The "Battle Cry of Freedom", also known as "Rally 'Round the Flag", is a song written in 1862 by American composer George Frederick Root (1820–1895) during the American Civil War. A patriotic song advocating the causes of Unionism and abolitionism, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for the Confederacy.[1]
"Battle Cry of Freedom"
Cover of the 1862 sheet music for "Battle Cry of Freedom"
A modified Union version was used as the campaign song for the Lincoln-Johnson ticket in the 1864 presidential election, as well as in elections after the war, such as for Garfield in the 1880 U.S. presidential election.[2] The song was so popular that the music publisher had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand. It is estimated that over 700,000 copies of this song were put in circulation. Louis Moreau Gottschalk thought so highly of the song that in his diary he confided that he thought "it should be our national anthem" and used it as the basis for his 1863 concert paraphrase for solo piano "Le Cri de délivrance," opus 55, and dedicated it to Root, who was a personal friend. Charles Ives quoted the song in several compositions, including his own patriotic song, "They Are There".[3]
"Battle Cry of Freedom" proved popular among Union soldiers during the American Civil War. According to Henry Stone, a Union war veteran recalling in the late 1880s, the song helped the morale of Union soldiers:
A glee club came down from Chicago, bringing with them the new song, "We'll rally 'round the flag, boys", and it ran through the camp like wildfire. The effect was little short of miraculous. It put as much spirit and cheer into the army as a victory. Day and night one could hear it by every camp fire and in every tent. I never shall forget how the men rolled out the line, "And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave." I do not know whether Mr. Root knows what good work his song did for us there, but I hope so.
— Henry Stone, The Century Illustrated, "Memoranda on the Civil War: A Song in Camp" (1887), emphasis added[4]
According to historian Christian L. McWhirter, the song's success and popularity among the Union was due to its even-handed references to both abolitionism and unionism. Thus, both groups of Unionists, those opposed to slavery and secession, could utilize the song without reservation:
The ability of "The Battle Cry of Freedom" to bridge divisions over emancipation is not surprising. The song's definition of the Northern cause is purposely open-ended. Those looking for anti-slavery sentiments could find them, but these elements were not so pronounced as to offend those who were solely unionists. The chorus was the key, for it was there that Root described why Northerners rallied around the flag. The first line boldly endorsed a perpetual Union – "The Union forever" – followed by a strong dismissal of secession: "Down with the traitor, up with the star." However, the battle cry Root shouted was one of "freedom." Freedom had many meanings in the Civil War – for instance, freedom from Confederate political tyranny or the oft-perceived "slaveholders' conspiracy" – but, in the context of Root’s political beliefs and other activities, he clearly meant to suggest some degree of abolitionism.
— Christian L. McWhirter, The New York Times, "Birth of the 'Battle Cry'" (July 27, 2012)[5]
Lyrics (Union version)edit
"The Battle Cry of Freedom"
Oh we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,[6] 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 traitors, up with the stars; While we rally round the flag, boys, we rally once again, Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
Oh we're springing to the call for three hundred thousand more,[a] Shouting the battle cry of freedom! And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million freemen more,[7][8][b] Shouting the battle cry of freedom.
(Chorus)
We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle cry of freedom! And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave,[c] Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
(Chorus)
So we're springing 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.
(Chorus)
Lyrics (Confederate version)edit
Our flag is proudly floating on the land and on the main, Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Beneath it oft we've conquered, and we'll conquer oft again! Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
(Chorus) Our Dixie forever! She's never at a loss! Down with the eagle and up with the cross While we rally 'round the Bonnie flag, we'll rally once again, Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
Our gallant boys have marched to the rolling of the drums. Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! And the leaders in charge cry out, "Come, boys, come!" Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
(Chorus)
They have laid down their lives on the bloody battle field. Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Their motto is resistance – "To the tyrants never yield!" Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom!
(Chorus)
While our boys have responded and to the fields have gone! Shout, shout the battle cry of freedom! Our noble women also have aided them at home! Shout, shout the battle cry of freedom!
(Chorus)
Chorus (1864 election campaign)edit
For Lincoln and Johnson, hurrah, boys, hurrah! Down with the rebellion and on with the war, While we rally round the cause, boys, we'll rally in our might, Singing the holy cause of freemen.
The song is also performed in The Long Riders (1980), with music produced by Cooder. In the film, former Confederate irregular Clell Miller (played by Randy Quaid) confronts a musician playing this song, and forces him at gunpoint to play I'm a Good Ol' Rebel instead.[d]
Eric Taylor has a live recording of this song as "Rally 'Round the Flag" on his Hollywood Pocketknife album in 2007.
