The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-02-08
"John Browns Body,

In the song ".Iol,n Browns Body"
we have an example Of a melody and
set of words which seem never to
have been written or composed by
anybody, 1t is ~ genuine folk
song. growing out of "A widespread
sentiment, as many old folk-song:s
have done, which far more closely re-
spond to the musical wants oi the
common people than amy carefully
prepared and clcvcrly composed song
could he In the case of this song,
however. its recent origin and nl-
most instant growth into common
use give us an opportunity to trace
its beginnings and development in a
way which is impossible with older
songs.
The tune OF ",Juhn Browns Body"
had it's origin before the words that
are now known remembered incon-
ncction with il, 1t was sung before
the war ut the rebellion. as long ago.
ut least, as 1856, to words which do
not now rrlnain in use, ut certain
New England camp meetings aud re.
vivnl services
members of the Boston miitia
company called the Tigers. hap.
pcnng to be at II camp meeting in !,
small town in New Hampshire, beard
the song sung to religious words,
and remembered the air. The name
OF one ot tiles" men was Puril,yton
and of the other John Brown.
Not long after this, the war broke
out and the "'i'i.rrx'' were made 81
part ot the twrlltl, Massachusetts
regiment OF volunteers, which rem
'lrzvOuscd Mt Fort Warren. in I,os-
ton harlmr. llcr" tho two men nl-
ready named, i'urington and Brown.
formed, with two others. nnmcl
EdScrly aud (ir"enleaf. .aqunrt"t. am,
the quartet sang. among it's other
songs. all sorts ui words oi tlnirown
getting up 20 this tune.
John Brown w;is II Yoo,l-n,,urcd
Scotchmnn, and the members of the
quartet say they sang ".Iohn Brown
this and John Brown that" To the
tune until. hyan almost unconscious
change. the hero of them was changed
from John Brown, ot the 'Ti@rrs, -
to John Brown. of Hnrper's Ferry.
and the grand and simple verse came
into existence:
John Browns body lies ;i-monl.lcrng a in the
gronnd
But his soul is marching on
Before this time the masses OF the
north had not been in exact svn,-
pathy with tho purposes OF John
Brown. hut the excitement of the
early days of the war called out a
sentiment which these words exactly
fitted. Whenever the sodicrguartet
were in Boston they wcrecallcl upon
to sing this song. The twelfth lpyi-
mcnt took it up. Slml. e. Perkins,
OF I'rnrkton. Il member ofMaltlanul's
band, which was stationed with the
regiment at Fort Warren. wrot"
down the air willie Il soldier whistled
it. Then the band played it every
day.
When Edward Everett formally
presented the set OF rolors of the
twelfth regiment on Boston com
mon, the speech of acceptance being
made by Col. Fletcher Webster, of
the regiment. the tune was played.
and the multitude fairly went wild
over it. The band played the tune
going up State street in June. 1861,
and the soldiers sang il as they
marched along. The crowd along
the sidewalk took up the air and
joined in the chorus:
Glory glory. lallcIujlh.
His soul is m;lrrllinson
Soon after the regiment sang it in
marching through New York. on the
way to- Baltimore, with the same cf-
feet. II spread at omc through the
army and throughout the country,
and became the anthem of the union.
In December, 1861, Mrs. ,Iuli;,
Ward Howe wrote for the air tho
worlds beginning:
Min" eyes have seen the gnrY of til" coming
of III" Lord,
which was called "'I'lc Battle Hymn
of the Republic" which soon became
immensely popular, but never sur
planted in common use tho old sim
Pile words.
This is the story OF the origin OF
".John Browns Body as told by
the members of the band and tho
regiment with whom il had it's use as |
II populnrsong.