Wild Colonial Boy
Robert Frost in The Witch of Coos

The uncommonly deep snow has made him think Of his old song, The Wild Colonial Boy, He always used to sing along the tote-road.

Brennan On The Moor
John McElroy in Andersonville: A Story of Rebel Prisons

In his book about his time spent in Andersonville prison during the War Between The States, McElroy wrote of many songs sung by the various factions emprisoned there, but this is my favorite description. I don't think McElroy cared much for the song ~~ or the singers!


The other related the exploits of an Irish highwayman named Brennan, whose chief virtue was that
What he robbed from the rich he gave unto the poor.

And this was the villainous chorus in which they all joined, and sang in such a way as suggested highway robbery, murder, mayhem and arson:

Brennan on the moor!
Brennan on the moor!
Proud and undaunted stood
John Brennan on the moor.

They howled these two nearly the live-long night. They became eventually quite monotonous to us, who were waiting and watching. It would have been quite a relief if they had thrown in a new one every hour or so, by way of variety.