
Round the Flag. Boys When the APP
plause had suhsided. tall. fine looking
fellow in a majors uniform exclaimed
Gentlemen, 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 moth
ing, absolutely nothing, except bastard
'Marseillaise,' the 'BJnny B'ue Flag,
and Dixie which were nothing but
jigs. Maryland, my Maryland was
splendid song, but the true, old 'Lpuri
ger Horatius was about as inspiring a.
the Dead March in Saul while every
one of these Yankee songs is full of
marching aud fighting and lighting
spirit
Then turning to the general he said
Il shall never forget the first time
hoo r1 ,P ,lly R,npI tho Elau 1Nwae "a
nasty night during the Seven Days
Fight and if | remember rightly it was
raining. was on picket. when just be-
fore taps, some fellow on the Other
side struck up that song and others join
ed in the chorus until it seemed to me
lhe whole Yankee army was singing.
Tom B, who was with me. sung
out, Good heavens, Cap. what are those
fellows made of, anyway ? Here we've
licked 'em days running and now on
the eve of the seventh, they're singing
Rally Round the Flag l am not nat
urally superstitious, but | tell you that
song sounded to me like the 'knell Of
doom, and my heart went down into
my boots; and though I've tried to dc
my duty, 1t has been an up hill fight
with me ever since that night.
The little company of Union singers
and Confederate auditors, after pleas
ant and interesting interchange of sto-
ries of army experiences, then separated,
and as the general shook hands at part
ing, he said to me: We'll, the time may
come when we can all sing the Star
Spangled Banner again | have not
seen him since.
RICHARD WENTWORTH BROWNE.