Marching Through Georgia was written in 1864 by Henry Clay Work. Mr. Work wrote some splendid army songs, but his reputation will rest on
Georgia. The song was written in honor of
General Sherman's famous (or
infamous)
March to the Sea.
Marching Through Georgia
Bring the good old bugle, boys, we'll sing another song;
Sing it with a
spirit that will start the world along,
Sing it as we used to sing it, fifty thousand strong,
While we were marching through
Georgia.
Chorus:
"Hurrah! Hurrah! We bring the jubilee!
"Hurrah! Hurrah! The Flag that makes you free!"
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea,
While we were marching through Georgia.
How the darkeys shouted when they heard the joyful sound!
How the turkeys gobbled which our commissary found!
How the sweet potatoes even started from the ground,
While we were marching through Georgia.
Chorus
Yes, and there were
Union men who wept with joyful tears,
When they saw the honored
Flag they had not seen for years;
Hardly could they be restrained from breaking forth in cheers,
While we were marching though
Georgia.
Chorus
So we made a thoroughfare for Freedom and her train,
Sixty miles in latitude, three hundred to the main;
Treason fled before us, for resistance was in vain,
While we were marching through Georgia.
IMHO this is a
fine patriotic song.
My opinion aside, this song is
quite unpopular in the south. Singing or playing it in a former Confederate state (especially
Georgia) is
not recommended.