The Washington times., 1902-10-06

have an unusual S1gnlncance, lnousu
they bear the supreme test of poetry
that of applying to any and to all who
have suffered. Reserving for a subse-
quent article the other composers OF the
rebellion period, will close with refer
ence to the one song that more than all
others was sung by the soldiers-"John
Browns Body No one knows who
wrote it. In fact, no one can say that
it was ever written. 1t came into being
wholly unannounced, uncopyrighted-
| A foundling in verse and music, It
has outstripped all its legitimate rivals.
There is little to it in the way of
words. It simply runs over and over
the fact concerning John Brown. and
then rings the refrain>in GLORY. Glory.
| Hallelujah." Men who never opened
their mouths in song, carried along by
the enthusiasm. the intoxication of the
air, have found themselves shouting
at the top of their voices. 1t was born
at moment when popular feelings were
at fever-heat and when Fletcher Web
! ster's regiment, the Twelfth Massachu-a
setts, marched through the streets OF
Boston singing these words the mo-.
ment of accouchement may be said to
have come.
Boston went wild over the music; so
did New York. through which the men
| passed on their way southwark The
ready ear of the pOpulace caught the
melody. and from time to time verse
was added, the last being We'll hang
jeff Davis to sour apple tree There
was no effort at composition in all this.
1t was simply the yocalizirg of the
!, popular wish. 1t was the great march
| Ing tune. 1t was the piece; which. Fed
eral voices flung back to the rebels when
they, in camp or bivouac, filled the
air with Dixie" or Bonnie Blue Flag.
| To any Southern man the name OF
John Brown was the most exasperating
possible. Like holy water upon sui
phurous devils, they fairly Missed at tbs
mention of Harper's Ferry. Knowing
this, what wonder that the boys in
blue used this song whenever they
could tantalize or excite the "Johnniest'
But more than this, it had merits OF
it's own in sentiment and movement
which marked it from the first as the
foremost of the songs of the period OF
| National regeneration, making 1t, in
spite of 1.-The Star Spangled Banner
and Hail Columbia" the new national
hymn.
Many of the songs of the war period
we're without sectional bias. and by the
change OF few words answered as we'll
lOT OIe llSy Ui0 AOi eAhSeAASA'
"Old Folks at Home" who Will Care
for Mother Now?" HE Was Not Afraid
to DE- When This Cruel War Is
Over "Just Before the Battle, Mother.
and it's reply, Just After the Battle
Brave Boys Are They The Vacant
Chair 'All Quiet Along the Potomac
Tonight" '.Hail Columbia . Somebody's
Darling . Mother, Dear. Your Boy Is
Wounded were a few of this character.
There are authentic instances on rec
ord where when the bugles sang truce
and the night cloud had lowered" Yam
kee' and Johnny Reb" Joined their
voices in singing these, so close were the
warning lines
Many of the war songs were Of
strictly humorous nature. Babylon Has
Fallen" is one of the topical songs that
had great rage in it's day. Il Goes 10
Fight Nit Sigel'' was another. Others
| were ''Nicodemus.' How Are You Con-
script Corporal Schnapps. When
| Johnnie Comes Marching Home Again,
''Say. Darkies, Have You Seen de
Massa - Grated Into the Army, "Oid
Shady How Are You. Telegraph
''Skedaddle, and Here's Your Mule.
! Not all the songs of war days, either
North or South, savored of bugle's blare
and cannons rattle. However. many
songs of sentiment were written during
| that period or Just before, and when
| in camp these songs were sung Win
JUNCTION. There was scarcely company
of men that could not produce one sooo
singer and very often a quartet OF
them. BY common consent they were
! considered on duty whenever the strain
and tension CO marching and lighting
was loosened. and were not released un-
| til their repertoire was exhausted.
Irtsyf bri md ridipnlOuSlv
sentimental is said to have sung the
heart out of the Southern soldiers.
Annie Laurie" was a favorite with botn
armies. Home. Sweet Home" with It's
| tender memories. softened many hard
ened wretch as the boys sang II round
the camp fires. Roll On. Silver Neon.
Belle Brandon, Dearest Love, Do You
Remember and many others OF Ike
character were sung by them in their
| softer moments.
About the camp fires today the vet
erans OF the war of the rebellion gather
TO talk over and to revive the associa-
tions of the marches and battles ana
! biyouacs. Most of them are cid, ana
about all of life there is left 10 them
are its memories. The stories they love
best are those that tell of work weN
done for the Union. The music thev
| like to hear is that which timed their
steps up rugged Lookout MOUNTAINS
heights; that led them through Death
Valley at Gettysburg or ehecred them in
the long weeks before Richmond. They
are too old now to learn new songs.
Their faltering feet cannot now acquire
the step of a new measure. and the
strange music of a new generation re-
wives in them no memories, touches no
tender chords of recollection. The songs
OF the flag are the songs they love. :
| V. C. S.