The marching song of the Confederacy, 1861.
words and music by Harry Macarthy
The melody is an Irish folk air “The Irish Jaunting Car”, in 6/8 or jig time. For marching it should be at 180 bpm, with spirit. It was written by an English singer who was touring the southern U.S. at the start of the Civil War. It recalls the secession of the eleven southern states as they left the Union.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by American Dreams Stephen Foster:
Lyrics
- We are a band of brothers, and native to the soil
Fighting for our Liberty, with treasure, blood and 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 bretheren 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 - 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 - 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, statesmen rare
Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a Single Star - And here’s to brave Virginia! the Old Dominion State
With the young Confederacy at length has linked her fate
Impell’d by her example, now other State prepare
To hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a Single Star - Then cheer, boys, raise the joyous shout
For Arkansas and North Carolina now have both gone out
And let another rousing cheer for Tennnessee be given
The Single Star of the Bonnie Blue Flag has grown to be Eleven - Then here’s to our Confederacy, strong we are 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
Hurrah! Hurrah! for Southern Rights, Hurrah!
Hurrah! for the Bonnie Blue Flag has gained th’Eleventh Star!
Sung here by Fred Feild: