Record #:

8332

Author(s):

Saxon, John L.

Abstract:

Soldiers spent very little time in actual combat during the Civil War. Most of their time, particularly during winter camp, they spent staving off boredom. Neither the Confederate or Federal governments invested in recreational or educational activities for their soldiers. One outlet soldiers found was singing. During the period, 1861-1865, over 500 songs were written and published as sheet music. Songs such as “The Shiloh Victory,” “Manassas Polka,” “Sumpter, A Battle of 1861,” and “Home, Sweet Home” gained popularity during the war. At times, both sides engaged in singing duels across the lines with each side trying to sing louder than the other, while other times both sides would join and sing together. Regiments formed glee clubs and bands, with some members gaining fame. One famous soldier-musician was Sidney Lanier. He was a popular flutist who later became the first flutist of the Peabody Symphony Orchestra. Lanier also gained fame as a writer.

Source:

The State (NoCar F 251 S77), Vol. 52 Issue 10, Mar 1985, p16-18, il

Subject(s):

North Carolina--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Social aspects; Lanier, Sidney, 1842-1881