The Portland daily press., 1895-08-17

shouting The Eattle cry of freedom" 1T
the end of every line. The second verse
thrusts straight home:
We are springing to the call of our broth
| ers gone before,
shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
And well, fill tho vaca1t ranks with a
million freemen Laore.
Shouting the battle cry Of Freedom.
This is in itself invincible and inextin-
guishable. Not a word in excess; simple,
| of duty that recognizes no alternative.
The ''Battle Song,' second set of verses
to the melody Of "The Battle Cry of Free
dom," distinguished as the "Rallying
Song" was ordered sung in some COM
mands always before going into action.
The voices might be stilled forever pres
entity, but with ranks little closer the
words would ring out from the next line
Of battle, for the spirit of the song was
the spirit of the singers.
This "Battle Songs is terrible in the
fullness of meaning. If death comes
there are others to take our places: we
sweep on irresistible" and the victory
shall be ours, for we are rising in our
might, shouting the battle cry of free
dom.''
When people face death there is no
room left for anything but truth, and that
is borne in the simplicity of these lines by
Mr.. Root. In the first verse there is i'm
pressed the situation and the obligation.
The historic com m4nand, England ex-
poets every man to do his duty" cannot
be compared to that third line in the bat
tie songi "And we bear the glorious
stars for the Union and the right Bare
terse, military, but the sentiment there
is in it besides. The impetus of the lines
reaches climax in the verses:
If we fall amid the fray, boys. we'll face
them to the last,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom
And our comrades brave shall hear us as
they go rushing past,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.
Yes, for Liberty and Union we're spring
ing to the fight,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
And the victory shall be ours, for we re
rising in our might,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom
1.-THE prospect of death is lost in the re-
frain and after it there remains only the
knowledge that others will spring up to
fill their places and that victory is to be
through right as well as might
In these war songs of intense and earnest
significance there is one Of especial pathos
anu one which, it seems, obtained small
popularity. Perhaps, because the times
were in themselves too sad to allow of it.
1t is song of enrolment, "God Bless
Gu. Brave Young Volunteers" and is of
a range of expression that places it
among the best write by Mr. Root.
The sincerity, tae unself1sh devotion
and faith in the cause, the faith of 1776
and Of tomorrow If needs be, make this,
above all, an American song In it there
stands noble Illustration Of the devotion
of women to the cause:
o hol..e o. Freedom, fatherland,
To thee Our treasures now we yield.
'Tis duty calls.
Their feet must stand
In tented camps, on bloody field.
In tented camps, On bloody field.
Farewell, true hearts, our pray rs shall
be;
Where e'er the starry 6ag appears,
That he who made our fathers free,
Mr- bless our brave young volunteers,
Maj bless our brave young volunteers.
Before the tread of many feet in
SGT amp Tramp, Tramp, there is song of
home. 1t is memory always in evidence
in this writer songs. Not in the maud
lin sentimentality of later era of popu-
lar songs-the times were too earnest for
that.
Cheerfulness there is always, for cheer