Charley, I want to talk about all three of the other songs mentioned by Nordhoff: "Yankee Dollar", "Fire Maringo" and of course "Highland Laddie". I think all of his material could qualify for the timeframe of the "Julia Ann". So, who knows what about "Yankee Dollar"? Here are the lyrics as Nordhoff has them:

    Oh, we work for a Yankee Dollar,
Ch: HURRAH, SEE - MAN - DO,
      Yankee dollar, bully dollar,
Ch: HURRAH, SEE - MAN - DO,
      I want your silver dollars,
Ch: OH, CAPTAIN, PAY ME DOLLAR.   

Here is an intriguing reference from A HISTORY OF MUSIC & DANCE IN FLORIDA, 1565-1865 By Wiley L. Housewright, page 289:

http://books.google.com/books?id=YIYXAQAAIAAJ&q=Oh,+we+work+for+a+Yankee+dollar&dq=Oh,+we+work+for+a+Yankee+dollar&cd=10

I don't have this book but I'll sure take a look at it next time I go to the library. Has anybody seen it?

And here is an intriguing reference that I haven't been able to date or put into context. I think it is fiction and perhaps recent. It's from THE LENORE: A MARITIME CHRONICLE, by Terence O'Donnell (page 286). Does anybody have more information on this one:

http://books.google.com/books?id=jO0CcdwBRP8C&pg=PA286&dq=Oh,+we+work+for+a+Yankee+dollar&lr=&cd=6#v=onepage&q=Oh%2C%20we%20work

It looks like it came right out of Nordhoff. Does Hugill mention this song anywhere? And is it to be found in any other collection? I have looked and haven't found it but I may have missed it.