Always stand on the Union side

by M.C. Bisbee

Always stand on the Union side,
And battle for the right.
With conscience clear, we'll laugh at fear
In the midst of the boldest fight.
Why turn against our native land,
The mother whom we love?
Who ever rules with gentle hand,
Till children recreant prove?

Chorus:

Always stand on the Union side,
And battle for the right.
With conscience clear, we'll laugh at fear
In the midst of the boldest fight.

Always stand on the Union side,
And "keep your powder dry."
We'll soon rejoice both far and wide
To see secession die.
'Tis better in defense of truth,
To be both brave and bold,
Than side with traitors and at last
Be left out in the cold.

(Chorus)

Always stand on the Union side,
'Tis better, as you see,
Heav'n will crown our gallant arms,
With Union victory!
If you would have your children learn,
To speak with holy pride,
Of this their dear beloved land!
Stand on the Union side!

(Chorus)

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Words by Julia Ward Howe, Music by William Steffe

1. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He's is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Chorus: Glory, glory, hallelujah,
His truth is marching on.

2. I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.

3. I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
"As ye deal with My condemners, so with you my Grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on."

4. He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before his Judgment Seat;
Oh! be swift, my soul, to answer Him, be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

5. In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea;
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Call 'Em Names, Jeff

Lyrics by Russell Tompkins; Music by George F. Root

Said Beauregard, to Lee, and Jeff,
"These Yankees sons of thunder
"Will scatter us from right to left,
"Or cause us to knock under,
"Unless we find some other way
"Of meeting their advances;
"We've made up faces now so long,
"They do not mind our glances.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha,
"They do not ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
"They do not mind our glances. "

"O true," said Jeff, "I know it well,
"How shall we change our game, sir?"
"O dear," said Lee, "I cannot tell."
Quoth Beau, "We'll call 'em names, sir."
"That's good," said Jeff. 'You've hit it, Beau."
Cried Lee, "That's what's the matter;
"We'll call them 'Abolutionists,'
"And then you'll see them scatter.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha,
"And then you'll ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
"And then you'll see them scatter."

They rubb'd their traitor hands in glee,
And issued stringent orders,
Signed by the polite Beauregard,
That, henceforth through their borders,
The only word that should be used,
To name the Yankee soldier,
Should be an "Abolutionist,"
And then they strutted bolder.
Ha, ha, ha, ha,
And then they ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
And then they strutted bolder.

They really thought that calling names
Had strengthen'd their position,
When all their sneaking curs up North
Ran yelping Abolition;
But soon we made the traitors know
'Twas something else the matter,
The more they 'Abolution'" howl'd,
The more we did not scatter.
Ha, ha, ha, ha,
The more we ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
The more we did not scatter.

We take the name your gave us, Beau,
We mean to make it true, sir,
We'll first abolish Slavery's power,
And then abolish you, sir.
You thought we'd guard your niggers, Jeff.
And keep them raising corn, sir,
To feed the traitor hordes you lead;
We'll do it "in a horn sir."
Ha, ha, ha, ha,
We'll do it ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
We'll do it "in a horn sir."

We'll free your blacks and fight your whites
And dig for traitors, graves, sir,
Until there's not in all the land
A traitor or a slave, sir;
When that is done, we'll home return,
The home to us so dear, sir,
And soundly kick and cuff the curs,
Now barking in our rear, sir.
Ha, ha, ha, ha,
Now barking ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,
Now barking in our rear, sir.

The Bonnie Blue Flag (Northern lyrics)

Author unknown

We're fighting for our Union, We're fighting for our trust,
We're fighting for that happy land where sleeps our Father's dust
It cannot be dissevered though it cost us bloody wars,
We never can give up the land where floats the Stripes and Stars

Chorus:
Hurrah, hurrah! For equal rights, hurrah
Hurrah for the brave old flag that bears the Stripes and Stars

We treated you as brothers until you drew the sword,
With impious hands at Sumter you cut the silver cord,
So now you hear our bugles; we come the sons of Mars
We rally round the brave old flag that bears the stripes and Stars

(Chorus)

We do not want your cotton, we care not for your slaves
But rather than divide this land, we'll fill your Southern graves
With Lincoln for our Chieftain, we'll wear our country's scars
We rally round that brave old flag that bears the Stripes and Stars

(Chorus)

We deem our cause most holy, we know we're in the right,
And twenty millions of freemen stand ready for the fight
Our bride is fair Columbia, no stain her beauty mars
O'er her we'll raise that brave old flag that bears the Stripes and Stars

(Chorus)

And when this war is over, we'll each resume our home
And treat you still as brothers wherever you may roam
We'll pledge the hand of friendship, and think no more of wars,
But dwell in peace beneath the flag that bears the Stripes and Stars

(Chorus)

Dixie (Northern lyrics)

Author unknown; Music by Daniel D. Emmett

Away down South in the land of traitors,
Rattlesnakes and alligators,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.
Where cotton's king and men are chattels,
Union boys will win the battles,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.

