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melodious airs that burned themselves into the memory； was one of the
salient characteristics of that down…trodden race。 Like the Russian
serfs； and the bondmen of all ages and lands； the songs they made and
sang all had an undertone of touching plaintiveness； born of ages of dumb
suffering。 The themes were exceedingly simple； and the range of subjects
limited。 The joys； and sorrows； hopes and despairs of love's
gratification or disappointment； of struggles for freedom； contests with
malign persons and influences； of rage； hatred； jealousy； revenge； such
as form the motifs for the majority of the poetry of free and strong
races； were wholly absent from their lyrics。 Religion； hunger and toil
were their main inspiration。 They sang of the pleasures of idling in the
genial sunshine； the delights of abundance of food； the eternal happiness
that awaited them in the heavenly future； where the slave…driver ceased
from troubling and the weary were at rest； where Time rolled around in
endless cycles of days spent in basking； harp in hand； and silken clad；
in golden streets； under the soft effulgence of cloudless skies； glowing
with warmth and kindness emanating from the Creator himself。 Had their
masters condescended to borrow the music of the slaves； they would have
found none whose sentiments were suitable for the ode of a people
undergoing the pangs of what was hoped to be the birth of a new nation。
The three songs most popular at the South； and generally regarded as
distinctively Southern； were 〃The Bonnie Blue Flag；〃 〃Maryland； My
Maryland；〃 and 〃Stonewall Jackson Crossing into Maryland。〃 The first of
these was the greatest favorite by long odds。 Women sang； men whistled；
and the so…called musicians played it wherever we went。 While in the
field before capture； it was the commonest of experiences to have Rebel
women sing it at us tauntingly from the house that we passed or near
which we stopped。 If ever near enough a Rebel camp； we were sure to hear
its wailing crescendo rising upon the air from the lips or instruments of
some one more quartered there。 At Richmond it rang upon us constantly
from some source or another； and the same was true wherever else we went
in the so…called Confederacy。
All familiar with Scotch songs will readily recognize the name and air as
an old friend； and one of the fierce Jacobite melodies that for a long
time disturbed the tranquility of the Brunswick family on the English
throne。 The new words supplied by the Rebels are the merest doggerel；
and fit the music as poorly as the unchanged name of the song fitted to
its new use。 The flag of the Rebellion was not a bonnie blue one； but
had quite as much red and white as azure。 It did not have a single star；
but thirteen。
Near in popularity was 〃Maryland； My Maryland。〃 The versification of
this was of a much higher Order； being fairly respectable。 The air is
old； and a familiar one to all college students； and belongs to one of
the most common of German household songs：
O； Tannenbaum！ O； Tannenbaum； wie tru sind deine Blatter！
Da gruenst nicht nur zur Sommerseit；
Nein； auch in Winter； when es Schneit； etc。
which Longfellow has finely translated；
O； hemlock tree！ O； hemlock tree！ how faithful are thy branches！
Green not alone in Summer time；
But in the Winter's float and rime。
O； hemlock tree O； hemlock tree！ how faithful are thy branches。 etc。
The Rebel version ran：
MARYLAND。
The despot's heel is on thy shore；
Maryland！
His touch is at thy temple door；
Maryland！
Avenge the patriotic gore
That flecked the streets of Baltimore；
And be the battle queen of yore；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
Hark to the wand'ring son's appeal；
Maryland！
My mother State； to thee I kneel；
Maryland！
For life and death； for woe and weal；
Thy peerless chivalry reveal；
And gird thy beauteous limbs with steel；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
Thou wilt not cower in the duet；
Maryland！
Thy beaming sword shall never rust
Maryland！
Remember Carroll's sacred trust；
Remember Howard's warlike thrust
And all thy slumberers with the just；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
Come！ 'tis the red dawn of the day；
Maryland！
Come！ with thy panoplied array；
Maryland！
With Ringgold's spirit for the fray；
With Watson's blood at Monterey；
With fearless Lowe and dashing May；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
Comet for thy shield is bright and strong；
Maryland！
Come！ for thy dalliance does thee wrong；
Maryland！
Come！ to thins own heroic throng；
That stalks with Liberty along；
And give a new Key to thy song；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
Dear Mother！ burst the tyrant's chain；
Maryland！
Virginia should not call in vain；
Maryland！
She meets her sisters on the plain
'Sic semper〃 'tis the proud refrain；
That baffles millions back amain；
Maryland！
Arise； in majesty again；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
I see the blush upon thy cheek；
Maryland！
But thou wast ever bravely meek；
Maryland！
But lo！ there surges forth a shriek
From hill to hill； from creek to creek
Potomac calls to Chesapeake；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
Thou wilt not yield the vandal toll。
Maryland！
Thou wilt not crook to his control；
Maryland！
Better the fire upon thee roll；
Better the blade； the shot； the bowl；
Than crucifixion of the soul；
Maryland！ My Maryland！
I hear the distant Thunder hem；
Maryland！
The Old Line's bugle； fife； and drum。
Maryland！
She is not dead； nor deaf； nor dumb
Hnzza！ she spurns the Northern scum！
She breathesshe burns！ she'll come！ she'll come！
Maryland！ My Maryland！
〃Stonewall Jackson Crossing into Maryland；〃 was another travesty； of
about the same literary merit； or rather demerit； as 〃The Bonnie Blue
Flag。〃 Its air was that of the well…known and popular negro minstrel
song；〃 Billy Patterson。〃 For all that； it sounded very martial and
stirring when played by a brass band。
We heard these songs with tiresome iteration； daily and nightly； during
our stay in the Southern Confederacy。 Some one of the guards seemed to
be perpetually beguiling the weariness of his watch by singing in all
keys； in every sort of a voice； and with the wildest latitude as to air
and time。 They became so terribly irritating to us； that to this day the
remembrance of those soul…lacerating lyrics abides with me as one of the
chief of the minor torments of our situation。 They were； in fact； nearly
as bad as the lice。
We revenged ourselves as best we could by constructing fearfully wicked；
obscene and insulting parodies on these； and by singing them with
irritating effusiveness in the hearing of the guards who were inflicting
these nuisances upon us。
Of the same nature was the garrison music。 One fife； played by an
asthmatic old fellow whose breathings were nearly as audible as his
notes； and one rheumatic drummer； constituted the entire band for the
post。 The fifer actually knew but one tune 〃The Bonnie Blue Flag〃
and did not know that well。 But it was all that he