Singing on the march or before battle?

[Eli Newberry]

Hello everyone!

I was wondering how common was it for Federal soldiers to be singing while marching or right before a battle by 1863?? This FNG is determined to make the unit sing (the same kind of guy that has all that brass crap on his forage including) and before we even think about discussing it I would like to know how common it was or if at all by this time. I do know period songs that may have been sung but anything while marching to battle??

I have looked on the forum but it didn't really answer my question.

Thanks I appreciate the help,

Eli Newberry

[Marine Mike]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

Before radio, singing was common. Singing is one of the things most underrepresented in our hobby. You should consider at least sing 'The girl I left behind me' when leaving camp for the battle field and 'Oh, Susanna' on the march.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

Anyone got some period accounts?

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

The Iron Brigade on the march to Gettysburg.

"On the distant prairie, hoop de dooden do," and "Paddy's Wedding," before the band struck up "The Campbells Are Coming."

"...odd for men to march toward their death singing, shouting, and laughing as if it were parade or holiday." - James Sulllivan, Co. K, 6th WI.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

"The detachment of the Army of Northern Virginia going against Harper's Ferry crossed the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal at Williamsport and forded the Potomac a few hundred yards below the ferry. A. P. Hill, McLaws, Walker, Jackson's own, the long column overpassed the silver reaches, from the willows and sycamores of the Maryland shore to the tall and dreamy woods against the Virginia sky... Regiment by regiment, as it dipped into the water, the column broke into song. 'Carry me back to Old Virginny!' sang the soldiers."

The Long Roll by Mary Johnston, 1911 http://books.google.com/books?id=yfQ...20sang&f=false

It's a trap, though. Do not start singing the post-war version of the song that everybody knows, on the retreat from Maryland. This would be the version to sing: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1847.430650

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

The 5th New York sings "Bingo" going into action at Big Bethel in '61. The 9th New York was partial to "Billy Barlow."

The problem about some of what we consider trite, hackneyed reenactorisms is that they are only thought of as such because they've had 150 years to be repeated and rehashed. It wasn't cliché to sing a popular 1860s song in the 1860s.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

Marc,

I agree. One of the things great about "The Girl I Left Behind Me" is that it is an OLD tune that is documented and period, yet reenactors don't know it, so you never hear it.

...wondering when we'll hear a battalion in column singing it, and singning it well, on the march...

[Eli Newberry]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

Thanks guys so much for all the info!

[Eli Newberry]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

Thanks guys for all the info!!

[Silas]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

You're more likely to hear the very post war tune, Liza Jane, than the very pre war tune, Girl I left behind me.

[Palmyra Possum]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

From "History of the Fourteenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry" by Charles Page

On March to Antietam, passing through Washington, D.C.:

When the head of B Company, the left of the regiment, reached the stand, President Lincoln was so busy we felt we were not to be noticed, so with one accord, we struck up loudly singing "We are coming, Father Abraham, three hundred thousand more."

September 22, 1862:

Our division was headed by the Fourteenth Connecticut, and as we approached the river opposite Harper's Ferry its fine band struck the then new and popular air, "John Brown's Body," and the whole division took up the song, and we forded the river singing it.

From "The Story of a Confederate Boy in the Civil War" by David E. Johnston

September 18, 1862:

On the night of the 18th, we left the battle line, moving to the Potomac, wading the river at the ford near Sheperdstown, and instead of singing when crossing the river thirteen days before, "Maryland, MY Maryland," the song was "Carry me back, oh! carry me back to Old Virginia, once more."

It is interesting to note that not only were they singing on the march, they were deliberately picking songs to match the occasion: "We are Coming Father Abraham," when passing President Lincoln; "John Brown's Body" when passing by the armory where Brown led his revolt; "Maryland, my Maryland" on the advance into Maryland; and "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" on the retreat out.

[Huck]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

Years ago, members of the 5th NH told me about when the boys marched out of the state they were singing O'Reilly Daughter.

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

Years ago, members of the 5th NH told me about when the boys marched out of the state they were singing O'Reilly Daughter.

I've heard this about the 5th NH, too, and am curious to find the original source. As I've heard the story, they sang a bawdy version of it when they were annoyed about something.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

I too have heard the story (via reenactors) of the 5th NH singing O'Reilly's Daughter while marching through Washington City much to Mary Todd's disgust. However I have never seen it documented.

[Jubilo]

Re: Singing on the march or before battle?

"Some band, by accident, struck up the anthem of "John Brown's soul goes marching on;" the men caught up the strain and never before or since have I heard the chorus of " Glory, glory hallelujah!" done with more spirit, or in better harmony of time and place."
Pages 655-656 of Memoirs of W. T. Sherman.
all for the old flag,
David Corbett