Chorus 1:
Then we'll all go down to Dixie,
Away, away,
Each Dixie boy must understand
That he must mind his Uncle Sam,
Away, away,
And we'll all go down to Dixie.
Away, away,
And we'll all go down to Dixie.

I wish I was in Baltimore,
I'd make Secession traitors roar,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.
We'll put the traitors all to rout.
I'll bet my boots we'll whip them out,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.

Chorus 2:
Then they'll wish they were in Dixie,
Away, away,
Each Dixie boy must understand
That he must mind his Uncle Sam,
Away, away,
And we'll all go down to Dixie.
Away, away,
And we'll all go down to Dixie.

Oh, may our Stars and Stripes still wave
Forever o'er the free and brave,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.
And let our motto ever be --
"For Union and for Liberty!"
Right away, come away, right away, come away.

(Chorus 2)

The Battle Cry Of Freedom

Yes we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again, 
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom, 
And we'll rally from the hillside we'll gather from the plain,
 Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 

(CHORUS) 
The Union forever, 
Hurrah boys, hurrah! 
Down with the Traitor, 
Up with the Star; 
While we rally round the flag, boys, 
Rally once again, 
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.

  We are springing to the call three hundred thousand more, 
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom, 
And we'll fill the vacant ranks of our brothers gone before, 
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 

We will welcome to our numbers the loyal true and brave, 
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom, 
And altho' he may be poor he shall never be a slave, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 

(So we're singing to the call from the East and from the West, 
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom, 
And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love the best,
 Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 

Home Sweet Home

'Mid pleasures and palaces though I may roam, 
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home; 
A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there, 
Which, seek thro' the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere. 

Chorus: 
Home! Home! Sweet, sweet home! 
There's no place like home, there's no place like home. 

An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain, 
Oh, give me my lowly thatched cottage again; 
The birds singing gaily that come at my call; 
Give me them, with that peace of mind, dearer than all. 

To thee, I'll return, overburdened with care, 
The heart's dearest solcae will smile on me there. 
No more from that cottage again will I roam, 
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

John Browns Body

John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, 
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, 
John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, 
But his soul goes marching on. 

CHORUS:  

Glory, glory, hallelujah, 
Glory, glory, hallelujah, 
Glory, glory, hallelujah, 
His soul goes marching on. 

He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord, 
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord, 
He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord, 
His soul goes marching on.  

John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back, 
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
 John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back, 
His soul goes marching on.  

John Brown died that the slaves might be free, 
John Brown died that the slaves might be free, 
John Brown died that the slaves might be free, 
His soul goes marching on.

The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down, 
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down, 
The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down, 
His soul goes marching on.

Just Before the Battle Mother

Just before the battle, Mother, I am thinking most of you. 
While upon the field we're watching, with the enemy in view. Comrades brave are 'round me lying, filled with thoughts of home and God; 
For well they know that on the morrow, some will sleep beneath the sod.
 
CHORUS: 
Farewell, Mother, you may never press me to your breast again; 
But, oh, you'll not forget me, Mother, if I'm numbered with the slain.

 Oh, I long to see you, Mother, and the loving ones at home, 
But I'll never leave our banner till in honor I can come. 
Tell the traitors all around you that their cruel words we know, 
In every battle kill our soldiers by the help they give the foe. 

 Hark! I hear the bugles sounding, 'tis the signal for the fight, 
Now, may God protect us, Mother, as He ever does the right. 
Hear "The Battle Cry of Freedom," how it swells upon the air, 
Oh, yes, we'll rally 'round the standard, or we'll nobly perish there.

Marching Through Georgia

Ring the good ol' bugle, boys, we'll sing another song, 
Sing it with the spirit that will start the world along, 
Sing it as we used to sing it 50,000 strong 
While we were marching through Georgia. 

