Birth of a Song

Birth of a Song Who would have dreamed, a year and a half since, that a thousand men in the streets of New York would be heard singing reverently and enthusiastically in praise of John Brown! Such a scene was witnessed on Saturday evening last. One of the new regiments from Massachusetts on its way through this city to the seat of war sang: John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave, John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave, John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave, His soul's marching on! Glory Hallelujah! Glory Hallelujah! Glory Hallelujah! The stanzas which follow are in the same wild strain: He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord, etc., His soul's marching on! John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back, etc., His soul's marching on! Seldom, if ever, has New York witnessed such a sight or heard such a strain. No military hero of the present war has been thus honored. No statesman has thus loosed the tongues of a thousand men to chant his patriotism. Little did Capt. Brown think of the national struggles that were to follow his eventful death. But his calmness and firmness gave evidence of his faith that the cause of freedom demanded the sacrifice of his life, and he nobly died. It was a notable fact that while the regiment united as with one voice singing this song, thousands of private citizens, young and old, on the sidewalks and in crowded doorways and windows, joined in the chorus. The music was in itself impressive, and many an eye was wet with tears. Few who witnessed the triumphal tread of that noble band of men. . . will forget the thrilling tones of that song. N.Y. Independent, June [19,?] 1861. 64 ...