America
Land of the Free
Oh! Bright are the skies, in Italia’s fair clime,
Where the orange tree grows and pale tinted lime.
And the daughters of Georgia are dazzling fair,
With their diamond-like eyes and glossy black hair.
And France, sunny France! There the vine loves to grow,
And Switzerland’s high mountains are covered with snow.
Spain, too, has bright ladies, and England proud dames,
And Scotland, much picturesque scenery, claims.
But brighter to me, is my own native land,
Though it boast not the beauties which others command.
We claim the free wild woods where sighs the soft breeze,
Where the fresh flowrets spring ‘neath the wide spreading trees.
The falls of Niagara, whose loud thunders rave,
And whose echoes are caught by the Atlantic’s broad wave.
We claim the clear lakes, as they smile ‘neath the light
Of the sun, as it kisses their waters so bright.
And mountains, and valleys, and rivers so bold,
And deep mines of iron, and silver, and gold.
But then, ‘tis not these that we point to with pride.
And cherish with care as a tender young bride.
‘Tis “The Ship of the Union,” with sails all unfurled,
And whose banner proclaims, “We are Free” to the world.
See! How proudly she rides o’er the foam crested wave,
For she bears in her bosom the bold and the brave.
‘Tis the “Eagle of Freedom” that sits on the mast,
And droops not her wing at the howl of the blast.
Whose talons clutch boldly the flag of the free,
As it gallantly floats o’er the waves of the sea.
These are the pride of the land of my birth,
The best and the brightest of all on the earth.
Here the high and the low bow together the knee,
And ’tis this makes us all love the land of the free.
by Nanny Grey
For the Richmond Times, Virginia
Forest Picture:
By http://www.ForestWander.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 us, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21235766
Niagara Falls Picture:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Falls
Bald Eagle Picture: https://www.pexels.com/search/bald%20eagle/
Farewell, Forever, to the Star Spangled Banner
Farewell, Forever, to the Star Spangled Banner
Let tyrants and slaves submissively tremble,
And bow down their necks 'neath the "juggernaut" car;
But brave men will rise in the strength of their manhood,
And cry, "Give me freedom or else give me war."
CHORUS (sung after every verse)
Farewell, forever, the star-spangled banner
No longer shall wave o'er the land of the free;
In its place we'll unfurl to the broad breeze of Heaven,
Thirteen bright stars ‘round the Palmetto tree.
We honor, yes honor, bold South Carolina,
Though small she may be, she's brave as the best,
With flagship of States, she's out on the ocean,
To beat back the waves of a dark billow's crest.
We honor, yes honor, our seceding Sisters,
Who launched this brave bark alone on the sea;
Though tempest may howl and threaten destruction,
We'll hurl to the blast the proud Palmetto tree.
And when to the conflict the others cry, "rescue"
Virginia, undaunted, will to rush to the fight;
To break down the icebergs of northern coercion,
And rise in her glory of freedom and right.
When the fair thirteen Sisters, a bright constellation,
Shall dazzlingly shine in a nation's pure skies;
With no hands to oppose, nor foes to oppress them,
They'll gleam there forever, a light to all eyes.
By Mrs. Ellen Dowdell Hundley
1861
Description
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
In answer to the enquiry for a copy of the song, "Farewell to
the Star Spangled Banner." I send an original copy, as published
by my father, John W. Davies, 1862. At that time the author of
the words was not known, but later Mrs. Ellen D. Hundley (who in April 16, 1896, resided at Greensboro, NC), made herself known, and approved and corrected the publication.
W. W. Davies
_______________________________________________________________________
A Noted Southern Song
"Farewell to the Star Spangled Banner," and its History
Greensboro, NC, April 16, 1896
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
I noticed in last Sunday's Dispatch, under the caption
of "Confederate Songs Wanted," the request to publish again,
"Farewell, Forever, to the Star Spangled Banner," an old war
song, very frequently sung during our late conflict. As you
wish a copy of the same, I take the liberty of sending it.
The song has been many times recopied of late years, but
always from a garbled copy, which happened in this way: I
wrote the verses on the spur of the moment to a friend in
Missouri, near the Kansas line, in reply to a letter deploring
the approach of war, and gushing with enthusiasm over the Star
Spangled Banner. My production found its way into the columns
of the Richmond Enquirer. Sometime afterwards it was taken to
Mr. John W. Davies & Son, of Richmond, by someone who claimed
to be a Confederate soldier, who said he composed it in prison.
I heard it sung on the streets, and, recognizing the words,
purchased a copy of the music and wrote to Mr. Davies.
He asked for the original, which I sent him, and he promptly
republished it; but this was just at the close of the war, and
Federal Officers suppressed it. I have never troubled about it
since, but as it seems to survive in the hearts and memories of
our people, I should like to see a correct version. I hope to
be in Richmond at the time of the reunion, and hear once more
"the songs we used to sing."
