The Bonnie Blue Flag

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Bonnie Blue Flag

Bonnie Blue Flag is a marching song that is associated with the Confederate States of America (CSA).

history

The text of the song was composed by Harry McCarthy on January 9, 1861, after the state of Mississippi left the Union ( USA ) that day . On that date, Mississippi hoisted a blue flag with the single white star as a sign of separation from the Union. This flag was used as early as 1810 in the short-lived Republic of West Florida .

This song was one of the most popular songs in the Confederate States of America during the Civil War and, along with Dixie , was something of the Confederation's unofficial national anthem. It was first introduced by Marion McCarthy, the composer's sister.

Soldiers of the New Orleans Military Academy sang this song for the first time in September 1861. From there on, it was sung mainly by soldiers of the southern states and performed in various shows.

text

We are a band of brothers and native to the soil,
Fighting for the property we gained by honest toil;
And when our rights were threatened, the cry rose near and far,
"Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!"
We are a covenant of brothers and we were born here
Fighting for property, earned through honest effort;
And when our rights are threatened the cry rises near and far
"Hooray for the pretty blue flag bearing a single star!"
Hurray! Hurray! For Southern rights hurray!
Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
As long as the Union was faithful to her trust,
Like friends and like brothers both kind were we and just;
But now, when Northern treachery attempts our rights to mar,
We hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Hurray! Hurray! For Southern rights hurray!
Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
First gallant South Carolina nobly made the stand,
Then came Alabama, who took her by the hand;
Next quickly Mississippi, Georgia and Florida,
All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Hurray! Hurray! For Southern rights hurray!
Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Ye men of valor, gather round the banner of the right,
Texas and fair Louisiana join us in the fight;
Davis, our loved president, and Stephens statesman are,
Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Hurray! Hurray! For Southern rights hurray!
Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
And here's to old Virginia, the Old Dominion State,
Who with the young Confederacy at length has linked her fate;
Impelled by her example, now other states prepare,
To hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Hurray! Hurray! For Southern rights hurray!
Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Then cheer, boys, cheer, raise the joyous shout,
For Arkansas and North Carolina now have both gone out;
And let another rousing cheer for Tennessee be given,
The single star of the Bonnie Blue Flag has grown to be eleven.
Hurray! Hurray! For Southern rights hurray!
Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Then here's to our Confederacy, strong are we and brave,
Like patriots of old we'll fight our heritage to save;
And rather than submit to shame, to die we would prefer,
So cheer for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.
Hurray! Hurray! For Southern rights hurray!
Hurray for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star.

Music: The Irish Jaunting Car

There is an alternative version for the first two lines of the song:

We are a band of brothers, and native to the soil,
Fighting for our liberty with treasure, blood and toil.

This version brings the struggle for state rights to the fore, while the other version focuses more on property rights (i.e. slaves).

It is still debated which is the historically correct version. Supporters of both versions accuse each other of revisionism .

Version of the northern states

There was also a text that Northern soldiers sang to the same tune:

We're fighting for our Union,
We're fighting for our trust,
We're fighting for that happy land
Where sleeps our father dust.
It cannot be dissevered,
Though it cost us bloody wars,
We never can give up the land
Where floats the stripes and stars.
We fight for the Union
we fight for our trust
we fight for the happy land,
in which our fathers rest.
It can't be given up
Even if it takes bloody wars
We can never give up the land
where the stars and stripes blow
Chorus: Hurray, Hurray,
For equal rights hurray,
Hurray for the good old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.
Choir: Hurray, Hurray,
For equal rights hurray,
Hurray for the good old flag
that carries the stars and stripes.
We trusted you as brothers,
Until you drew the sword,
With impious hands at Sumpter
You cut the silver cord.
So now you hear the bugles,
We come the sons of Mars,
To rally round the brave old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.
We trusted you as brothers
until you drew your sword
with a wicked hand in Sumpter
you shared the silver ribbon.
So now you hear the horns
we sons of mars come
gather under the good old flag
that carries the stars and stripes.
Chorus
We do not want your cotton,
We do not want your slaves,
But rather than divide the land,
We'll fill your Southern graves.
With Lincoln for our chieftain,
We wear our country's stars,
And rally round the brave old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.

Choir:

We don't want your cotton
we don't want your slaves,
Before we let the land be divided
let's fill the graves of the south.
With Lincoln for our guide
we wear the stars of the land
gather under the good old flag
that carries the stars and stripes.
Chorus
We deem our cause most holy,
We know we're in the right,
And twenty million freemen
Stand ready for the fight.
Our pride is fair Columbia,
No stain her beauty mars,
On her we'll raise the brave old flag
That bears the stripes and stars.
We serve a holy purpose
we know that we are right
And twenty million free men
stand ready to fight.
Our pride is Columbia
whose beauty is not tainted.
We hoist the good old flag on her
that carries the stars and stripes.

Chorus

And when this war is over,
We'll each resume our home,
and treat you still as brothers,
Where ever you may roam.
We'll pledge the hand of friendship,
and think no more of war,
but dwell in peace beneath the flag
That bears the stripes and stars.
And when the war is over
we each return home
and still treat you as brothers
wherever you are
Gather under the good old flag
that carries the stars and stripes.

Chorus

Trivia

  • In the film Gods and Generals , the song is sung by southern soldiers in the field camp. The melody is also used as background music in numerous places in the award-winning television series The American Civil War .
  • In the 1959 film The Last Order , the song is used to characterize the Confederates. On the one hand it is sung by a cavalry column accompanied by artillery, on the other hand it is musically interwoven in battle scenes by the film composer David Buttolph .
  • In the novel Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell called Rhett Butler his daughter "Bonnie Blue Butler"
  • The musician Billy Idol named his daughter Bonnie Blue .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ West Florida in Flaggenlexikon.de, accessed October 15, 2019
  2. ↑ Reply to "The Bonnie Blue Flag" . Civilwarpoetry.org. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
  3. ↑ O. Levitski and O. Dumer, "Bestsellers: Color Symbolism and Mythology in Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind" (of "Bonnie Blue"), Americana: The Institute for the Study of American Popular Culture, September 2006, webpage : APC-Mitchell .
  4. ↑ "Billy Idol Performs on 'GMA'", ABC Good Morning America (April 15, 2005), Archived Copy ( Memento of the original from September 20, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed 13 June 2012. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / abcnews.go.com

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