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Song

Written by
Unknown author(s)
Originally written by
Publication date
July 28, 1861
Composition date
1861
Language
English
Adapted from
Say Brothers, Will You Meet Us? written by [Traditional]
Comments
Around 1861 soldiers in the Second Battalion, Boston Light Infantry, (a.k.a. the "Tiger" Battalion) were stationed at Fort Warren on George's Island in Boston's outer harbor at the beginning of the Civil War. Since the Fort had only recently been completed and there was still a lot of debris on the parade ground, they were set to work cleaning up. Two Maine recruits sang a simple song as they worked called "Say Brothers, Will You Meet Us?".
Harry Hallgreen of the Tigers picked up the song and taught it to other members of his battalion. Among the Tigers was a certain Sergeant John Brown who came in for a lot of ribbing because he had the same name as the man who had been executed at Charlestown, Virginia, for trying to cause a slave revolt. Eventually Hallgreen invented a new line for the "Say, Brothers" song to spoof the lively activities of Sergeant Brown: "John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave". Another member of the Tigers, James Greenleaf, added the tag line: "His soul's marching on!" More verses were added later.
Greenleaf was organist of a church in Charlestown and he had naturally much to do with the early arrangement of the notes of the song.
Mr C.S. Hall, an acquaintance of Mr Greenleaf often visited Fort Warren, and becoming interested in the song, he took hold with his friend to see what could be done with it.
Mr. C.B. Marsh also helped and the result was the composition of additional lines and the issue of the production as a penny ballad, on common printing paper, surrounded by a pretentious border.
It bore the imprint: Published at 256 Main Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts (for a picture: see ATTACHMENTS)
Later, Mr Hall issued a more elaborate copy, giving both words and music, and headed it with a cut of the national bird.
It bore the words Origin, Fort Warren. and Music arranged by C.B. Marsh
At the bottom was the print as before, and a statement that it had been Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1861, by C.S. Hall in the Clerk's office in the District Court of Massachusetts. (for a picture: see ATTACHMENTS)
This Fort Warren song was the one Julia Ward Howe was referring to when she later wrote "Battle Hymn of the Republic" not the Methodist hymn "Say Brothers, Will You Meet Us?".
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