The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-10

Millions Of Copies Were Sold ans
They Were Sung by a Nation.

Chicago Inter Ocean.
broke q c1 oSsa DR. ma Geo at the p R si%s t the T sSs
heat by the song he dashed on on hearing
or the bombardment OF Fort sumter, The
First Gun Is Fired, May God Protect the
the civil war. as DR.. Root used to say.
ne wrote a song whenever he thought the
occasion fitting and when he thought one
public. He was a very rapid composer, n
all that he wrote ne did on the spur Of
the moment. One Of the most popular Of
Flag, Boys" was writtens, on hearing OF
President Lincoln's second call to arms.
He was lying on a couch in his brothers
residence in Chicago when the news reached
him, and the words and music Of his song
Immediately commenced to fit through his
brain That afternoon he thought At out
and the next morning 1t was written. The
ink was scarcely dry on the paper when
the Lombard brothers-Jule and Frank
the celebrated war singers. came into his
showed them what he had just written,
and they were Immediately taken with IL.
They went over it together in the store.
and then went at once to the steps Of the
courthouse. in front OF which an immense
crowd was congregated, where the broth
ers commenced singing. the song. The pa
triotic words and stirring air inferted the
excited populace, and when the chorus
was repeated 1t was swelled by over two
thousand voices. From that time on DR..
a h~tOAiCo OCIdAnC Cttn llDTe
immensely popular.
1t was no ordinary feeling that these ap-
peals inspired, and to this hour many a bat
tle-scarred veteran recalls how in a long
days march the head company of the line
would start up that best of marching songs:
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp" The next and
the infection and soon the whole line would
be shouting:
.In the prison cell 1 sit.
Thinking, mother dear. of you.
And mr. hpfohf md Honnvv o1oa - g..
And the tears they fill my eyes.
Spite or all that / can do,
Though l try to cheer my comrades and
be gay.
I'm the battle front we stood
When the hercest charge they made,
And they swept us OF a hundred men or
But before they reached our lines
They were heaten back, dismayed,
And we heard the cry of victory DER and
DER"
But the very heights of enthusiasm were
always stormed along with the magnificent
chorus:
Tramp. tramp, tramp, the boys are march
Cheer up. comrades. they will come;
And beneath the starry flag
Y" OF sa ahe 9 free land sne in an o aKaio Own beloved
home"
Sta list cs shew that the circulation OF
Roots war songs was unparalleled. At one
time the publishers had fourteen presses az
work on a single one Of these melodies that
thrilled the Nations heart. and then were
tor days unable to fill the still a.ccumulatinz
orders. 1t was nothing for a single house
TO order twenty thousand COPIES az once.
an5 the aggregate sale Of each of some
thirtv-six war songs Is estimated at toward
40 0O copies.
The Est OF his ~best-known songs includes:
The Battle Cry of Freedom" Just Before
the Battle. Mother" Trump Tramp.
Tramp" The Vacant Chair" There's
Music in the Air"
1.-The Shining Shore is one of many
sacred compositions that has become dear
to the church. He wrote 1t by random In
s. frati1n. While he was arranging some
lures his mother aid down n religiou,
pa-er end a line. my days are gliding
swiftly b =" cauvrt his eve. and an air ran
through his mind. Re wrote II down and
the melody WIS rade.
Mr.. Roo had the highest respect for sim
nle. popular airs. ard said there wero
s american al which Rave less sbo<h- N
them tba, Moza-t's 20 DNc, Co,ceuto''
ard "Rous~ear's Dream" Although q thor
ouch musi ian. carefully trained. and WI,
an appreciation of and sympathy fer the
h-ghest ert, he Rad the rare faulty OF
grazing his productions down to rudimenta-
r end untraired taste. And vet. at the
sane -fme. his involved rofhine OF the
laboriors ard p~ainstaking. his work BEN,
TO On exceptional degree iuso'ra tionai. SO
much so that az times II was improvisation
Words AMI me,-dies Actually come unhid-
den m scre CT his best work.