A Civil War song. It was used as an instrumental in the soundtrack to Ken Burns' series The Civil War, and appears as track 17 on the soundtrack album. The original sheet music can be found at the Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music.


The Flag of Columbia Shall Float O'er Us Still
Harrison Millard, pub. 1865

1. O Land of Columbia how glorious the sight,
When millions of freemen rise up in their might,
To battle for Union and Liberty's cause
And aid in the defending thy time-honor'd laws;
"The Union it must and shall be preserved"
Was said by a sage who from duty ne'er swerved;
[Chorus:]
So we say, let traitors decide what they will,
The flag of Columbia shall float o'er us still
Shall float o'er us still, shall float o'er us still,
The flag of Columbia shall float o'er us still.

2. Our watchword in battle, when ever we fight
Is "Freedom and Union" and "God speed the right";
Each day brings us wisdom and strength to withstand
The Whole world together, if foe to our land;
"United we stand, divided we fall"
Was said by a patriot well known to us all;
So we say...

3. The monarchs of Europe may well stand aghast,
And own that the day of their tyranny's past;
Oppression shall vanish and peoples be freed
They call on us now in the hour of their need;
"The Union of States th'enforcement of laws"
Will prove to the world that Heaven blesses our cause,
And we say...