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18 Apr 03 - 10:36 PM (#936281) Subject: Lyr Add: PRAIRIE GROVE From: GUEST,Q Lyr. Add: PRAIRIE GROVE Come ye gallant sons of Ioway, come listen to my song; If you'll but pay attention I'll not detain you long, About the gallant charge that was made at Prairie Grove, An' we an' Southern rebels on equal numbers strove. Through fields of blood we waded, was about to gain the day, Until old Blount's artillery had then began to play; The cannons loud did roar an' put 'em all to flight, An' they all had to retreat by the dead hours of the night. I was sorry the next mornin' to see the rebels' wives A-huntin' their dead husbands, with melancholy cries, As we put 'em all in order, just like on dress parade, An' we put a board at each mans head, to mark where he was laid. @Civil War Sung by Judy Jane Whittaker, Anderson, MO, 1928. #222 in Vance Randolph, Ozark Folksongs, vol. 2, pp. 225, with music. Randolph's version is the only published text; Laws (1964) considered it to be dubious, but several Confederate veterans told Randolph that they had heard it as early as 1864. The battle at Prairie Grove, 10 miles south of Fayettville, Arkansas, took place Dec. 2, 1862. "The Confederate General Hindman attacked a Federal force under General Herron, who was driven from the field despite the artillery fire of Blount's division, which arrived during the fight. It was a barren victory, since Hindman's troops had no supplies and were forced to retire, upon which the Federals returned to their original position." Quoted from Randolph, p. 275. Ely has mentioned this song as a Civil War favorite of his; I wonder if he has lyrics from another source. Katlaughing has posted that she had an antecedent who fought in this engagement. |
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18 Apr 03 - 10:44 PM (#936289) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PRAIRIE GROVE From: GUEST,Dale Prairie Grove Here ya go, Q ~~ Dave Para/Cathy Barton. |
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18 Apr 03 - 11:02 PM (#936297) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PRAIRIE GROVE From: GUEST,Q Thanks, Dale, that's fast. Tune "traditional;" I wonder if it is different from the sheet music in Randolph. Doesn't matter much, many of these songs were sung to more than one tune. Typical is the fact that the text was available from the park historian, but apparently no one gave a copy to Library of Congress- American Memory - or at least it doesn't show on their website. |
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18 Apr 03 - 11:27 PM (#936306) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PRAIRIE GROVE From: GUEST,Dale Check out the RA sample at the top of the page. Also note that Judy Domeny is the lead singer on this, rather than Cathy or Dave. At the bottom of the page, click on their Civil War Page link, and you'll get a ton of stuff, lyrics to all their Civil War Songs, and much more. They mention a version by Almeda Riddle. I haven't run across it at the Ozark Folk Center YET, but it may be there, just not dug out yet. There is a version by Sara Jo Fendley at the John Quincy Wolf site ~~ no sound file though, just lyrics. |
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19 Apr 03 - 12:31 AM (#936325) Subject: Lyr Add: PRAIRIE GROVE From: Ely This is the version from Cathy Barton and Dave Para's _Johnny Whistletrigger_ recording. PRAIRIE GROVE W: John N. Wyatt, 19th Iowa Infantry, May 23, 1865 M: probably based on traditional "Texas Rangers" Come all you sons of Ioway and listen to my song. If you will pay attention, I'll not detain you long. It was of a gallant charge that we made at Prairie Grove Against the Southern forces, where every member strove. Our officers being brave, they led us with good will. And though we were outnumbered, we charged them up the hill. And volley after volley we made our shots to tell, Till our brave Lieutenant Colonel and Sergeant Major fell. Through fields of blood we waded, then cannon loud did roar. And many a brave commander lay bleeding in his gore. And heaps of mangled soldiers lay o'er the field that day That were the killed or wounded, of the 19th Ioway. They had us so outnumbered that we thought they'd gain the day; But then old Blunt's artillery over them began to play, Which caused such dreadful horror, it put them all to flight, And they withdrew their forces under cover of the night. Next morning we were sorry to see the Rebels' wives Hunting their dead husbands, with melancholy cries, And sisters finding brothers, they wrung their hands and cried, Saying, "Dear dead bloody brothers, for Southern rights you died." Now the battle is all over and our soldiers rest from toil. So carefully we placed our dead beneath the Southern soil. We placed them all in order, as formed on dress parade, And placed a board at each man's head to mark where he was laid. Come all you sons of Ioway . . . |
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18 Jun 06 - 05:21 PM (#1763104) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PRAIRIE GROVE From: GUEST,Dale Sometime within the last three years or so since I commented above, Sara Jo Fendley's version recorded at the Leslie Homecoming, 6/13/63 has been added to the Wolf site. Go here http://www.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/fendleybattle1302.html for lyrics AND mp3 sound file. |