Songs

Whilst it may be true that an army marches on it's stomach, it is also a fact that it is music which keeps it moving along. Soldiers sing. They have probably always sung, from the earliest marching song, to the most recent ballads. Songs keep spirits up, can make tired feet march in time and bring back memories of loved ones left behind. With this in mind, you will find here a number of songs that were popular during the American Civil War. If you want to explore further on your own, you will find lots more here. Enjoy!

Overview

The Victorians loved a good old sing-a-long. Most adults would have been taught how to sing or play a musical instrument from early childhood, and in the days before TV and video games, if you wanted to enjoy some entertainment at home you had to provide it yourself. This was especially true of the soldiers of Hood's Texans. Far from home, they amused themselves as well as they could. They even formed their own Minstrel show and played the popular tunes of the day.

There are countless sites which list songs and tunes, but I have complied a short selection of ones that I like and that were popular at the time. I have also tried to include some history behind the songs, and midi files that give you an idea of the tune so that you can practice at home. I don't know who owns the copyright to these files, but if anyone recognises their work please get in touch.

If you would like to print your own song book click here for a pdf file. Just print it out on both sides of the paper, fold in half and staple it together. (The Bonnie Blue flag is designed to fit on the middle two pages - it's a very long song!)

So here, in no particular order, are some of the songs that the Texans used to sing. Let's try and maintain the tradition!

The Yellow Rose of Texas

The Bonnie Blue Flag

Goober Peas