The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-02-22
JOHN BROWNS BODY.
story of the Origin OF the Most rSpui.
oT Al War Songs.


In the song John Browns Body"
We have AN example OF melody and
set OF words which seem mover TO have
been written or composed 10y any body.
II is genuine "folk-song," growing
ont OF widespread sentiment, IA
many old foll-sougs have done, which
far more closely respond TO the music-
al wants OF the common people than
any carcfully-prcpared and clovorly-
composed song could be. In the case
OF this song however, IT, recent origin
aud almost instant growth into COM
mon use give rs an opportunity 10
trace its beginnings aud development
in way which is impossible with
! older songs.
The tune of John Browns Body"
had its origin before the words that
are now known or remembered i'm con.
the war OF the rebellion, as long ago, at
least, n lSj6. To words which do not
now remain i'm use. at certain New En-
+ gland camp-mcctings ard revival sorry
ices.
Two members OF the Boston militia
company, called the Tigers" hap
/ pcning 10 bc AT camp-mcctiug In a
small town in New Hampshire, heard
the song sung TO religious words, and
remembered the air The name Of one
OF these men was Purington aud OF the
/ other John Brown.
Notolong after this the war broke
/ out. aud the Tigers were made a
part OF the Twelfth Massachusetts
+ Regiment OF Volunteers, which rendcz-
vouscd at Fort Warrcn, in Boston har-
bor. Here the two men already named,
Purington and Brown, formed, with
. two others, named Edgerly and Green
F leaf "a quartcttc, aud the quartotte
sang, among its other songs, all sorts
of words OF thoir own "getting up 10
this tune
John Brown was n good-nnturod
Scotchman, and the members of the
quartcttc say they sang "John Brown
, this and John Brown that TO the tune,
until, by am almost unconscious change,
the hero OF them was changed from
John Brown, Of the Tigers, to John
Brown, of llarpcr's Ferry, and the
grand aud simple verse came into OK
istcncc;
John Browns body lies a.mouldorng IN the
ground
But his sou is marching on.
Before this time the masses Of tho
North had not been In exact sympathy
with the purposes Of John Brown. but
the excitement OF the 'arly days Of
the war called out sentiment which
these words exactly fitted Whenever
the soldier quartct'o were in Boston
they were called upon 10 sing this
song. The Twelfth regiment took it
mp. Samuel G. Perkins Of Brockton,
member of Maitland's Band, which
was stationed with the regiment AT
Fort Warren, wrote down the air while
soldier whisucd IL. Then tho band
played IL every day
When Edward Everett formally pre-.
scented the set Of color- Of the Twelfth
regiment on Boston Common. tho
speech OF acceptance being made by
'OlOntl lltItU'I W tDNI'I VI ill' ifEl-
mcut, the tune was played. and tho
multitude fairly went wild over IT,
The band played the tune going up
State street in June, 1861, and the sol,
dicrs sang il rs they marched along.
The crowd along the sidewalk took up
the air and Joined in The chorus:
"Glory. glorg hauolulab.
His soul Is marching On!'
Soon after the regiment sang IL In
marching through New York on tho
way 90 Baltimore, with the same effect.
II spread at once through the army
and throughout the country, and be-
came the anthem OF the Union.
In December 1861 Mrs Julia Ward
Howe wrote for the air the words be-
ginning:
Mine eyes have seen tho glory u the coming u
the Lord,
which was called The Battle Hymn
Of the Republic" which soon became
immensely popular, but ucyer sup
planted in common use the old simple
words.
This Is the story Of the origin OF
John Brown's Body" rs told by the
members Of the band and the regiment
with whom IL had its use ~ "a popular
song. Youths Companion.