The morning call., 1891-07-05
WE'LL RALLY ROUND THE FLAG"
How One Of The Greatest Songs Of The War
Was Written.

During late yeaI / read on account of
the visit of a company of Confederate Off
GERS to the Union officers quartered opposite
them. The went at the invitation OF the
''blues" in response to the often-expressed
interest they had shown in the singing OF
our war songs and in order to listen to our
war music to better advantage. at the close
of the performance one of them exclaimed:
No wonder you fellows fought SO with
such music to inspire you"
That recalled to mind the story of the
writing of one of our most popular war
songs-one which has taken its place to stay
with the grand old melodies given this ma
ton with the revolution.
1t was told by the author and this is how
it came 10 be related:
A musical convention was In progress in
AnamoSa, Iowa, conducted by Professor
George T. Root. assisted by his young son,
Fred w. Root. then just entering upon his
musical career.
During the exercises, which consisted al
most entirely Of singing, he was accustomed
to vary them by remarks upon musical sub
]ects anu by piano numbers by his son.
Late oTe cloudy afternoon, during one OF
these panses, request was made that the
professor sing Rally Round the Flag"
for some soldiers present. In compliance he
gave out The page where the music was to
be found, and as we sat waiting 10 sing 1t
with him, spoke OBTAINING word to the
pianist and stood with his eyes bent upon
the floor and pulled his mustache, lost in
thought. Looking up at the waiting audi
ence, he said: My friends, before weSing
this song let me tell you little about how it
came TO be written.
During the war my health was much i'm
paired. so much SO that | was debarred from
business and required entire freedom from
care and anxiety. 1t was the cause OF great
deal of regret to me that at such time
should be laid aside. | wanted 20 help my
country in her hour of peril and need. L
wanted to aid her in that time of distress.
What could IdOe Even business was inter-
dictedi | seemed helpless, possessing the
heart but not the hand to serve her! During
the time that an urgent call for more men
WAS being made | ielt especially depressed
by the fact, and On one particular night l
retired TO find that sleep had forsaken my
| pillow, leaving me to dwell sadly and rest
! ieSSly upon my powerlesSneSs.
After awhile l thought of the mass-meet-
ing to recruit volunteers, held that evening,
| and the suggestion came, might write a
song for them Then this Song came to me,
and | arose and wrote il out The next
evening the glee club sang it at the war
meeting, and large number OF men vol
unteered.
Il rejoiced and l thanked God that had
been permitted TO give to the people song
which should inspire them to do so. | say
able to serve my country by stirring up the
patriotism Of her SOUS, but in all my profess
sonal life / have never been SO moved as
when, later. l read an account OF that Iowa
regiment which, during those dreadful days
of the battle before Vicksburg, went into the
fight 900 strong and came out of it only 800
or 400, but, clinging to their soiled and tat
tered banner, were singing: Yes, We'll
! rally round the flag, boys, We'll rally once
! again
| thankfulness was before. To have furnished
| those men, wounded aud bleeding, a song
which should cheer and sustain them through
| such an experience was indeed a very great
| joy to mel | felt had surely served my
| country; l." his voice faltered. He paused
| long enough to allow an excited voice at the
| rear of the ronm to eXclaim: " Professor,
| one of those very men is here-Mr. Baum
| gardner. He lost his right arm in that very
! battle"
For moment the transition from thai
| battlefield and its bleeding, singing actors
! was startling.
Then came his response. Reaching out
! his hand, he replied: Z" Come this way, my
| friend come here" A stir followed, while
we held our breath as young fellow walked
grasped in a hearty hand-shake, the Pro-
fessor eXclaiming: God bless your And
they stood silent, while the tears couTsed
down the soldiers cheeks and many a
| jewel glistened on those of the audience
After five hundred excited voices had
| Joined in the Inspiring song we returned to
| the work of the afternoon, but the picture
was ours for a lifetime, and the melody oil
those words, Il thanked God that was
| permitted was his emphasis-min-
gled with that Of his many other songs, anC
seems part Of that reyelent, genial. cOurJlN
gentleman, whose manners and music gave
| charm to other of our early days.
| Like seal upon this story Is another anC
later picture. We were attending a ioYfu
reunion of the Third Regiment, Iowa Vol
unteers, at Cedar Falls, Iowa. where this
story was retold. This exclamation camt
from member of Company X: les
that's the song we boys sang, July 22d
marching through the streets of Atlanta
Ga, on our way to Andersonville. That
where we fetched upl And we sang
good" he added, with kindlihg eyes.-HeleI
Whiting Taggart in Washington Star.