The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-02-03
WAR SONGS OF THE UNION.
An incident Which Occurred Few Days
After the Surrender Of Lees Army.


An Incident Which Occurred Few Days
After the Surrender Of Lees Army.
A day or two after Lees surrender In
April, 1865, left our ship ut "Dutch
Gap" in the James river, for run up to
Richmond, where was joined by the
ships surgeon, tho paymaster, and one OF
the junior officers. After "doing" Rich
mond pretty thoroughly we went in tho
evening to my rooms for dinner. Dinner
being over and the events of the day re-
counted, the doctor, who was fine
player, opened the piano, saying: boys,
we've got our old quartette here; let's
have 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 allowsps to
come over aud 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 or Jackson, in
the whole Confederacy. After intro
ductions and the usual Interchange OF
civilities, we sane for them glees and col
lege songs, until at last the general said:
Excuse me, gentlemen, you sing de-
lightfully, but what we want to hear is
your army songs" Then we gave them
the army songs with JUNCTION, the "Bat-
tie 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"
to which many 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 subsidized, a tall,
fine looking fellow in a majors uniform
eXclaimed: Gentlemen, il we'd had
your songs we'd have licked You out
your boots Who couldn't have marched
or fought with such songs? While we had
nothing, absolutely nothing, except
bastard 'Marseillaisc,' the 'Bonny Blue
Flag and Dixie, which were nothing but
igs. Maryland, My Maryland was II
splendid song, but the true, old
Tauriger Horatius' was about as in
spring rs 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 l heard
Rally Round the Flag Twas nasty
ulSHO but scSNtn 1dNo lSliu, tillu
If remember rightly it was raining. /
was on picket, when, just before taps
some fellow en- 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 heavens, Cap,
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."' 1 am
not naturally superstitious, but I 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 do my
duty, it has been IN up hill fight with me
ever since that night
Tho little company Of Union singers
and Confederate auditors, after q pleasant
and interesting interchange of stories Of
army experiences, then separated, and rs
the general shook hands at parting, he
said to me: "Well, the time mayScome
when we can all sing the star Spangled
Banner again." | have not seen him
since.--Richard Wentworth Browne in
The Century.