Mitch Miller - Battle Hymn of The Republic (HD)

(1862) "Of all the songs written during and about the War, perhaps none is as strongly identified with the Union cause today as Julia Ward Howe's stirring "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." For over 138 years this song has been a fixture in patriotic programs and is still sung in schools and churches across the nation.

In the early days of the War, the song "John Brown's Body" was wildly popular. Although in its original incarnation it had nothing to do with the notorious abolitionist leader hanged at Harpers Ferry on December 2, 1859, it became inextricably identified with him and acquired new verses that were sung by Federal troops and Union sympathizers alike. The tune was borrowed from an old Methodist hymn, "Say, Brothers, Will You Meet Us?" by William Steffe.

In November of 1861, Julia Ward Howe, the daughter of a well-to-do New York City banker, was touring Union army camps near Washington, D.C. with Reverend James Freeman Clarke and with her husband, Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, who was a member of President Lincoln's Military Sanitary Commission and a fervent abolitionist. During the course of their camp visit, the group began to sing some of the currently popular war songs, among them "John Brown's Body." In one of those rare flashes of inspiration that leave their mark on the history of a nation, Reverend Clarke was moved to suggest that Mrs. Howe pen new lyrics to the familiar tune. She replied that she had often thought of doing just exactly that.

The following morning, as Mrs. Howe later described it, she "awoke...in the gray of the early dawn, and to my astonishment found that the wished-for lines were arranging themselves in my brain. I lay quite still until the last verse had completed itself in my thoughts, then hastily arose, saying to myself, 'I shall lose this if I don't write it down immediately.'"

Mrs. Howe's lyrics first appeared on the front page of the Atlantic Monthly in February of 1862. Editor James T. Fields, who paid her $5 for the piece, is credited with having given the song the name by which it is known today.

After the war, Mrs. Howe was active in the women's suffrage movement. In 1868, she founded the New England Women's Club and was one of the founders of the New England Women's Suffrage Association. She was much in demand as a lecturer. Although she continued her writing, nothing she produced ever achieved the popularity of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." She died October 17, 1910, at the age of 91."

[CurlytopGaming]

I think this is by far one of the best versions of this song

[gustav]

Damn! I finally found out who sung this version! Best rendition in my opinion.

[ergbudster]

An excellent, muscular, moving version of this old patriotic song.

[sophiam]

This sounds far less like a hymn proper and more of a threat to kick the shit out of the Rebs. And I love it for that.

[George-uykb]

We are so blessed to be born in a country where we have rights, freedoms and pursuit of happiness. Yes politics and political bs makes it bad but you can’t say your not free.

[thomasm.longiii]

Song bliss hell to pay used this song in it at the end, just pitched up a bit.

[stephenlancedennee]

marching into richmond, singing this song with union uniforms on is the best way to make a southern man yell "MY SLAVES!!!" after the civil war

[imperialhonorguard]

Patriot Front's theme in Hoi4. The best theme for the best group. America is where foreign tyrants come to die!

[GeoffsSousChef]

Dao Rice Farm Nationalism brought me here 👌🏼

[the_Googie]

back when America stood for fighting the powers of oppression and injustice, and didn't elect those powers into office like in 2016.