Keith and Rusty McNeil perform both the "Battle Cry of Freedom" and "Southern Battle Cry of Freedom" on Civil War Songs with Historical Narration (WEM Records, 1989, ISBN1-878360-11-6).
This song features prominently in Ken Burns' documentary The Civil War, where it is performed by Jacqueline Schwab.
Billy Bragg wrote a song based upon the music of "Battle Cry of Freedom" called "There Is Power in a Union" on the Talking with the Taxman about Poetry album. This song has different music and words than the song of the same name written by Joe Hill. For example, the chorus goes:
The Union forever defending our rights Down with the blackleg, all workers unite With our brothers and our sisters from many far off lands There is power in a Union
The song titled "Rally Round The Flag" was featured on Flamin' Groovies lead vocalist Chris Wilson's 1993 solo Record "Random Centuries"In which he sings all vocal harmonies, (based on Ry Cooder's version.)
Homer and Jethro (Henry Haynes and Ken Burns) released a 1967 parody called "The Ballad of Roger Miller" that used music from "Battle Cry of Freedom" in the verses.
Indie rock band Titus Andronicus employ an adaptation of "Battle Cry of Freedom" in "A More Perfect Union", the first song on their Civil War-themed 2010 album The Monitor. The altered verses include references to Jefferson Davis, the Confederate leader, and abolitionist John Brown.
Film composer John Williams, in his score for the 2012 Steven Spielberg film, Lincoln, used an excerpt from "The Battle Cry of Freedom" in the track "Call to Muster and Battle Cry", with vocals performed by the Chicago Symphony Chorus and music performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The song is also sung by Republican members of the House of Representatives to celebrate passage of the 13th Amendment.
^Stone, Henry (1887). "A Song in Camp". Memoranda on the Civil War. The Century Illustrated. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
^McWhirter, Christian L. (July 27, 2012). "Birth of the 'Battle Cry'". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
^Silverman, Ballads and Songs of the Civil War, p. 8
^"The Battle Cry of Freedom". Temple Digital Collections.
^Pen-pictures of the War: Lyrics, Incidents, and Sketches of the Rebellion; Comprising a Choice Selection of Pieces by Our Best Poets, Also, Current and Well Authenticated Anecdotes and Incidents of the War. Together with a Full Account of Many of the Great Battles, Also, a Complete Historical Record of All Events, Both Civil and Military, from the Commencement of the Rebellion. C.A. Alvord. March 30, 1864. p. 98 – via Internet Archive. ranks with a million freemen more..
^This line is sometimes given as: "We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before."
^This line is sometimes given as: "And we'll fill the vacant ranks of our brothers gone before."
^This line is sometimes given as: "And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave."
^This is probably an anachronism, as the latter song was not copyrighted until 1915, well after the scene in question, presumably in the 1870s. An edition of the sheet music of "The Good Old Rebel" is "RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE HON. THAD STEVENS", who died on August 11, 1868.[9] An entry in a 1910 edition of Library of Southern Authors (1910), Vol. 15, "Randolph, James Innes, Jr.", says that the author, Major Innes Randolph, had died on April 29, 1887.
Bibliographyedit
Collins, Ace. Songs Sung, Red, White, and Blue: The Stories Behind America's Best-Loved Patriotic Songs. HarperResource, 2003. ISBN0060513047
Silverman, Jerry (April 15, 2011). Ballads and Songs of the Civil War. Pacific, Missouri: Mel Bay Publications, Inc. ISBN9781610650182. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle Cry of Freedom.
Sheet music for the Confederate version of "Battle Cry of Freedom", from the Library of Congress
MIDI for "Battle Cry of Freedom", from Project Gutenberg
"Battle Cry of Freedom" (Union version), Walter Van Brunt (Edison Blue Amberol 2904, 1916)—Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project.
"Battle Cry of Freedom" Confederate/Union (music video), Tom Roush.