CHORUS:
Hurrah, hurrah, we bring the jubilee! 
Hurrah, hurrah, the flag that makes you free! 
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea 
While we were marching through Georgia! 

How the darkies shouted when they heard the joyful sound! 
How the turkeys gobbled which our commissary found! 
How the sweet potatoes even started from the ground 
While we were marching through Georgia!

 Yes, and there were Union men who wept with joyful tears 
When they saw the honored flag they had not seen for years. 
Hardly could they be restrained from breaking forth in cheers 
While we were marching through Georgia!

"Sherman's dashing Yankee boys will never reach the coast!" 
So the saucy rebels said, and 'twas a handsome boast, 
Had they not forgot, alas, to reckon with the host 
While we were marching through Georgia!

 So we made a thoroughfare for freedom and her train, 
Sixty miles in latitude, 300 to the main. 
Treason fled before us, for resistance was in vain 
While we were marching through Georgia!--

The Ministrel Boy

by Thomas Moore

The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone
In the ranks of death you will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and brav'ry!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
They shall never sound in slavery!"

The Minstrel Boy will return, we pray;
When we hear the news, we all will cheer it,
The minstrel boy will return one day,
Torn perhaps in body, not in spirit.
Then may he play on his harp in peace,
In a world such as Heaven intended,
For all the bitterness of man must cease,
And ev'ry battle must be ended.

Southron's  Chaunt Of Defiance

You can never win us back; 
Never! Never! 
Tho' we perish in the track of your endeavor; 
Tho' our corpses strew the earth 
Smiling now on our birth, 
And tho' blood polute each hearth 
Now and ever! 

(CHORUS)

You can never win us back; 
Never! Never! 
Tho' we perish in the track 
Of your endeavor; 
Tho' our corpses strew the earth 
Smiling now on our birth, 
And tho' blood polute each hearth 
Now and ever! 

We have risen to a man, 
Stern and fearless; 
Of your curses, of your ban, 
We are careless. 
Ev'ry hand is on its knife, 
Ev'ry gun is primed for strife. 
Ev'ry palm contains a Life 
High and peerless. 

You have no such blood as our For the shedding; 
In the veins of Cavaliers Was its heading! 
You have no such stately men In you abolution 
den Marching through foe and fen, Nothing dreading! 

We may fall before the fire Of your legions, 
Paid with gold for murderous hire, 
Bought allegiance; But for every drop you shed, 
You shall have a mound of dead, 
So that vultures may be fed In our regions! 

But the battle to the strong Is not given, 
While the Judge of right and wrong Sits in Heaven 
And the God of David still Guides the pebble in His will, 
There are giants yet to kill, Wrongs unshriven! 

Tramp Tramp Tramp

In the prison cell I sit, thinking Mother, dear, of you, 
And our bright and happy home so far away, 
And the tears, they fill my eyes 'spite of all that I can do,
 Tho' I try to cheer my comrades and be gay. 

CHORUS: 

Tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching, 
Cheer up, comrades, they will come, 
And beneath the starry flag we shall breathe the air again 
Of the free land in our own beloved home. 

In the battle front we stood, when their fiercest charge they made, 
And they swept us off a hundred men or more, 
But before we reached their lines, they were beaten back dismayed, And we heard the cry of vict'ry o'er and o'er. 

 So within the prison cell we are waiting for the day 
That shall come to open wide the iron door, 
And the hollow eye grows bright, and the poor heart almost gay, 
As we think of seeing home and friends once more. 

The Vacant Chair

We shall meet but we shall miss him. 
There will be one vacant chair. 
We shall linger to caress him 
While we breathe our ev'ning prayer. 
When one year ago we gathered, 
Joy was in his mild blue eye. 
Now the golden cord is severed, 
And our hopes in ruin lie. 

CHORUS:
 We shall meet, but we shall miss him. 
There will be one vacant chair. 
We shall linger to caress him 
While we breathe our ev'ning prayer. 

At our fireside, sad and lonely, 
Often will the bosom swell 
At remembrance of the story 
How our noble Willie fell. 
How he strove to bear the banner 
Thro' the thickest of the fight 
And uphold our country's honor 
In the strength of manhood's might. 

 True, they tell us wreaths of glory 
Evermore will deck his brow, 
But this soothes the anguish only, 
Sweeping o'er our heartstrings now. 
Sleep today, O early fallen, 
In thy green and narrow bed. 
Dirges from the pine and cypress 
Mingle with the tears we shed.