jazzeum
Four Star General
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[The following song was written by a private
in Co. A, 54th (colored) Regiment Massachusetts
Volunteers, and has been sent to us for publica-
tion by a friend of the regiment:—]
in Co. A, 54th (colored) Regiment Massachusetts
Volunteers, and has been sent to us for publica-
tion by a friend of the regiment:—]
Fremont told them when the war it first begun,
How to save the Union, and the way it should be done;
But Kentucky swore so hard, and old Abe he had his fears,
Till every hope was lost but the colored volunteers.
Chorus—O, give us a flag, all free without a slave,
We'll fight to defend it as our Fathers did so brave,
The gallant Comp'ny A will make the rebels dance,
And we'll stand by the Union if we only have a chance.
McClellan went to Richmond with two hundred thousand brave,
He said "keep back the niggers," and the Union he would save.
Little Mac he had his way, still the Union is in tears,
Now they call for the help of the colored volunteers.
Chor.—O, give us a flag, &c.
Old Jeff says he'll hang us if we dare to meet him armed,
A very big thing, but we are not at all alarmed,
For he first has got to catch us before the way is clear,
And "that's what's the matter"with the colored volunteer.
Chor.—O, give us a flag, &c.
So rally, boys, rally, let us never mind the past,
We had a hard road to travel but our day is coming fast,
For God is for the right and we have no need to fear,
The Union must be saved by the colored volunteer.
Chor.—O, give us a flag, &c.
How to save the Union, and the way it should be done;
But Kentucky swore so hard, and old Abe he had his fears,
Till every hope was lost but the colored volunteers.
Chorus—O, give us a flag, all free without a slave,
We'll fight to defend it as our Fathers did so brave,
The gallant Comp'ny A will make the rebels dance,
And we'll stand by the Union if we only have a chance.
McClellan went to Richmond with two hundred thousand brave,
He said "keep back the niggers," and the Union he would save.
Little Mac he had his way, still the Union is in tears,
Now they call for the help of the colored volunteers.
Chor.—O, give us a flag, &c.
Old Jeff says he'll hang us if we dare to meet him armed,
A very big thing, but we are not at all alarmed,
For he first has got to catch us before the way is clear,
And "that's what's the matter"with the colored volunteer.
Chor.—O, give us a flag, &c.
So rally, boys, rally, let us never mind the past,
We had a hard road to travel but our day is coming fast,
For God is for the right and we have no need to fear,
The Union must be saved by the colored volunteer.
Chor.—O, give us a flag, &c.
This song appeared in The Anglo-African on June 20, 1863.
You can see the song on the first column from the left.
The Anglo-African was one of the largest African-American newspapers in the US. Its first issue was in 1859 and was sad to be a very influential newspaper in the African-American community.
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