February 15, 2024
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For the 1988 book see Battle Cry of Freedom book Rally Round the Flag redirects here For other uses see Rally Round the Flag disambiguation The Battle Cry of Freedom also known as Rally Round the Flag is a song written in 1862 by American composer George Frederick Root 1820 1895 during the American Civil War A patriotic song advocating the causes of Unionism and abolitionism it became so popular that composer H L Schreiner and lyricist W H Barnes adapted it for the Confederacy 1 Battle Cry of Freedom Cover of the 1862 sheet music for Battle Cry of Freedom SongPublished1862Songwriter s George Frederick RootA modified Union version was used as the campaign song for the Lincoln Johnson ticket in the 1864 presidential election as well as in elections after the war such as for Garfield in the 1880 U S presidential election 2 The song was so popular that the music publisher had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand It is estimated that over 700 000 copies of this song were put in circulation Louis Moreau Gottschalk thought so highly of the song that in his diary he confided that he thought it should be our national anthem and used it as the basis for his 1863 concert paraphrase for solo piano Le Cri de delivrance opus 55 and dedicated it to Root who was a personal friend Charles Ives quoted the song in several compositions including his own patriotic song They Are There 3 Contents 1 History 2 Lyrics Union version 3 Lyrics Confederate version 4 Chorus 1864 election campaign 5 In popular culture 6 See also 7 References 8 Notes 9 Bibliography 10 External linksHistory edit Battle Cry of Freedom proved popular among Union soldiers during the American Civil War According to Henry Stone a Union war veteran recalling in the late 1880s the song helped the morale of Union soldiers A glee club came down from Chicago bringing with them the new song We ll rally round the flag boys and it ran through the camp like wildfire The effect was little short of miraculous It put as much spirit and cheer into the army as a victory Day and night one could hear it by every camp fire and in every tent I never shall forget how the men rolled out the line And although he may be poor he shall never be a slave I do not know whether Mr Root knows what good work his song did for us there but I hope so Henry Stone The Century Illustrated Memoranda on the Civil War A Song in Camp 1887 emphasis added 4 According to historian Christian L McWhirter the song s success and popularity among the Union was due to its even handed references to both abolitionism and unionism Thus both groups of Unionists those opposed to slavery and secession could utilize the song without reservation The ability of The Battle Cry of Freedom to bridge divisions over emancipation is not surprising The song s definition of the Northern cause is purposely open ended Those looking for anti slavery sentiments could find them but these elements were not so pronounced as to offend those who were solely unionists The chorus was the key for it was there that Root described why Northerners rallied around the flag The first line boldly endorsed a perpetual Union The Union forever followed by a strong dismissal of secession Down with the traitor up with the star However the battle cry Root shouted was one of freedom Freedom had many meanings in the Civil War for instance freedom from Confederate political tyranny or the oft perceived slaveholders conspiracy but in the context of Root s political beliefs and other activities he clearly meant to suggest some degree of abolitionism Christian L McWhirter The New York Times Birth of the Battle Cry July 27 2012 5 Lyrics Union version edit nbsp The Battle Cry of Freedom Oh we ll rally round the flag boys we ll rally once again 6 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 traitors up with the stars While we rally round the flag boys we rally once again Shouting the battle cry of freedom Oh we re springing to the call for three hundred thousand more a Shouting the battle cry of freedom And we ll fill the vacant ranks with a million freemen more 7 8 b Shouting the battle cry of freedom Chorus We will welcome to our numbers the loyal true and brave Shouting the battle cry of freedom And although he may be poor he shall never be a slave c Shouting the battle cry of freedom Chorus So we re springing 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 Chorus Lyrics Confederate version edit nbsp Our flag is proudly floating on the land and on the main Shout shout the battle cry of Freedom Beneath it oft we ve conquered and we ll conquer oft again Shout shout the battle cry of Freedom Chorus Our Dixie forever She s never at a loss Down with the eagle and up with the cross While we rally round the Bonnie flag we ll rally once again Shout shout the battle cry of Freedom Our gallant boys have marched to the rolling of the drums Shout shout the battle cry of Freedom And the leaders in charge cry out Come boys come Shout shout the battle cry of Freedom Chorus They have laid down their lives on the bloody battle field Shout shout the battle cry of Freedom Their motto is resistance To the tyrants never yield Shout shout the battle cry of Freedom Chorus While our boys have responded and to the fields have gone Shout shout the battle cry of freedom Our noble women also have aided them at home Shout shout the battle cry of freedom Chorus Chorus 1864 election campaign editFor Lincoln and Johnson hurrah boys hurrah Down with the rebellion and on with the war While we rally round the cause boys we ll rally in our might Singing the holy cause of freemen In popular culture editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed September 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The song is sung by a marching unit of Union infantry in the film The Undefeated 1969 Ry Cooder