"Oh we'll hang Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree" (and similar) is a variant of the American folk song "John Brown's Body" that was sung by the United States military, Unionist civilians, and freedmen during and after the American Civil War.[3][4][5][6] The phrase and associated imagery became relevant to the post-war legal issues surrounding the potential prosecution of former Confederate politicians and officers; the lyric was sometimes referenced in political cartoons and artworks of the time, and in political debates continuing well into the post-Reconstruction era.[7][8][9][10]
"A Yankee Song" (The Charlotte Democrat, Charlotte, N.C., December 23, 1862)Cover for a spin-off "The Sour Apple Tree, or Jeff Davis' Last Ditch" depicts Davis in a dress, a common image after the end of the war, as when he was captured he was reportedly wearing a woman's cloak (Edison Collection of American Sheet Music at University of Michigan via HathiTrust)This 1865 American political cartoon entitled "Freedom's Immortal Triumph" featured the imagery from the song (Library of Congress cph.3b35188)Hecklers on Andrew Johnson's Swing Around the Circle tour called upon him to hang Jeff Davis; he asked them to consider hanging Wendell Phillips and Thaddeus Stevens instead (Panel from Andy's Trip by Thomas Nast, Harper's Weekly, October 27, 1866)This political cartoon references the song lyric, and one of Andrew Johnson's stump-speech stock phrases ("treason must made odious"),[1][2] in its critique of Horace Greeley's support for releasing Davis from Fort Monroe (Library of Congress LC-DIG-pga-09194)"White Front Shoe Store advertisement" (The Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, February 6, 1888)
Jeff Davis and the sour apple tree appear in print as early as August 1861.[11] In 1880, a U.S. Army veteran claimed credit for first singing the lyric in spring 1862 in Virginia, having taken inspiration from a prior song about a "sick monkey in a sour apple tree."[12] A Civil War-era pieced-quilt block pattern called Apple Tree probably references the song lyric.[13] In 1947 a survivor of American slavery named Perry Vaughn recalled, "I fought in Abe Lincoln's army and played the bass horn in the Army band. I can still remember, like it was yesterday, playing 'We'll Hang Jeff Davis on a Sour Apple Tree.'"[14]
A less bloodthirsty variant was "We'll feed Jeff Davis sour apples 'til he gets the diarhee."[15]
Richard Wright's 1938 novella Big Boy Leaves Home references a later-developed white supremacist response: "We'll hang ever nigger t a sour apple tree."[16]
Jefferson Davis, the first and only president of the Confederate States of America, died of natural causes in 1889.[17]
^"OUR NEXT VICE-PRESIDENT. Speech of Gov. Johnson at Nashville". NY Times. June 16, 1864.
^Maslowski, Peter (1978). Treason Must be Made Odious: Military Occupation and Wartime Reconstruction in Nashville, Tennessee, 1862-65. KTO Press. ISBN978-0-527-62185-8.
^Finseth, Ian Frederick (2006). The American Civil War: An Anthology of Essential Writings. Taylor & Francis. p. 336. ISBN978-0-415-97744-9.
^Kobbé, Gustav (1906). Famous American Songs. T.Y. Crowell. p. 158.
^French, Justus Clement; Cary, Edward (1865). The Trip of the Steamer Oceanus to Fort Sumter and Charleston, S. C.: Comprising the ... Programme of Exercises at the Re-raising of the Flag Over the Ruins of Fort Sumter, April 14th, 1865. "The Union" Steam Printing House. pp. 90–91.
^Kent, Charles Nelson (1898). History of the Seventeenth Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry. 1862-1863. By order of the Seventeenth New Hampshire veteran association.
^"Jeff. D hung on a "sour apple tree" or treason made odious". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^"Hang him on the sour apple tree". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^"John Brown exhibiting his hangman". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^"A Memory of the Past". Ellsworth Reporter. June 10, 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^"Massachusetts has another new regiment..." Fayetteville Semi-Weekly Observer. August 22, 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^"Jeff Davis on a Sour Apple Tree: How the Famous Song Had Its Origin in the Army". Wood County Reporter. August 6, 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^Brackman, Barbara (December 1, 2012). Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler: 50 Quilt Blocks with Stories from History. C&T Publishing Inc. p. 35. ISBN978-1-60705-567-9.
^"Madison's 3 Surviving Ex-Slaves Total 288 Years". The Capital Times. August 3, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-08-10. & "Bondage Years Still Vivid to Ex-Slaves Here". The Capital Times. August 3, 1947. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
^Coates, Ta-Nehisi (September 8, 2011). "The Glory of the Coming of the Lord". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
^Carpio, Glenda (March 21, 2019). The Cambridge Companion to Richard Wright. Cambridge University Press. p. 77. ISBN978-1-108-47517-4.
^"U.S. Senate: Jefferson Davis: A Featured Biography". www.senate.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
Further readingedit
Kirk, Brianna (April 1, 2013). "Jeff Davis, a Sour Apple Tree, and Treason: A Case Study of Fear in the Post-Civil War Era". Student Publications (Cupola.gettysburg.edu).
Lepore, Jill (December 4, 2023). "What Happened When the U.S. Failed to Prosecute an Insurrectionist Ex-President". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X.(subscription required)
Moseley, Caroline (Autumn 1984). ""When Will Dis Cruel War be Ober?" Attitudes toward Blacks in Popular Song of the Civil War". American Music. 2 (3): 1–26. doi:10.2307/3052003. JSTOR 3052003.
