"Just Before the Battle Mother"

[Bill Zuelsdorff]

I have been reading through a book titledRousing Songs and True Tales of the Civil War by Wayne Erbsen.  In it it talks about various songs of the Civil War era and their origins.  The author of the song Just Before the Battle Mother, George F. Root, wrote the following, "I clearly remember how the boys in the Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry used to sing (Just Before the Battle Mother) with almost ineffable emotion.  In the dullness of camp Life and on long weary marches, it appeared to exert a helpful influence that no other song could."

I don't know if there is any truth to this, but it caught my attention when I saw it and I thought I would share this with you.

Bill Z.

[Robert Braun]

Very interesting. I would be fascinated to learn the source for this quote.

Root, as you know, was a Massachusetts man. . In 1845, he moved to New York City, play­ing the or­gan and taught  mu­sic at the Ab­bott In­sti­tute for Young Ladies.  Af­ter­ touring Eurpoe in 1850, Root start­ed work­ing with Lowell Mason, at Boston’s Acad­e­my of Mu­sic. In 1851, Root be­gan com­pos­ing. One of his best known songs is “The Bat­tle Cry of Free­dom.”      

The only connection I can find that places Root in the west (and hence in a proximity to the Thirty-hird Wisconsin is when Root worked at his bro­ther’s com­pany, Root and Cady, in Chi­ca­go, Ill­i­nois.  The year was 1859. I suppose it was possible for Root to see the Thirty-third as it marched down State Street on November 12, 1862. Otherwise, the most reasonable time would have been between campaigns when the regiment was garrisoned at Memphis.

Anyway.. it's interesting. Sure would like to know the source of that quote!

Nice detective work so far!  Bob.

[Robert Braun]

Bill emailed me to indicate that the reference to the Thirty-third stems from a citation from a music history work authored by a "Col. Nicholas Smith."

What you may not know is.... Nicholas Smith of Shullsburg was a lieutenant and later captain of Co. H ("Union Avengers") of the Thirty-third! [What is a Shullsburg man doing in a Kenosha County company? Wel... that's another story...]]

Smith apparently became a newspaper editor and quite an accomplished music master and author after the war. He is mentioned in the monument dedication speech of the large Wisconsin monument at Vicksburg. He also authored for the MOLLUS a piece on Civil War music.

On Monday, May 22, 1911 the "Wisconsin Dedication of Monuments" program took place at Vicksburg National Military Park. As part of the program, Rev. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, D. D. and a former private in the Sixth Wisconsin Battery, gave the dedicatory address. As Dr. Jones outlined the service of Wisconsin's regiments and batteries one by one, he at last came to the Thirty-third Wisconsin. Smith was mentioned by name:

"My dear friend, Nicholas Smith, efficient Captain in war, versatile editor in peace, through a long generation moulding public opinion and guiding public spirit by his editorial pen in Janesville, Fond du Lac and Milwaukee. But I love better to think of him as the author of 'Our Nation's Flag in History and Incident,' 'Stories of Great National Songs,' 'Hymns Historically Famous' and 'Songs from the Hearts of Women.' I love best to think of him as the cheery choir-master, who united with a love of poetry the love of melody, and through this double love led thousands upon thousands of men, women and children of Wisconsin to a worship that was not cringing, a religion that was not dogmatic, a patriotism that was tender and true. Had be been spared, he of all the survivors of the Vicksburg Siege would have been the most fitting spokesman on this inspiring occasion. Your present speaker gladly confesses his indebtedness for many of the facts and suggestions herein offered to the diligence of his friend, Nicholas Smith, of the Thirty-third Wisconsin. My correspondent says: 'The quality of the stuff the boys of the Thirty-third were made of was of the best.' "

What is also very interesting is that, for the first time, we have a solid, direct link to a popular song once sung by the soldiers of the regiment!

Again... well done, Bill!

P. S. The title "Colonel" was most probably honorary. When Smith resigned his commission on January 10, 1865, he was a captain.