THE BATTLE-CRY OF FREEDOM

(GEORGE F. ROOT) (1861)

PLAY MIDI FILE (21 KB; sequenced by Werner Tomaschewski) IN BACKGROUND

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George Frederick Root (1825-1895), who wrote this songs, was an important composer, teacher, and publisher who studied in Europe and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Chicago....

Root wrote some of the best-known songs of the Civil War period -- songs remembered today. They include "Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!" "The Vacant Chair" "Just Before the Battle, Mother" and "The Battle Cry of Freedom." The latter song was campaign songs for Lincoln in the 1864 election.

William A. Ward (ed.), The American Bicentennial Songbook, Vol. 1 (1770-1870s), New York, NY, 1975, p. 234.

Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom;
We will 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 traitor and up with the star;
While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again,
Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom.

We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom;
And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million freemen more,
Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom.

We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom;
And altho' they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave,
Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom.

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.

1864 CAMPAIGN SONGS

RALLY ROUND THE CAUSE, BOYS

Oh, we'll rally round the cause, boys, we'll rally in our might,
Singing the holy cause of freemen,
We will battle for our Union, the sacred cause of right,
Singing the holy cause of freemen.

CHORUS:
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.

RALLY FOR OLD ABE

Let's rally for "Old Abe", boys, let's rally once again,
Fighting for our homes and for our Union;
We will cast our votes for "Abe," boys, and cast them not in vain,
Fighting for our homes and for our Union.

It's "Old Abe" forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah!
We are no traitors -- all for the war;
Then we'll rally for "Old Abe," boys, we'll rally once again,
Rally for "Old Abe" and for freedom.