Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-02-23
John BROWNS BODY"
Tie Origin and Growth of the Tanous
"Eolk-Sonc'' al the Civil War.

In the song John Browns Body"
we have an example Of melody and a
set of words which seem never To
have been written or composed by
anybody. 1t is a genuine ''f~olk-song,"
growing out Of n widespread scnti-
mcnt, a. many old fo!k-songs have
done, which far more closely respond
to the musical wants of the common
people thar any carefully prepared
aud clevcrly composed song could be.
LII the case of this song. however, its
recent origin and almost instant
growth into common use give us an
opportunity TO understand its begin
ings and development i'm Il Il which
is impossible with older songs
The tune of John Browns Body
had its origin before the words that
are now known on remembered in con-
nection with it. 1t was sung before
the War Of the Rebellion. as long ago,
at least, rs 1896. to words which DO
not now remain in Use. ut certain New
England camp-meotings and revival
services.
Two members of the Boston militia
company called the Tigers" happen
ing TO he ut u camp-meeting in a small
town IN New Hampshire, heard the
song sang 20 religious words, and
remembered the air. The name of
one OF these mon was Purington, and
OF the other John Brown.
Not not long after this the war
broke out, and tho Tigers were
made a part Of the Twelfth Massa-
chusetts RcgimentofVoluuteers. which
lendozyoused at Fort Warren, in Bos-
ton llarbor. Here the two men al
ready named, %PuriuGton and Brown,
formed with two others, named Elger-
~ and Grcenlcaf, a quartctte, aud the
9nartette sang, among iLs Other songs,
all sorts OF words Of their own .'gct-
ting up' e. this tune.
JohA Brown was a ~rood-natured
S~cotcAz1an, and the members of the
quartettc say thcy sang John Brown
this and John Brown that 10 the tune,
unit, by an almost unconscious change.
the Zero Of them WAS changed from
JohE Brown, of the Tigers" to John
Brown, of Harper's Ferry, and the
grand and simple verse came into ex-
istenCe:
John Browns Body lies Wondering in the
ground.
But his soul Is mare hing on"
Before this time the masses Of the
North had rot been in exact sympa-
thy with the purposes If John Brown.
bat the cXcitemen5 of the early DAYS
of the war called out a sentiment
which these words exactly fitted.
Whenever the soldier quurtettc were
IN Boston they were called pom TO
sing this song. The Twelfth Rcgi-
ment took it mp. Samuel G.. Perkins,
OF Brockton, n member OF MaitlaGd's
Iand, which was stationed with the
Regiment ut Fort Warren, wrote down
the air while n soldier whiStled it.
Then the band played it every day.
When Edward Everett formal, pre-
scented the set of colors Of the Twelfth
Regiment on Boston Common, the
speech of acceptance being made by
Colonel Fletcher Webster Of the regi-
mcnt, the ture was played. and tho
multitude fairly went wild over il.
The band PLAYED the tune going up
State street in June, 1861, and tho
soldiers sang it as they marched along.
The crowd along the sidewalk took up
The air and joined in the chorus,
NV ~ ElFI ' = hhlE'titJiHy
Ills soul il marching on.
Soon after the regiment sang il in
marching through New York on the
way to Baltimore. with the same ef-
feet. 1t spread at once through the
army and throughout the country, and
became the anthem of the Union.
In December, 1851, Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe wrote for the air the words be-
ginning:
'.Mlneeyes have seen the glory OF tho coming
OF the Lord
which was called The Battle Hymn
of the Republic" which soon became !,
immensely popular, but never sup
planted in common use the old simple
words.
This is the story of the origin of
John Browns Body as told by the
members of the band aud the regi-
mcnt with whom it had its use as a
popular song louth'S Companion.