performed this song as Rally Round the Flag on his Boomer s Story album The song is also performed in The Long Riders 1980 with music produced by Cooder In the film former Confederate irregular Clell Miller played by Randy Quaid confronts a musician playing this song and forces him at gunpoint to play I m a Good Ol Rebel instead d Eric Taylor has a live recording of this song as Rally Round the Flag on his Hollywood Pocketknife album in 2007 Keith and Rusty McNeil perform both the Battle Cry of Freedom and Southern Battle Cry of Freedom on Civil War Songs with Historical Narration WEM Records 1989 ISBN 1 878360 11 6 This song features prominently in Ken Burns documentary The Civil War where it is performed by Jacqueline Schwab Billy Bragg wrote a song based upon the music of Battle Cry of Freedom called There Is Power in a Union on the Talking with the Taxman about Poetry album This song has different music and words than the song of the same name written by Joe Hill For example the chorus goes The Union forever defending our rightsDown with the blackleg all workers uniteWith our brothers and our sisters from many far off landsThere is power in a Union The song titled Rally Round The Flag was featured on Flamin Groovies lead vocalist Chris Wilson s 1993 solo Record Random Centuries In which he sings all vocal harmonies based on Ry Cooder s version Homer and Jethro Henry Haynes and Ken Burns released a 1967 parody called The Ballad of Roger Miller that used music from Battle Cry of Freedom in the verses Rally Round the Flag Boys a 1958 film was based on a novel with the same title by Max Shulman published in 1956 Indie rock band Titus Andronicus employ an adaptation of Battle Cry of Freedom in A More Perfect Union the first song on their Civil War themed 2010 album The Monitor The altered verses include references to Jefferson Davis the Confederate leader and abolitionist John Brown Film composer John Williams in his score for the 2012 Steven Spielberg film Lincoln used an excerpt from The Battle Cry of Freedom in the track Call to Muster and Battle Cry with vocals performed by the Chicago Symphony Chorus and music performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra The song is also sung by Republican members of the House of Representatives to celebrate passage of the 13th Amendment Elvis Costello sang and played the last lines of the song in the Two and a Half Men episode Back Off Mary Poppins The song is played at the dedication of the Hill Valley Courthouse clock tower in Back to the Future Part III 1990 The song is sung during the opening credits of the 1939 film Young Mr Lincoln starring Henry Fonda and directed by John Ford The song is sung by Miriam Hopkins in the 1940 film Virginia City The song with possible lyrics from Ireland was sung by The Irish Rovers in Episode 1 of Season 7 of The Virginian See also editBattle cry The Battle Hymn of the RepublicReferences edit McIvor James October 31 2006 God Rest Ye Merry Soldiers A True Civil War Christmas Story Penguin ISBN 978 1 4406 2731 6 Millard Candice 2011 Destiny of the Republic Knopf Doubleday Publishing p 70 ISBN 9780767929714 Sinclair James B 1999 A Descriptive Catalogue of the Music of Charles Ives Yale University Press pp 518 520 ISBN 9780300076011 Stone Henry 1887 A Song in Camp Memoranda on the Civil War The Century Illustrated Retrieved September 4 2015 McWhirter Christian L July 27 2012 Birth of the Battle Cry The New York Times New York Retrieved September 4 2015 Silverman Ballads and Songs of the Civil War p 8 The Battle Cry of Freedom Temple Digital Collections Pen pictures of the War Lyrics Incidents and Sketches of the Rebellion Comprising a Choice Selection of Pieces by Our Best Poets Also Current and Well Authenticated Anecdotes and Incidents of the War Together with a Full Account of Many of the Great Battles Also a Complete Historical Record of All Events Both Civil and Military from the Commencement of the Rebellion C A Alvord March 30 1864 p 98 via Internet Archive ranks with a million freemen more jhu edu Accessed 2017 March 21 Notes edit This line is sometimes given as We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before This line is sometimes given as And we ll fill the vacant ranks of our brothers gone before This line is sometimes given as And although they may be poor not a man shall be a slave This is probably an anachronism as the latter song was not copyrighted until 1915 well after the scene in question presumably in the 1870s An edition of the sheet music of The Good Old Rebel is RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE HON THAD STEVENS who died on August 11 1868 9 An entry in a 1910 edition of Library of Southern Authors 1910 Vol 15 Randolph James Innes Jr says that the author Major Innes Randolph had died on April 29 1887 Bibliography editCollins Ace Songs Sung Red White and Blue The Stories Behind America s Best Loved Patriotic Songs HarperResource 2003 ISBN 0060513047 Irwin Silber Songs of the Civil War Archived March 4 2016 at the Wayback Machine Dover 1995 Silverman Jerry April 15 2011 Ballads and Songs of the Civil War Pacific Missouri Mel Bay Publications Inc ISBN 9781610650182 Retrieved March 15 2015 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle Cry of Freedom Battle Cry of Freedom dead link at Allmusic Battle Cry of Freedom at Civil War Songs Sheet music for Battle Cry of Freedom from Project Gutenberg Sheet music for the Confederate version of Battle Cry of Freedom from the Library of Congress MIDI for Battle Cry of Freedom from Project Gutenberg Battle Cry of Freedom Union version Walter Van Brunt Edison Blue Amberol 2904 1916 Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project Battle Cry of Freedom Confederate Union music video Tom Roush Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle Cry of Freedom amp oldid 1206914352, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
