Music of the Civil War: The Bonnie Blue Flag

By: Ellen M. Cooper

The Civil War was a horrible time in our country’s history. Families were torn apart, the country was divided, and in the South many people struggled to survive after having their towns and farms destroyed. However, out of this tragedy, beautiful music blossomed. Soldiers and civilians on both sides of the fray put their emotions to music and gave us some of the best songs ever written. Most were only appreciated long after the war ended; but some, like “The Bonnie Blue Flag”, were instant hits.

More songs were written during the Civil War than in any other time period in American history. This is due to a variety of reasons. Mostly, music kept the troops entertained and kept their morale up. On the long, monotonous marches the music stopped the soldiers from becoming mutinous or deserting, and during the terrible battles, music kept the soldiers from dwelling on their dead friends and the quite probable chance that they would be killed. Also in the battles, music inspired the soldiers to defeat the enemy and keep on fighting even when they were tired or hurt.

Many bands would have battles of their own, with the Confederates playing one of their songs, then the Union, etc., until one band tired or they ran out of songs. On several occasions the bands would come to a draw, with both ending with “Home Sweet Home”. The armies would sometimes stop to listen to these musical battles, and the songs “Home Sweet Home” and “Auld Lang Syne” were banned in the US during the latter part of the war because they so upset and distracted the soldiers.

In many battles the bands influenced how the troops fought. During Pickett’s Charge, at Gettysburg, the bands were playing lively military music to encourage the charging soldiers. During the Battle of Williamsburg, the music was credited with winning the battle for the Union.

Regimental bands were there to inspire the troops during battle and either console them or help them celebrate afterward. These bands became quite popular, especially in the north. At one time the musicians outnumbered the fighting men, and Lincoln had to ban them in companies with less than 400 men to keep enough men fighting. Lincoln’s ban was never really enforced because there was such an outcry from the soldiers. No such ban was ever made in the South.

The Southern troops had no formal bands, but there was always someone singing or playing an instrument. Many times they would play marching songs, but the most popular song by far was “The Bonnie Blue Flag”. “The Bonnie Blue Flag” soon became the Southern fighting song, with its only competitor being “Dixie”. Many Northerners didn’t really know why the South was seceding, so the song was fairly educational. It told the order in which the Southern states left the union and why, and was quite inspiring to the south since it gave all the reasons for leaving. It was quite clear about that, with the chorus being: “Hurrah! Hurrah! For Southern rights hurrah!” The South had high morale to begin with and with such an inspiring fight song it never lost heart.

The actual bonnie blue flag was the first Confederate flag. It was blue with one star for South Carolina, the first state to secede. Later, 10 more stars were added, for the other states that seceded. Although accounts differ, most say that the flag made its debut at the Mississippi Secession Conference, sewn by a delegate’s wife. The flag was the South’s favorite at the beginning of the war since it reminded them of why they were seceding and so helped to bring them together with a common cause. After the war, the state flags of South Carolina and Virginia were based on it.

The song “The Bonnie Blue Flag” was first performed in Jackson, Mississippi in 1861. The melody was borrowed from the Irish song, “The Irish Jaunting Car”. The song was immensely popular in the South and was published by Armand E. Blackmar’s publishing house. Blackmar was arrested and fined for publishing it by General Butler, because the lyrics were so inflammatory. The lyrics weren’t really that bad, they didn’t insult the North, but they did insinuate that the Southerners were victims:

“But now, when Northern treachery

Attempts our rights to mar”

The Northerners weren’t happy about the song’s popularity. They found the song dangerous, being so loved by both soldiers and civilians and so strongly against the north.

So where did this song come from? It didn’t just appear out of thin air. In fact, the song was written by a man who had immigrated from England, Harry Macarthy. He was born in England in 1833 and immigrated to the US in 1849 when he was 16. He arrived in Philadelphia, but he didn’t stay there long. He traveled around the country as an actor, eventually settling in Mississippi where there was more of an audience. He and his wife, Lottie, started a travelling comedy show. They staged “Personation concerts”, where Harry would use many different dialects and costumes to act in skits that he and his wife wrote.

Macarthy had several chances during the early years of the war to go north and be safe, however, he chose to be loyal to the South and stayed there. This turned out to be a very smart move, as he became quite popular and the southerners loved him. Historians call him the “Confederate Bob Hope”.

During the war his business boomed and the troops would turn out in droves to see him. He had a popular cockatoo that could say “Three cheers for Jeff Davis” and his comedy was still doing well. It was during one of these shows that he premiered the song that would make him more famous than he ever thought possible. Terry’s Texas Rangers had come to see him and he was dressed as a Confederate soldier. The crowd listened to the first verse and by the chorus was standing in the aisles cheering on each “Hurrah!” From that day on he was in demand.

Harry Macarthy was loyal to the Confederacy. He believed in states’ rights. He knew that if he had gone north when he had a chance he would probably have had a much safer life, and, as the northerners had more money to spend, a more profitable career too. However, he loved the south so much that he didn’t want to leave when war broke out. He wanted to write about why he was staying and the noble cause of the Confederacy that he believed was why they were fighting. That was mostly why he wrote the song. He also needed money. There were a lot of soldiers in the South and they would pay to see music about their war. He was not a shrewd businessman and if he had not been so popular he would have run out of money quickly. During the 1880’s his career went downhill and he ended up as a bit actor out west. He died poor, just before he was supposed to go on stage. The South still remembered him after he was gone, as the person who put their thoughts to music.

Macarthy’s song was very important to the soldiers who fought for the Confederacy. It was their battle cry for four years. The men who fought under the bonnie blue flag would not forget it, or the man who told the world of its meaning.

Music has been important throughout history. It has inspired, comforted, entertained, and explained many things far better than prose can people for centuries. The Civil War had its own share of beautiful music, the “Bonnie Blue Flag” being only one example of the great songs of the period. The United States will never forget the Civil War. The music that the people of that time left behind ensures that the people of the United States will always understand the conflict, and how it changed our country forever.