SAM DeVINCENT COLLECTION OF ILLUSTRATED AMERICAN SHEET MUSIC, ca. 1790 - 1987
#300

Container List

Series 2: ARMED FORCES, ca. 1810-1980

by: Karen Linn, 1989

Civil War, Illustrated Covers, 1859-1908:

Box 32

Folder

A, A - G  Click here to view image
B, I - SK
C, ST - Z

Most of the material is from the war years; only 6 items date after 1865. These songs are from the Union side. For Confederate songs see folder J. Some of the lithographic covers are in color. Many covers and songs feature the American flag and other patriotic American signs and symbols. Both vocal and instrumental music is included. (42 items)

Civil War, Non-Illustrated Covers, 1856-1876:

Box 33

Folder

D, A - D
E, E - I
F, J - N
G, O - P
H, Q - T

Box 34

Folder

I, U - Z

The songs are Union, mostly from the war years. Songs from the 1850s are anti-secessionist. There are many patriotic songs, but sentimental songs about family and mothers abound. The death of a soldier is treated with unashamed pathos. Also included are many answer songs such as Tell Me Of My Darling Boy, "a mother's reply to Just Before The Battle Mother." For some of the most popular Union songs of the Civil War see folders K-S. (115 items)

J, Confederate and Southern Imprints, 1860-1866:

Most of the items are copy written under the Confederate States of America. Although production quality is lower (cheaper) than the Union imprints, the songs are similar and often the same. The Civil War was musically unusual; both sides of the conflict shared many of the same songs about the war and it was often unclear to people from which side of the border a particular song had come from. Even if the patriotic songs did not transfer, the very popular sentimental themes of missing mother and the death of a young soldier knew no boundaries. (14 items)  Click here to view image

K, Glory Hallelujah, ca. 1861-1863:

The song was also known as John Brown's Body and is the tune for the Battle Hymn of the Republic. One version of the song provides alternate words replacing John Brown with Union martyr Col. E.E. Ellsworth. (4 items)

L, Maryland, My Maryland! 1862-1863:

These versions have been adapted with Union words. For the original Confederate version see folder J. (5 items)

M, Tenting On The Old Camp Ground, 1864-1941:

The song was written by Walter Kittredge. The earliest editions include on the cover "adapted and sung by the Hutchinson Family." Most of the sheets date from the 1860s. (9 items)

Root, George F., 1861-1926:

N, A - J

Box 35

Folder

O, K - T
P, V - Z

George Frederick Root (1820-1895) was one of the most skilled and prolific writers of Civil War songs. Included in the collection are several editions each of the very popular songs Battle Cry Of Freedom, Just Before the Battle Mother, Tramp, Tramp, Tramp! and The Vacant Chair. There are 8 later editions; the remainder of the sheets date from the war years. (53 items)

Work, Henry C., 1855-1917:

Q, A - G
R, K - M
S, N - Z

Henry Clay Work (1832-1884), along with Root, was the other great writer of Union war songs. Among his popular songs present here are Grafted into the Army, Marching Through Georgia, and Wake Nicodemus. Included in these folders are a number of Work's compositions from before and after the war. They have been left here for the purpose of keeping Work's songs in one place. (55 items)

Box 36

T, Officers, Miscellaneous, 1860-1880:

All but two imprints date from the 1860s and only one officer is from the Confederacy. The pieces are dedicated to a variety of officers and many have lithographic portraits of the military men on the cover. The sheets in this folder, unlike the rest of the collection, are arranged alphabetically by the name of the officer rather than by tune title. Most of the compositions are marches for solo piano. (23 items)

U, Davis, Jefferson, 1865 (1 item)

V, Ellsworth, Elmer Ephraim, ca. 1860-1862 (7 items)

W, Everett, Edward, 1859-1860 (2 items)

X, Grant, Ulysses Simpson, 1862-1885 (7 items)

Y, Jackson, Stonewall, 1862-1869 (2 items)

Z, Lee, Robert Edward, ca. 1864-1869 (3 items)

AA, McClellan, George Brinton, 1861-1862 (5 items)

BB, BB Sherman, William Tecumseh 1864-1891 (8 items)

All of the men represented in folders U-BB were generals for the North or South with the exceptions of Jefferson Davis (President of the Confederacy), Edward Everett (senator, governor, college president and well-known pro-Union orator), and Col. Ellsworth. Ellsworth gained fame for introducing the Zouave drill method and uniform in the United States (there are sheets depicting the Zouave unit in folder W). Ellsworth's was the first well-known Civil War death and most of the songs are a memorial to him. See also folder K on Ellsworth.

CC, Battles, Program Music, 1861-1888:

These programmatic compositions are meant to musically describe the action of well-known Civil War battles. All items, except one, date from the 1860s. Some sheets have illustrated lithographic covers; one has a very dramatic color lithograph. (12 items)

Box 37

Folder

DD, Afro-Americans and the Civil War, 1861-1864:

Some songs are in dialect and many contain negative stereotypes. A few songs treat Afro-Americans' hopes for freedom with dignity, such as We Are Coming From the Cotton Fields. Other issues dealt with in the songs are Afro-Americans serving in the military, emancipation, and contrabands. (15 items)

EE, Grand Army of the Republic Reunion Song Folios, ca. 1880-1890:

The G.A.R. was the name of the Union veterans' association. The song folios were published for particular reunions held in various towns and are collections of popular Civil War songs. (4 items)

Veterans, Union and the G.A.R., 1870-1919:

FF, A - M
GG, O - Z

Included here are songs about Union veterans and the war dead as well as songs or instrumental pieces to be used for memorial day ceremonies and parades. (39 items)

HH, Veterans, Confederate, 1901:

The folder contains only the U.C.V. March (United Confederate Veterans). It has an illustrated cover with a portrait of Robert E. Lee. (1 item)

II, Post-Civil War Reconciliation, 1876-1913:

Songs expressing post-war national unity are included here. See also The Boys in Blue are Turning Gray in folder FF and 2.4 XX. (7 items)

JJ, Civil War Song Folios, 1865-1977:

Box 38

Folder

KK

Included here are three 19th century collections of Civil War songs and one 1977 book of facsimile reproductions of Civil War sheet music with accompanying text. (4 items)

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