Poems and Songs of the US Civil War Quiz

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865. Whitman who had lived in Washington D.C. during much of the Civil War was a great admirer of the President. The poem was published in New York's 'Saturday Press' in November of 1865. The bittersweet poem which spoke of the war's end and Lincoln's death received instant acclaim and solidified Whitman's position as one of the great 19th century American poets.

Answer: John Brown's Body

Before the war John Brown led a bloody insurgency to try to abolish slavery. President Lincoln reportedly called him "a misguided fanatic". After a failed attempt to free and arm slaves in Harper's Ferry, Virginia (Now West Virginia) he was captured and hanged in 1859. Recognized as one of the 19th century's most controversial figures, many Northerners regarded Brown as a hero. No one knows for sure how the song and its catchy tune came about.

In fact some historians believe that the original song was not about John Brown the abolitionist but about a Scottish soldier of the same name who served in the 12th Massachusetts Regiment.

The song's lyrics were orally passed on from camp to camp therefore changes to the words were frequent. Eventually it became one of the Union Army's most popular marching songs. Part of the lyrics was "John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave; His soul's marching on!"

Answer: Battle Hymn of the Republic

Howe visited a group of Union soldiers encamped near Washington DC in 1861. After hearing the song "John Brown's Body" it was suggested that she write more uplifting lyrics while using the catchy tune. The lyrics first appeared publicly when they were published in the "Atlantic Monthly" in February 1862. The hymn has since become a national classic.

Answer: Shiloh, a Requiem

Melville was not present at the Battle of Shiloh but many historians believe he got his information from a narrative found in "The Cincinnati Gazette". His most famous work is the novel "Moby Dick". In 1866 he published a collection of poetry about the Civil War. "Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War" was not a commercial success but Melville dedicated it to "the memory of the three hundred thousand who in the war for the maintenance of the Union fell devotedly under the flag of their fathers". Unlike "Shiloh, a Requiem" many of his other Civil War poems were reportedly based on personal eyewitness accounts.

Answer: At a military funeral

Union Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield is credited with the creation of Taps as a bugle call. Butterfield, along with brigade bugler, Oliver Wilcox Norton, either composed or revised an earlier bugle call in order to create the now poignant and popular tune.

They did this after a tough and bloody day of fighting in 1862 near Harrison's Landing, Virginia. Reportedly Butterfield thought the previously used bugle call was too formal and wanted something else to honor his soldiers. While it was probably used at military funerals prior to 1891 it was officially mandated to be used at military funerals in that year.

Although several sets of lyrics have been written the most popular are "Day is done, gone the sun, From the hills, from the lake, From the sky. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh."

Answer: John Pope and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson

This revision of the nursery rhyme "Little Bo Peep" was quoted by the Confederates after Stonewall Jackson, with the help of Lt. General James Longstreet, forced Union Major General John Pope's troops to retreat during the Second Battle of Manassas in August of 1862.

This and other rhymes were collected by Lizzie Daniel, who was a young girl living in Richmond during the Civil War. She gathered a small collection of these rhymes and in 1893 included "Mother Lincoln's Melodies" in a published work entitled "The Confederate Scrapbook".

Other people mentioned in these rhymes include Abraham Lincoln, General's Grant and Lee, William Seward (Lincoln's Secretary of State), and Ambrose Burnside.

Answer: Goober Peas

Goober Peas are peanuts. One verse goes like this: "Just before the battle, the General hears a row. He says 'The Yanks are coming, I hear their rifles now.' He looks down the roadway, and what d'ya think he sees? The Georgia Militia cracking goober peas. Peas, peas, peas, peas Eating goober peas. Goodness, how delicious, Eating goober peas." Versions of the lyrics differed some from state to state and the song apparently was not published until 1866.

While the song was fun to sing it did reveal the dire straits facing the Confederate soldiers during the last days of the war. Cut off railroad lines and Union advances had almost wiped out their food supply leaving them hungry.

Answer: Spanish-American War

Joseph Wheeler was a major general for the Confederate forces. In 1898 he volunteered to join the US Army and was appointed by President William McKinley as a major general. Despite being seriously ill he went to the front lines in the Battle of San Juan Hill and helped lead the US to an important victory during the Spanish-American War. Poet and author Wallace Rice chronicles Wheeler's heroics and marvels at the fact that one time enemies were now fighting together in the poem "Wheeler's Brigade at Santiago" The poem ends with these words: " But drops of pride with your tears of grief, Ye American women mix ye! For the North and South, with a Southern chief, kept time to the tune of 'Dixie'."

Answer: When Johnny Comes Marching Home

Patrick S. Gilmore was an Irish born composer who served as the Union Army bandmaster. He wrote the words to this song in 1863. The origin of the tune is unclear although some believe it came from the Irish anti-war song "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye". He published the song under the pseudonym Louis Lambert. Confederate and Union soldiers alike created parodies from the song.

The song's popularity has remained strong and is still used to celebrate the return of US soldiers.

Answer: Dixie

Ironically "Dixie" was probably written by a Northerner, Daniel Emmett of Ohio. The song was a popular minstrel show tune and was published in 1859/60. During the Civil War it became popular with the citizens and soldiers of the Confederacy. The origin of the term "Dixie" is unclear.

It possibly derives from Jeremiah Dixon of Mason-Dixon Line fame. Some historians believe it comes from a French term for 10 which was used on currency circulated in Louisianan while still others theorize the term refers to a Mr. Dixy who either was a kind Manhattan slave owner or Underground Railroad. During the war different versions of the song were written on both sides.

Some believe it was Abraham Lincoln's favorite song.