The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-12

"
Tramp i5 T Tramp together with Rally Rally
Round the Flag and Marching through
Georgia" it is about the only favoTite of that
time that has kept it's hold on the national
heart. 1t and Rally Round the Flag are
the compositions of George F. Root.
pen of Henry c. Work, these two writer's be-
ing not only the most voluminous but also
the most lasting of the singers of the war
time. Incidentally it may be mentioned that
Stephen Foster, who previously had reigned
supreme in the song world, wrote many ball
lads in competition with others of the war
period but they were comparatively little
heard then and not at all now. Appended
are the chief stanzas of Tramp, Tramp,
Tramp:"
TRAMP. TRAMP, TRAMP.
In the prison cell l sit
Thinking, mother dear, of you,
And our bright and happy home SO far away.
Spite Of all that can do,
Tho L try to cheer my comrades and be gay.
Chorus
Tramp, tramp tramp. the boys are marching.
Oh, cheer up comrades, they will come,
And beneath the starry flag We shall breathe
OF freedom in our own beloved home.
In the battle front we stood
When the fercest charge they made,
And they swept off hundred men or more
But before reached their lines
They were beaten back dsmayed,
And we heard the cry of victry Ger and o er
So within the prison cell
We waiting for the day
That shall come to open wide the iron door,
And the hollow eye grows bright,
And the poor heart almost gay,
AS we think OF seeing friends and home once
more.
very jovial and lively contribution to the
songs of the day was one by Patrick Gil
more, of Gilmore's Band fame 1t was en-
titled when Johnny Comes Marching
Home" and few lines will give an idea of
Its character:
When Johnny comes marching home again,
Hurrah Hurrahl
Wen give him hearty welcome then,
The men win cheer and the boys will shout.
The ladies they will all turn out,
And Wen all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.
The tune is so spirited that it was soon
seized upon by the Southern soldiers, who
adapted to it other verses under the title
For Bales a couple of which will be gen
orally recognizable, although 1t is not COM
monty known that the Johnny" in this case
Reb:" - 0 pa , '''N''
We all went down to New Orleans,
For bales, for bales,
We all went down to New Orleans,
We all went down to New Orleans.
And well all drink stone blind
Johnny fill up the bowl.
II
war songs, and they had very few of them,
were new words set to old airs. Thus Dixie
was utilized in a reformed shape and SO was
the Marseillaise in a song called Carolina.
1.-The Wearing of the Green did duty as
1.-The Wearing of the Gray" and Maryland,
My Maryland is based on the century old
German student tune, "GaudeamuS lg1tur
CIet Us Rejoice.) Even the Bonnie Blue
Flag" of which some of the words are CIV
en-, and that in some sort became the ma
tional songs of the Confederacy, is built on
an ancient Irish melody.
THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG.
We are band of brothers. and native to the soil
Fighting for liberty, with treasure, blood and
toI
And when our rights were threatened the cry rose
and far:
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a
single start
Chorus
Hurrah, hurrahl for Southern rights hurrah
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears .
single start
Then, here's to our Confederacy. strong are
and brave;
Like patriots OF old We'll light our heritage 70
save,
And rather than submit to shame, to die we
would prefer;
So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a
single star!
An examination of the song features of
sailor played a very inconspicuous part in
it's composition. This probably arose out of
the fact that the soldier greatly preponder-
ated as the war element, and the compare
tive lack OF a Confederate navy prevented
the occurrence of many of the striking in