The Battle Cry of Freedom

from Memories From Gettysburg by Jeff Greenawalt

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about

The Battle Cry of Freedom by George F. Root was the most popular song on the Union side during the Civil War. Gettysburg schoolgirl Tillie Pierce and her friends sang the song for General John Buford's cavalry troopers when they rode into Gettysburg on Washington Street, Tuesday, June 30, 1863. Tillie called the song "The Union Forever." Gettysburg heard the song again in 1903 when a number of the women who sang it as young girls had a musical reunion. However, in a notice about the planned reunion, the Gettysburg Compiler still didn't use the title George F. Root gave to the song. Instead, the Compiler listed it as "Rally Round the Flag, Boys."

lyrics

Yes we'll rally round the flag, boys, rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
We'll rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the Battle Cry of freedom.

Chorus:
The Union forever, hurrah boys, hurrah!
Down with the traitor, up with the star;
While we rally round the flag, boys,
Rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.

We are springing to the call for three hundred thousand more,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
And we'll fill the vacant ranks of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the Battle Cry of freedom.

Chorus

We will welcome to our numbers the loyal true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
And al tho' he may be poor he shall never be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.

Chorus

So we're springing to the call from the east and from the west,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love the best,
Shouting the Battle Cry of freedom.

Chorus

credits

from Memories From Gettysburg, released June 17, 2022
This recording was made using some orchestral samples recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra.
The Library of Congress provided the original sheet music I used to make this arrangement.

license

all rights reserved

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about

Jeff Greenawalt image

Jeff Greenawalt Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Three of my great passions are acting, music, and history. Being retired from a real job gives me the time to pursue them full-time. I managed to combine all three through performing living history and period music. My under-graduate degree is in theater arts. While pursuing a career in health care administration, I managed to also study guitar and voice. I hope you enjoy the result! ... more

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