With many apologies for trespassing on your time, I am very
respectfully,
Mrs. E. D. Hundley (Ellen Dowdell Hundley)
Picture
Picture found in this article:
http://nations.wikia.com/wiki/Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America
A Wreath for our dead soldiers
Laurel - Roses - Ivy
Laurel – Flower of glory – gracious and sweet –
Emblem of victory, in securing defeat –
Blossom and bloom in fragrance and beauty –
Where slumber the brave, the martyrs of duty.
Roses – Roses, sweet roses white as the snow
And pure as the hearts of the sleeper below –
We scatter your petals of light and perfume
On this shrine of devotion, this glory in gloom –
Blushing and bursting and crimson of hue
Bright roses of May-time, all sparkling in dew –
Go mingle your red with the roses of white –
A tribute of love, a banner of light.
Ivy – Where the laurel and roses, so gracefully twine
We bring the bright ivy, the evergreen vine
A token of sorrow, of grief, and regret
Which says to the world, “We can never forget.”
Story About the Poem
This would be for the Confederate Soldiers who died in the War Between the States. Her husband, Richard Hundley, was a military doctor during the war and may have contacted some weakening disease during it since he died a few years later in 1871.
http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/BS-bs-md-confederate-memor5.jpg
Roses - White and Red
Roses - Red and White
Oh, gather the sweet, red roses,
And roses of snowy white,
And twine in a wreath immortal
Those flowers of love and light;
To crown our gallant soldiers,
Who, in dreamless slumber lie
Mid the perfume and the incense
Of deeds that never die.
For warm as the hearts of crimson,
That burn in the sun kissed leaves
Of the brilliant blood-red roses,
When the nightingale sadly grieves,
Are the tears that fall at noontide
For the dead and buried braves,
They've bequeathed us glorious history,
We can give them only graves.
So, over these graves of emerald,
Plant fragrant roses of white,
Impearled with the tears of angels,
In the blue and stilly night,
As the dews descend from heaven
And the west wind softly sighs,
While the sentinel stars above them
Keep watch in the azure skies.
How well they sleep in the Southland,
Those warriors of long ago,
While about them clamber the roses,
Blood red, and roses of snow.
So gather the sweet, red roses
And roses white and fair,
And cover our gallant heroes
With the colors they used to wear.
By E. D. Hundley
Hollywood Cemetery
Inscribed to the Ladies of the Hollywood Memorial Association
for the Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.
By Mrs. E. D. Hundley (now deceased), Author of "The Bonnie Blue Flag," and other lyrics. It was read on Memorial Day, 1906.
Hollywood Cemetery is where her husband, Richard T. Hundley, is buried along with other relatives and friends in Virginia.
Picture: http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/BS-bs-md-confederate-memor5.jpg
The Bonnie Blue Flag
Curious Conflict of Authorship
A Harry Macarthy claims to have written "The Bonnie Blue Flag" song. The only information I have is from a newspaper article saying that E. D. Hundley was the author of this poem. It was called the most dangerous song of the Confederacy. I'm still looking into it.
The Bonnie Blue Flag
We are a band of brothers
And native to the soil,
Fighting for the property
We gained by honest toil;
And when our rights were threatened,
The cry rose near and far--
"Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star!"
CHORUS:
Hurrah! Hurrah!
For Southern rights hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star.
As long as the Union
Was faithful to her trust,
Like friends and like brothers
Both kind were we and just;
But now, when Northern treachery
Attempts our rights to mar,
We hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star.
--CHORUS
First gallant South Carolina
Nobly made the stand,
Then came Alabama,
Who took her by the hand.
Next quickly Mississippi,
Georgia and Florida
All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star.
--CHORUS
Ye men of valor, gather round
The banner of the right;
Texas and fair Louisiana
Join us in the fight.
Davis, our loved president,
And Stephens statesman are;
Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star.
--CHORUS
And here's to old Virginia--
The Old Dominion State--
Who with the young Confederacy
At length has linked her fate;
Impelled by her example,
Now other states prepare
To hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star.
--CHORUS
Then cheer, boys, cheer;
Raise the joyous shout,
For Arkansas and North Carolina
Now have both gone out;
And let another rousing cheer
For Tennessee be given,
The single star of the Bonnie Blue Flag
Has grown to be eleven.
--CHORUS
Then here's to our Confederacy,
Strong are we and brave;
Like patriots of old we'll fight
Our heritage to save.
And rather than submit to shame,
To die we would prefer;
So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a single star.
--CHORUS
The Newspaper Article
On t written by Mrs. E. D. Hundley of Greensboro, for the recent celebration at the Guilford Battle Ground. It was read by Judge Schenck, who is quite an elocutionist as well as gifted speaker, and was well received by the crowd. The poem needs no commendation at our hands –it speaks for itself. Mrs. Hundley also wrote the popular war song, “The Bonny Blue Flag.”