The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1901-08-01
command to which young Chris was at
tached.
Union War Song. and Rebels.

Union War Songs and Rebels.
A day or two after Lees surrender in
April, 1860, writes n contributor to the
Century, left our ship at Dutch Gap"
i'm the james River, for n run to Rich
mOnd. where | was joined by the ships
surgeon. the paymaster, and one of the
Junior officers. After doing Rich
mond pretty thoroughly we went in the
evening to my room for dinner. Din
ner being over and the events of the day
recOunted. the doctor. who was Il fine
player, opened the piano, saying:
Boys, we've got our old quartet here;
let's have Il sing" AS the house oppO-
site was occupied by paroled COnfeder-
ate officers, no patriotic songs wete
sung. Soon the lady of the house hand
ed me this note:
Compliments of General -- and
staff Will the gentlemen kindly allow
us to come over and hear them sing?"
OF course we consented. and they came.
AS the General entered the room rec
OgniZed instantly the face and figure of
one who stood second only to Lee or
Jackson, in the whole Confederacy.
After intrOductions and the usual inter
change of civilitieS. we saEg for them
glees and college songs, until at last
the General said: Excuse me, gentle
men, you sing delightfully."-. but what
we want to hear is your army songs"
Then we gave them the army songs
with JUNCTION, the Battle Hymn of the
Republic" John Browns Body"
Were Coming, Father Abraham"
Tramp. Tramp. Tramp. the Boys Are
Marching" through the whole cata-
CORY, to the .'Star-Spangled Banner"
to which many foot beat time as
if it had never stepped to any but the
music of the Union"-and closed our
concert with Rally Round the Flag,
Boys" When the applause had sub
sided, tall fine-lOOking fellow in ma
jOrs uniform eXclaimed: Gentlemen.
if we'd had your songs we'd have licked
you out of your boots. Who couldn't
have marched or fought with such
songs? While we had nothing. absO-
lutely nothing. except bastard Mar
seillaise,' the 'BOnny Blue Flag and
Dixie which We're nothing but jigs.
Maryland, My Maryland was splen-
did song, but the tune, old 'Lauriger
HOratius' was about as inspiring as the
Dead March in SAUL while every one
of these Yankee songs is full of march,
ing and fighting spirit" Then turning
l.
forget the first time l heard Rally
Round the Flag Twas a nasty night
during the Seven Days Fight and il
remember rightly it was raining.
was on picket, when. Just before taps
some fellow on the other side struck up
that song and others joined in the
chorus until 1t seemed to me the whole
Yankee army was singing. Tom B.
who was with ME, sung out, Good
Heavens. Cap. what are those fellows
made of, anyway: Here we've licked
'em six days running, and now on the
eve of the seventh they're singing
Rally Round the Flag am not
naturally superstitious. but l tell you
that song sounded to me like the .knell
of DOOM and my heart went down into
my boots; and though I've tried to do
my duty it has been uphill fight with
me ever since that night
The little company of Union singers
and Confederate auditors. after pleas
ant and interesting interchange of
stories of army experiences. then
separated, and as the General shook
hands at parting, he said to me: "Well.
the time may come when we can all
sing the Star Spangled Banner again"
l have not seen him since