Friday, May 31, 2019

*On The Origins Of The American Holiday- Memorial Day- Honor The Civil War's Massachusetts 54th Regiment

Click on the headline to link to a "Wikipedia" entry on the origins of the American holiday, Memorial Day, directly after the American Civil War.

Markin comment:

As noted in the "Wikipedia" entry one of the places where the day was celebrated in the early days was in Charleston, South Carolina- the intellectual heart of the then defeated Confederacy-in 1865. Not mentioned in the entry was that our own Massachusetts 54th Regiment made up of black volunteers, who had done heroic service before Fort Wagner and elsewhere in the South, took part in those celebrations. By the way, the regiment went marching along the streets of Charleston to the tune of "John Brown's Body". Fitting, very fitting indeed.

John Brown's Body
Download Midi File
Mark R. Weston
Information Lyrics


The tune was originally a camp-meeting hymn Oh brothers, will you meet us on Canaan's happy shore? It evolved into this tune. In 1861 Julia Ward Howe wife of a government official, wrote a poem for Atlantic Monthly for five dollars. The magazine called it, Battle Hymn of the Republic. The music may be by William Steffe. John Brown's body lies a-mold'ring in the grave

John Brown's body lies a-mold'ring in the grave
John Brown's body lies a-mold'ring in the grave
His soul goes marching on

Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
His soul is marching on

He captured Harper's Ferry with his nineteen men so true
He frightened old Virginia till she trembled
through and through
They hung him for a traitor, themselves the traitor crew
His soul is marching on


Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!

His soul is marching on
John Brown died that the slave might be free,
John Brown died that the slave might be free,
John Brown died that the slave might be free,
But his soul is marching on!


Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
His soul is marching on

The stars above in Heaven are looking kindly down
The stars above in Heaven are looking kindly down
The stars above in Heaven are looking kindly down
On the grave of old John Brown

Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah!
His soul is marching on

Information and lyrics from
Best Loved Songs of the American People
See Bibliography for full information.

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