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The "Singingest" Soldiers Of All Geiwral Robert E. 1д»е: “I don't wee how we could have an army without music.** By XELLE K. C HEEK Soldiers in ihe War Between the Stales devoted only a small part of their time to active campaigning. Battles were infrequent, and few of them lasted more than two or three days. As a general rule, the armies stopped lighting and marching before Christinas and stayed in winter quarters until spring. Practically no responsibility was assumed by political and military leaders for easing the boredom of those long periods of inactivity. They initialed no recreational programs and provided no service clubs, canteens, lounges, libraries, entertainers, post exchanges or newspapers. One of the most pleasurable diver¬ sions was music. Wherever the men were — on the march, about the camp¬ fire. at parties — popular tunes were heard. Soldiers of the sixties were the "singingest" soldiers in American history, and more songs of the quality that endures came out of the War Be¬ tween the States than from any other conflict. Some Favorites Publishers in New York. Chicago. Philadelphia. New Orleans, Richmond and other cities published vast quan¬ tities of sheet music and songbooks. There were over 500 songs w ritten from 1861-1865. There were polkas, waltzes, marches — and songs to be played on instruments. Some songs were sen¬ timental — about mother, home, sweet¬ heart. Some were about death and homesickness, and some were about war. Some honored favorite generals, some were inspired by Confederate vic¬ tories such as. “The Shiloh Victory POlka". "Manassas Polka", and "Sump'- ter. A Battle of 1861". Probably the most popular of all songs was "Home. Sweet Home". Other old tunes heard in camp were: "Annie Laurie". "Auld Lang Sync". "Juanita". "Sweet Evelina", "Pop Goes the Weasel". "Listen to the Mocking Bird", and "Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming". Religious favorites included "Old Hundred", "All Hail the Itowcr of Jesus' Name". "Amazing Grace". "I'm a Pilgram". "Rock of Ages". "How Firm a Foundation". "Jesus. Lover of My Soul", "On Jordan's Stormy Banks", and "Nearer. My God. to Thee". Voices on Both Sides Sometimes Federals and Confede¬ rates sang competitively. In January’. 1863, a Virginia Lieutenant wrote his father: "Wfe are on one side of the Rap¬ pahannock. the Enemy on the other — Our boys will sing a Southern song. The Yankees will reply by singing the same tune to Yankee words." On a few occasions opposing soldiers sang to¬ gether. When Confederate Private God¬ win got religion at one of the wartime rev ivals, about fifty of his comrades ac¬ companied him to the Rapidan River for baptism. The assembly aroused the curiosity of the Federals across the river and a number of them cainc to the bank to view the ceremony. When the Con¬ federates began singing "There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood", the Federals chimed in. after which the convert was immersed to the satisfac¬ tion of all. Near Murfreesboro, on the night be¬ fore the battle of Stone's River, the bands of the opposing forces took turns playing patriotic airs. Presently one of the bands struck up "Home. Sweet Home"; the other joined in immediately and then hundreds of voices on both sides united to make the surrounding country reverberate with the wistful strains of Payne's immortal hymn. This was one of the most dramatic incidents of the war. Several regiments had glee clubs which gave programs for the entertain¬ ment of officers and men. One of the most famous was composed of the Fourteenth Tennessee Infantry. Organ¬ ized in 1861. it maintained an unbroken personnel throughout the War. These unusually talented singers not only gave camp concerts, but sang to comrades on the march. A Sentimental Lot June Kimble, the club's violinist, left the following record (now in the Con- THE STATE, МЛЙСН 1985