Historic Sheet Music Collection

Document Type

Score

Publication Date

1865

Comments

Published by W. Jennings Demorest, No. 39 Beekman St., New-York. S.T. Gordon, Wm. A. Pond & Co., Wm. Hall & Son, Horace Waters, Firth, Son & Co., New-York. O. Ditson & Co., Boston. Lee & Walker, Philadelphia. C.Y. Fonla, Cincinnati, Root & Cady, Chicago

Words by Mrs. M.A. Kidder, Author of "Victory at last." Music by Henry Tucker, Author of "When this cruel war is over," "It's all up in Dixey," [sic!] "Dear mother, I've come home to die," etc., etc.

Electrotyped by Smith & McDougal, 82 and 84 Beekman St., N.Y.

John A. Gray & Green, Printers, New-York.

Some of these resources may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes. Such materials should be seen in the context of the time period and as a reflection of the attitudes of the time. The items are part of the historical record, and do not represent the views of the libraries or the institution.

Lyrics

1. Oh, we never can forget it.
Thro' the many years to come,
How we lingered, starved, and waited
In the prison far from home!
How at night we longed for morning,
And the morning brought despair,
As we breathed the pois'nous vapors
Of the vile and stagnant air.

REFRAIN
Freezing! starving! living death!
Father can they know at home?
Oh! we never can forget it
In all the years to come.

2. How we suffered in our weakness
Freezing, starving none can tell;
Stagg'ring near the fatal "deadline,"
Where so many gladly fell;
Gazing into ghastly faces,
When all joy and hope had fled;
Longing, dying for the firelight,
With no shelter, clothes, or bed.

3. Oh, we never can forget it
No, that prison-pen so bare,
Where we watched in weary silence
For our scanty, wretched fare:
For the loathsome, rancid bacon,
And the bitter, mouldy bread,
That we clutched with bloodless fingers,
Like the fingers of the dead.
Refrain. Freezing, starving, &c.

4. How we wondered, in our anguish,
If our kindred were no more
If the starry banner floated
Now as proudly as before
If our mothers, sisters, brothers,
Prayed for us when they did kneel?
Thus when thinking of our home-scenes
How the giddy brain would reel!
Refrain. Freezing, starving, &c.

5. Oh, we never can forget it,
When the gates were opened wide,
When we saw the Union Banner,
And our friends were at our side;
How we laughed and cried like children,
Though we tried to feel like men,
As we shouted in our gladness,
"Home, yes, home; sweet home again."
Refrain. Freezing, starving, &c.

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