Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-02-09
MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA.
BY III. w. ROOD

me.
mr.. Rood, why do you not let us
sing Marching Through Georgia
oftener in school?
| asked what she knew about that
song
~oh.' she replied, away up IN
Canada we sing it more than any
other. We like it ever so much
felt somewhat surprised that MISS
Wood, Kanuck, should see more IN
that song than l, when / had myself
marched through Georgia. / asked
her why she and her schoolmates
over in Canada should like the piece
so well The only reason she gave
was that most convincing one. ION,
cause, which means, Il can hardly
explain, yet is so, all the same
That was fifteen years ago. Since
then l have heard that Marching
Through Georgia is sung around the
world just because" which is
sometimes the best possible reason.
AS 1 write this evening, I have be-
fore me that most interesting book.
Stories of Great National Songs, writ
ten by Colonel Nicholas Smith of NIL
waukee; and l have been reading
what he says about the song my Can
adian girl liked so well. Colonei
Smith tells us that the author of the
song was Henry C. Work; that Henry
was son of Alanson Work, who, be-
cause he once, in 1S41, in Missouri,
tod some slaves the road to a free
state, was arrested, tried and SEN
fenced TO twelve years of hard labor
in prison; but after three or four
years of confinement was pardoned on
condition that he return at once TO
his native state, Connecticut.
This Henry Work had a checkered
career,-on the whole, an unhappy
life. But he wrote during the war
some of the best of what are now
known as army songs, Among these
were Kingdom Coming, Wake Nico-
demus, Babylon is Fallen, Grated IN
to the Army, Brave Boys Are They,
y ..
says Colonel Smith, MI Works rep
utation will rest on Marching Through
Georgia. There are cheering strains
in the music which did much to en-
liven the camps; and there is swing
ing rythm about it that kept in step
the marching of the masses. DR.. Root
thought that Marching Through
Georgia was more frequently used
than any other song of the wal; not
so much on account of the intrinsic
merit of its words or music, but be-
cause IL is retrospective. Other
songs, said DR.. Root, like the Battle
Cry of Freedom, were for exciting
patriotic feeling on going into the war
Through Georgia is a glorious remem-
brance of coming triumphantly out
Though DIR. Root said this song was
used more than any other, Sherman
did not march through Georgia until
five months before the close of the
war. We who were ON that march
never heard of it until after Lees sur
render. 1t is truly an army song, but
could not have been sung very much
until the war was over. This is what
Colonel Smith has to say of it as used
since the war;
In a certain sense. it, is the song
of all army songs. 1t has been said
that age cannot wfther nor custom
stall the infinite variety of ways the
tune is served up, from the news
boys on the streets to the Salvation
Army and the tenore-rohnsto who
sings campaign songs; and from Gil
more's band to the Dago organ. the
ganlnt OF human and artificial instru-
mentalities is run with varying sue
cess.
so universal In it's use was
Marching Through Georgia that Gen
eral Sherman heard it with supreme
disgust. 1t pursued him from city
to city, and from state to state; and
in all the great cities of Europe in
which he was received with distin-
guished honors, the burden OF the mu-
sic was Marching Through Georgia.
When the general attended the ma
tional encampment of the Grand Army
of the Republic in Boston. in 1890, he
saw from the reviewing stand two
hundred and fifty bands and a hun
bred drum-and-fife corps pass in re,
view: and the old warrior stood for
seven mortal hours listening to the
never-ending strains of the music
which commentaries the most trl-
unphant march of modern times. HIS
| patience collapsed, and with a grim
gravity. peculiar to him. and Ian.
guage too emphatic for repetition
here. he declared that he would
never attend another national en-
/ campment until every band in the
United States had signed an agree
ment not TO play Marching Through
Georgia in his presence. This was
Sherman's last encampment. and when
/ the tune was played in his presence
six months after. there came no re-
spouse from the echoless shore TO
which his soul had waited,
The melody of Marching Through
T Georgia has found its way into nearly
= every country Of the globe. AT q
monthly dinner OF the Commandery Of
the LOYAL Legion OF the United states.
/ given ia New York City two or three
years before General sherman s
death he related this amusing incl