The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-12
THE SONGS OF THE WAR.

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IN these columns, while writing about
the late GEORGE F. RooT OF Chicago, who
died I'm Maine, recently. We shall have
pleasure in printing the full text OF the
songs our reader asks for, and 1t occurs
TO us that he and good many other
readers OF THE News would like to have
recalled the words of many song OF the
Rebellion days, the music of which is
familiar to them. So we shall look them
out-refresh our own memory and theirs,
| too, by reviewing these inspiring songs
OF generation ago, the music of which
the bands play, and the boys whistle
today, though the words be rarely heard
except at the camp fires OF our Grand
Army friends.
OF the four great war songs on the
Northern sids-great, because they un-
doubtedly had pre-eminence among the
troops on the battlefield and in camp,
and at the firesides at home, Mr.. Roof
had the distinction of being the author
of two: "The Battle Cry Of Freedom"
and "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys
are Marching" The inspiration OF these
two songs did splendid service for the
Federal armies during the greater part of
the war, and they live today. "John
| Rrnmpsa Rnl,,p oorrfad the troopu int
Bull Run, and was, throughout the war,
we guess, one of the prime marching
favorite camp-meeting melody with the
negroes long before the war, something
like the following words being sung with
grotesque gestures.
The women first:
Say. my brudders, will we meet yo'Y
Say, my brudders. will we meet yo'f
Say. my brudlors, will we meet yo'f
On Ca-ni.yuns happy SHOP
Then the men responding
Ya-a-s, my sistern. we will meet yo'.
Ya-a-s, my sistern, We will meet 80
Ya.a-s, my sistorn. we will meet 10.
Whore partin' is no mo-.
An then the chorus:
Glory glory. halleujerl Glory. glory, halle
iujeri
Glory, glory. haiisluier On ni-yun's hap
py sho.
A Massachusetts, song writer, named
HALL, Is said to have written the words
Of "John Brown" to the old melody.
Near the end OF the war marching
Through Georgia., surpassed every other
war song for popularity, and perhaps 1t
does today. HENRY G. WORK of Con-
necticut wrote 1t.
Mrs. JULIA WARD HowE's "Battle
Hymn of the Republic" Is famous song
Of that day, even IL not SO popular as
were those OF the more catchy phrase and
swing. For loftiness of sentiment,
however, it is a grand song and makes
fine reading. The purpose of its writing
was undoubtedly to tit more worthy
words and more imposing martial senti-
ment to the melody of "John Brown, ="
which makes the music of Mrs. HowE's
splendid "Battle Hymn"
There were other fine songs, too, of
that day that we retain in memory, and
the music OF which are not yet forgotten.
"when Johnny Comes Marching Home"
is rattler. 1t was probably composed
GILMoRE's band probably played it first.
"Tenting on the Old Camp Ground" is
a lasting bit OF pathetic song.
OF the outhern songs one "My Mary
land" is Of undoubted permsnence, and
the other "Dixie," is not likely to be
lost track OF for good many years to
come. "Dixie' was minstrel song, pure
and simple, written the year before the
war by DAN EMMETT, for q "walk
aroundp act in the BRYANT minstrels.
1t early became the battle song of the
Southern armies, and endured with them
to Appomattox. II is said that President
LINCOLN requested band to play
"Dixie" In 1866, remarking that "as we
had captured the rebel army we had
captured also the rebel tune"
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL pronounced
"My Maryland" the finest poem inspired
by the Civil War. Its wide popularity,
however, Is probably moro due to the
ringing music OF the old college song,
"Lauriger Horatius," which the words
it JAMES II. RANDALL, a native Mary.
lander, wrote it and called II San Exiled
Sons Appeal" to his mother State to cast