Who wrote the song Battle Cry of Freedom in 1862?
George Frederick Root wrote the song in 1862 during the American Civil War. The composer lived from 1820 to 1895 and created a piece that would become known as Rally Round the Flag.
Questions about Battle Cry of Freedom
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did H. L. Schreiner and W. H. Barnes adapt the melody for Confederate use?
H. L. Schreiner and W. H. Barnes adapted the melody for Confederate use shortly after its release in 1862. This adaptation showed how quickly the tune crossed enemy lines despite the war's tensions.
How many copies of sheet music circulated through the market during the war years?
Over 700,000 copies of sheet music circulated through the market during the war years. The music publisher operated fourteen printing presses simultaneously yet still could not keep up with demand.
What did Louis Moreau Gottschalk call his national anthem in his diary regarding this song?
Louis Moreau Gottschalk thought so highly of the song that he called it his national anthem in his diary. He used the melody as the basis for his 1863 concert paraphrase titled Le Cri de délivrance opus 55.
Which presidential election used a modified Union version of Battle Cry of Freedom as a campaign song?
A modified Union version served as the campaign song for the Lincoln-Johnson ticket in the 1864 presidential election. The melody appeared again in elections after the war including Garfield's 1880 U.S. presidential campaign.