Lighter, thanks for the Ridley reference.

While checking the "Handbook of Texas," I found more information on "The Yellow Rose of Texas."
"One of the earliest versions of the "Yellow Rose of Texas" dates back to the first administration of Sam Houston, who became president of the Republic of Texas in 1836. A handwritten manuscript of the song, now in the A. Henry Moss Papers in the Center for American History at the University of texas at Austin, was allegedly delivered to one E. A. Jones. This early version, possibly written around the time of the battle of San Jacinto, tells the story of a black man who yearns for his sweetheart. During that era, "yellow" was used to describe people of mixed-race origins, especially mulattoes, and the rose was a common symboy of young womanhood. Because the song was poorly written and full of spelling errors, at least one scholar believes that is could have been composed by an uneducated person, possibly one of Morgan's slaves."
The article goes on to mention the published edition of 1858, arranged and composed for vaudeville performer Charles H. Brown. "The lyrics are almost identical to those in the handwritten manuscript."
The verse about the 'gallant Hood' is discussed, and it is noted that "soldier" was substituted for "darky."