"That he will not sheathe nor stay it, They swore; and the answering sunlight And the hate in their hearts made echo, To the wrath of their burning words. [Southern.] [There is nothing in this sentimental song that enables one to read the riddle of its remarkable popularity during the Civil War. It has no poetic merit; its rhythm is commonplace, and the tune to which it was sung was of the flimsiest musical structure, without even a trick of melody to commend it. Yet the song was more frequently sung, on both sides, than any other, the Southern soldiers inserting "gray" for "blue" in the sixth line of the first stanza, with cheerful recklessness of the effect upon the rhyme. The thing was heard in every camp every day and many times every day. Men chanted it on the march, and women sang it to piano accompaniment in all houses. A song which so strongly appealed to two great armies and to an entire people is worthy of a place in all collections of war poetry, even though criticism is baffled in the attempt to discover the reason of its popularity.-EDITOR.] D EAREST love, do you remember How you told me that you loved me my feet? Oh, how proud you stood before me When you vowed to me and country Chorus.-Weeping, sad and lonely, Hopes and fears, how vain ; When this cruel war is over, Praying that we meet again. When the summer breeze is sighing Or when autumn leaves are falling, Oft in dreams I see thee lying On the battle plain, Lonely, wounded, even dying, If, amid the din of battle, Far away from those who love you, Who would whisper words of comfort? Ever in my brain! But our country called you, darling, While our nation's sons are fighting, We can only pray. Nobly strike for God and country, Let all nations see How we love the starry banner, Emblem of the free. Chorus.-Weeping, sad, etc. |
