[The strong hold which this song and the three which
follow it (“Marching thro’ Georgia,” “The Battle-Cry of
Freedom” and “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp”) had upon the favor
of the Union soldiers during the war entitles them to
insertion here in spite of their lack of poetic merit.
The critics, from the time of Mr. Richard Grant White’s
collection until now, have condemned them as doggerel, but
songs that were sung with enthusiasm by all the soldiers of
the republic during the dark years of the Civil War cannot
be denied the possession of merit, whether criticism is
able to recognize it or not.--EDITOR.]
[Illustration]