January 01, 1970
hang, jeff, davis, from, sour, apple, tree, similar, variant, american, folk, song, john, brown, body, that, sung, united, states, military, unionist, civilians, freedmen, during, after, american, civil, phrase, associated, imagery, became, relevant, post, leg. Oh we ll hang Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree and similar is a variant of the American folk song John Brown s Body that was sung by the United States military Unionist civilians and freedmen during and after the American Civil War 3 4 5 6 The phrase and associated imagery became relevant to the post war legal issues surrounding the potential prosecution of former Confederate politicians and officers the lyric was sometimes referenced in political cartoons and artworks of the time and in political debates continuing well into the post Reconstruction era 7 8 9 10 A Yankee Song The Charlotte Democrat Charlotte N C December 23 1862 Cover for a spin off The Sour Apple Tree or Jeff Davis Last Ditch depicts Davis in a dress a common image after the end of the war as when he was captured he was reportedly wearing a woman s cloak Edison Collection of American Sheet Music at University of Michigan via HathiTrust This 1865 American political cartoon entitled Freedom s Immortal Triumph featured the imagery from the song Library of Congress cph 3b35188 Hecklers on Andrew Johnson s Swing Around the Circle tour called upon him to hang Jeff Davis he asked them to consider hanging Wendell Phillips and Thaddeus Stevens instead Panel from Andy s Trip by Thomas Nast Harper s Weekly October 27 1866 This political cartoon references the song lyric and one of Andrew Johnson s stump speech stock phrases treason must made odious 1 2 in its critique of Horace Greeley s support for releasing Davis from Fort Monroe Library of Congress LC DIG pga 09194 White Front Shoe Store advertisement The Dayton Herald Dayton Ohio February 6 1888 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further readingHistory editJeff Davis and the sour apple tree appear in print as early as August 1861 11 In 1880 a U S Army veteran claimed credit for first singing the lyric in spring 1862 in Virginia having taken inspiration from a prior song about a sick monkey in a sour apple tree 12 A Civil War era pieced quilt block pattern called Apple Tree probably references the song lyric 13 In 1947 a survivor of American slavery named Perry Vaughn recalled I fought in Abe Lincoln s army and played the bass horn in the Army band I can still remember like it was yesterday playing We ll Hang Jeff Davis on a Sour Apple Tree 14 A less bloodthirsty variant was We ll feed Jeff Davis sour apples til he gets the diarhee 15 Richard Wright s 1938 novella Big Boy Leaves Home references a later developed white supremacist response We ll hang ever nigger t a sour apple tree 16 Jefferson Davis the first and only president of the Confederate States of America died of natural causes in 1889 17 See also editTreason laws in the United States Virginia v John Brown Execution Category People executed for treason against the United States commons Category Caricatures of Jefferson DavisReferences edit OUR NEXT VICE PRESIDENT Speech of Gov Johnson at Nashville NY Times June 16 1864 Maslowski Peter 1978 Treason Must be Made Odious Military Occupation and Wartime Reconstruction in Nashville Tennessee 1862 65 KTO Press ISBN 978 0 527 62185 8 Finseth Ian Frederick 2006 The American Civil War An Anthology of Essential Writings Taylor amp Francis p 336 ISBN 978 0 415 97744 9 Kobbe Gustav 1906 Famous American Songs T Y Crowell p 158 French Justus Clement Cary Edward 1865 The Trip of the Steamer Oceanus to Fort Sumter and Charleston S C Comprising the Programme of Exercises at the Re raising of the Flag Over the Ruins of Fort Sumter April 14th 1865 The Union Steam Printing House pp 90 91 Kent Charles Nelson 1898 History of the Seventeenth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry 1862 1863 By order of the Seventeenth New Hampshire veteran association Jeff D hung on a sour apple tree or treason made odious Library of Congress Washington D C 20540 USA Retrieved 2023 12 07 Hang him on the sour apple tree Library of Congress Washington D C 20540 USA Retrieved 2023 12 07 John Brown exhibiting his hangman Library of Congress Washington D C 20540 USA Retrieved 2023 12 07 A Memory of the Past Ellsworth Reporter June 10 1886 p 2 Retrieved 2023 12 07 Massachusetts has another new regiment Fayetteville Semi Weekly Observer August 22 1861 p 2 Retrieved 2023 12 07 Jeff Davis on a Sour Apple Tree How the Famous Song Had Its Origin in the Army Wood County Reporter August 6 1885 p 3 Retrieved 2023 12 07 Brackman Barbara December 1 2012 Barbara Brackman s Civil War Sampler 50 Quilt Blocks with Stories from History C amp T Publishing Inc p 35 ISBN 978 1 60705 567 9 Madison s 3 Surviving Ex Slaves Total 288 Years The Capital Times August 3 1947 p 1 Retrieved 2023 08 10 amp Bondage Years Still Vivid to Ex Slaves Here The Capital Times August 3 1947 p 10 Retrieved 2023 08 10 Coates Ta Nehisi September 8 2011 The Glory of the Coming of the Lord The Atlantic Retrieved 2023 12 07 Carpio Glenda March 21 2019 The Cambridge Companion to Richard Wright Cambridge University Press p 77 ISBN 978 1 108 47517 4 U S Senate Jefferson Davis A Featured Biography www senate gov Retrieved 2023 12 07 Further reading editKirk Brianna April 1 2013 Jeff Davis a Sour Apple Tree and Treason A Case Study of Fear in the Post Civil War Era Student Publications Cupola gettysburg edu Lepore Jill December 4 2023 What Happened When the U S Failed to Prosecute an Insurrectionist Ex President The New Yorker ISSN 0028 792X subscription required Moseley Caroline Autumn 1984 When Will Dis Cruel War be Ober Attitudes toward Blacks in Popular Song of the Civil War American Music 2 3 1 26 doi 10 2307 3052003 JSTOR 3052003 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oh we 27ll hang Jeff Davis from a sour apple tree amp oldid 1197060185, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
