New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-16
The Battle Hymn" Mus.
An Account of 1t by the Son of h.
Composer
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

Battle Hymn" clippings so kindly ..,,
b. Mr.. John j. MacIatyre. who has so,.
much to establish the origin Of N. r,r...
THE Battle Hymn Of the Republic, ~,
my father Thomas Brigham Bishoo-s,..
wrote as GLORY, Glory Hallelujah.. and H..
set to his own verses, John Brown, D.
Lies Amoud'ring in the Grave"
I regret 70 see the diversity OF opin;,,
PRESSED in the clippings from The rrh-..
Mr. MacIntyre's article was correct !, .
particular, even though one Of you, 49,,
spondents doubted his verecity
II seems late to question my father,
thorship Of John Browns Body the m.l..-
that is sung to Mrs. Howe's poem. 9Th. p.
tie Hymn Of the Republic"
The oldtme music publishers all b
Brigham Bishop and his songs. Had w..
Johnson (who is mentioned By Mr. :
Bryan as an authority who DIDN'T men,.
my father in connection with the SOM, !.
CURED of Oliver Ditson. Lyon & HsaIv
John Church, foremost publishers Of An.,,
can songs. she could easily have yo,te, ,....
and would not have had TO spend "yea,, :,
research" to obtain them.
Authorship Unquesiioned
never heard my father speak of ary A..
else laying claim 70 the authorship Of y,
song. He did not have to defend his claim !.
the newspapers or anywhere else. | n.v.,
heard Of his authorship being ou.s,ioo.1
Frequently, the musician who makes b,,s
or orchestra arrangement Of a>melody pla,,,
his name upon it. and this may have led .,
the confusion which seems 70 exist in N.
minds of some of your correspondent, cor.
corning the John Browns Body" music
Ny father also wrote the music Of n. -.
nowned when Johnny Comes Narehrr
Home P. s. Gilmore being the author q,
the words. Recall this song, one Of III. in.
mortal favortes of the country, and Won will
readily concede that its composer could easily
write "John Browns Body" Becaus. n,
father had used the music in an earlier Dor.
ular song Johnny, Fill Up the BOWL.
placed a nom de plume. Louis Lambert. upo.
the song. In time, I suppose, we will hay.
people questioning his authorship Of TIL,
song. Patrick Sarsfeld Gilmore's connection
with it was not generally known until Mr..
MacIntyre printed the facts concerning il as
given TO him b. my father
On the title pages of my fathers numerous
songs he was usually credited with the su.
thorship of John Browns Body" "Swesi
Evelina." "Shoo Fly" pretty as Picture.
Kitty Wells" Leaf By Leaf the Roses Fall
ETC. There was lots Of time during the por.
uarity of these songs 20 ask him to explain
No one did il, though. In collection Of bis
songs published in 1896 he tells how he hap.
pened to write some of them. The story Ne
tells of John Browns Body is similar IN
substance 20 the letter printed from NJ,
MacIntyre Ny father told him all about h,
origin of the song and gave him many ne,s
concerning II.
Wrote Hundreds of Songs
Nv father wrote hundreds OF songs. son.
under other names than his own, and thcugt,
little of them az the time OF writing Re
would take 4 poem from a newspaper, hun
tune to it, then get his guitar and pick OF,
sitting accompaniment. lie would rule on
the staff on q piece Of paper. use the back Of
his guitar for desk and write II out III.
grew to like it be would rewrite it on sts
paper. with piano accompaniment, and ssrt
il to one OF mis- publishers. lie was prcs;
that he never had song rejected.
Another thing 10 my fathers credit: Re
wrote the first and widely used sccompar'
ment for the "Suwanee River He was PLAY
ing il over in New York publishing hous,
for its author-Stephen c. Foster-when Z
p. Christy of minstrel fame heard it ara
paid a good sum TO have his name placed
upon the title page as its author
To establish the thorough Americanisn o.
THE Battle Hymn of the Republic | vii
state that my father-Thomas Brigfsn
Bishop-was born in Wayne, Kenness'
County. Ne. on June %, 1885. and died II
Philadelphia, Penn, on May IS, 1906 He VA
a direct descendant Of Edward Bishop one o
the original settlers Of Salem. Mass. b
wrote the GLORY, Glory Hallelujah" song
Portland, Ne. in 1857. Early in the va
he wrote the John Brown" verses for IT, an
while the new song was at the height OF II
popularity Mrs. Julia Ward Howe wrote be
Battle Hymn" verses to fiji the music. Mrs
Howe was also thorough American, beirl
born in New York City on May q, 1919. sa
died October II, 1910 Two years hence VI
will celebrate the centennial of her birth.
If there are any other points | can MAX
clear for The Tribune readers shall be eis
to do So CLARENCE B. BISHOP