Perhaps a clue to what keys songs were sung in (played in?) as
recollected by a surviving soldier. Handwritten notes in an 1883
"Vets Who Wore The Blue" pocket songster (see adjacent post
"Girl I Left Behind Me") for Star Spangled Banner - "C" for
Marching Thrugh Georgia - "a" for Red, White and Blue - "a" for
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp - "g" for My Country Tis of Thee - "a" for
The Army Bean - "Bb C" (I suppose that meant either ok?)
Attached is a photo of the index pages to that little book. It
appears that the songs remembered by soldiers were of a quite
common popular variety. We maybe shouldn't try so hard to mine
the more obscure sheet music, tutors etc. It's interesting that
more than a few songs in this Old Union compendium were about
slavery or even some reb songs - considering how many Union boys
supposedly didn't feel they were fighting to free the slave or
embrace the Reb. - Dan Wykes