Along Potomac’s Rocky Shore © 2011 words & music by Terry Leonino & Greg Artzner Our friends at Harpers Ferry National Park once again honored us with the invitation to join one of their historical commemorations, this time the 150th anniversary of the battle of Bolivar Heights. I'll dye my dress I'll dye it red, And through the streets I'll beg my bread, And through the streets I'll beg my bread, Johnny has gone for a soldier. I’ll sell my clock I’ll sell my reel, Likewise I’ll sell my spinning wheel To buy my love a sword of steel Johnny has gone for a soldier. Me, oh my, I loved him so, Broke my heart to see him go, And only time will heal my owe: Johnny has gone for a soldier. The meaning of the Irish "shule agrah" is "come with me, my love." Here I sit on Buttermilk Hill, Who could blame me cry my fill? And every tear would turn a mill Johnny has gone for a soldier, Shule, shule, shule agrah, Time can only heal my woe, Since the lad of my heart from me did go, O Johnny has gone for a soldier. In this version, the girl again says she'll dye her dress red, but this time it's for a more sorrowful reason. In America, this song was sung during both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier Traditional Alan Lomax, in his Folk Songs of North America, claims that this song dates "from the period after the Treaty of Limerick," when "like a flight of wild geese.many young Irish patriots fled to France and served in the armies of the French king." In the old Irish version, the girl dyes her petticoat red to show that she is engaged and loyal to her absent Johnny. One went: We are marching to the field boys We're going to the fight Shouting the battle cry of freedom And we bear the heavenly cross For our cause is in the right Shouting the battle cry of freedom Our rights forever Hurrah boys hurrah Down with the tyrants, raise the southern star While we rally 'round the flag, boys, rally once again Shouting the battle cry of freedom Yes, we’ll rally ‘round the flag, boys, rally once again Shouting the battle cry of freedom Rally from the hillside, gather from the plain We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom Chorus: It’s the Union forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah Down with the traitor and up with the star As we rally ‘round the flag, boys, rally once again We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom We are a springing to the call for three hundred thousand more We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom And we’ll fill the vacant ranks of our brothers gone before We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom (chorus) We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true, and brave We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom (chorus) So we’re springing to the call from the east and from the west We’re shouting the battle cry of freedom And we’ll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love the best One confederate soldier was heard to say, "Good heavens cap, what are these fellows made of anyway? Here we've licked 'em 6 days running and now on the eve of the 7th they're singin' Rally 'Round the Flag!" The former major said, "I am not naturally superstitious, but I tell you that song sounded to me like the knell of doom and my heart went down into my boots and though I've tried to do my duty, it has been an uphill fight with me ever since that night." In the South, lyricists wrote at least a few different parodies to the popular tune. On the Confederate side, one former major, reminiscing in later years said he remembered during the famous "Seven Days Battles" at the end of McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign, after six days of losing repeatedly to rebel troops, union soldiers were heard singing the song in camp on a rainy night. Numerous legends and stories sprang up regarding the song's effect on morale among union troops. The song sold more than 350,000 copies of sheet music, a "hit" even by modern standards.
It was widely sung in the east by the famous Hutchinson Family Singers. Root's very popular song was introduced in Chicago on Jby the Lumbard Brothers, a well-known singing team. NOTES AND LYRICS FOR MAGPIE’S CD “THE CIVIL WAR: SONGS AND STORIES UNTOLD” Battle Cry of Freedom (Rally ‘Round the Flag) By George F.
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