Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-01-18
THE STORY OF "0LD SHADY,

Facts CONCERNING IA Song Often SnnG
by the Late G. y. WiewefI.
The fact that the late George n. Wis
well had so often sung "Old Shady" for
so many Of the Republican conventions
Of this state adds timely interest to the
account given, as well as 10 the words,
Of the song as they appear in Col. Nicho-
las Smiths Stories of Great National
Songs" Col Smith says:
Perhaps the most fun-pr0voking song
Of the Civil war is Old Shady With &
tIe bass or baritone voice behind il, it is
ov1rrunning with laughter. To announce
the piece at a war song concert, or at 4
public entertainment of any kind, is to
create a hutter of pleasant anticipatons
and to signify to the auditors that merri-
ment may have full swing.
During the siege of Vicksburg In
May and June of 1868, great many
slaves had escaped within the Union
lines. Some of them were hired by the
officers in various departments of the
army, and many others We're given free
transportation north. Among those sery-
ing rs cooks was slave, almost white,
who was known by the name of Old
Shady He was employed at the head
quarters of Gen. Mcpherson during the
siege, and was q fine specimen of SIM
pie honest manhood. Gen. Sherman, in
al article in the North American Re-
view, says old Shady was poet in the
rough. After supper the officers at
headquarters, including several generals
and Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Sherman,
would assemble to hear him and his
chorus of darkies sing. One of the songs
became very popular, and was personal
to the negro cook, entitled, Day Of Ju5!-
lee but now better known as Old
shady which ran thus:
ooh. yah. yah, darklcs laugh wild me,
For de wlitc folls say Ole Sbady's free,
So don sou see dat de jubilee
Is CJ&9ing, coming hail, mighty day:
Chorus
Den GeAy, den away, l can't stay here
Den away, den away, for am going home.
.'Oh, mass got scared and so did his lady
Dis chile breaks for ole Uncle Ably;
Oxen &c gates, out here's Ole Shady.
A-c0ming, a-eoming-Hail, mighty day.
..GooGby. Mass JEFF. goodhy Mis'r STEPHENS
Sense dis njggah fur takin' his leavif'S,
'Sppct purity soon you'ii hear Uncle A6rlm' 5
Coming, coming Hail, mighty day!
''Gcodby. hard word. wild never any pay,
I'ze a gwine up North where de good folks
Dat white wheat bread ana dollar day
Are coming, coming -ifaIl, mighty day,
..Oh. I've got wife and I've got a baby,
LINN up yonder In Lower Lanady,
/ Won't dey laugh when dcy see Ole Shady
| coming coming Hail, mighty day!
Gen. sherman, speaking of Old
/ SHADY says: L do not believe that
since the Prophet Jeremiah babe the
Jews to sing with gladuesS fer Jacob,
and to shout among the chiefs Of the ma
ti0nS, because Of their deilverance from
, the house al bondage, any truer song Of
gladneSS ever assembled from the lips of
man than af Nicksburg, where Old
! SHADY sang FOR us in a voice of pure
/ melody this Song of deliverance from the
/ bonds of slavery.i
The general was great admirer Of
the negro character, because, as rule.
the colored people were Kind aud re-
spec,ful; ard he quotes Henry Clay as
saying that his Colored hoy, whose name
is now forgotten. was the most accom-
| plished gentleman in America Gen.
sherman then adds: What more beau
tiful sentiment than that Of my acQuaint-
JEFF; goodhy. Massa Stephens Scuse
dis nggqh fur takin' his leavin's'--po-
lite and gentle to the end. Burns never
said anything better
The name Of Old Shady was d.
Hlakely Durant, and after the war he
get his wife aud nice little baby out of
lower Cauady' and worked on an up
per Mississippi steamboat. Gen. Shpr-
man rnce met him on one of the river
steamers. when he sang from the hurri-
cane deck that good old song, which
brought tears to the eyes OF the pasSen-
gers. | believe him now dead, Sut. liy-
Ing or dead he has the love and rcsnect
of the old Army OF the Tennessee which
gave him freedom. 'Goodhy. Massa JEFF;
goodby, MaSSa Stephens was a heauti
fal expression of the faithful family Serv-
an. who yearned fer freedom and a
dollar 4 day
Gen. Shcyman's article for the Re
view was written in 1883. and Durant
did not die until 1896 After working
On the river boats for some time, he
settled at North Forks y. D.. where he
established Il comfortable home, and
where one NJ his daughters was gradu.
ated from the North Dakota State uni
VerSity."