Houston Marches

The Battle Hymn of the Republic has gone by means of several modifications. Its form and lyrics have evolved for years to reach its present incarnation. Begun as a camp meeting spiritual by William Steffe in the 1850s, it was a call to meet on the shores of Canaan, the land of ancient Biblical promise. The major lyric that survived this incarnation was the refrain of "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!" The song traveled across the land swiftly, however it was some time before it became known as The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

A regiment of Union soldiers took the tune and fashioned their own pre-Battle Hymn of the Republic marching song. It was called "John Brown's Body." Lots of assumed it was about the famed abolitionist of the exact same name, however it was written as a jab to a fellow soldier.

Main General George B. McClellan discovered the song extremely offensive. He even tried to ban it from becoming sung within the Army of the Potomac, but he was never productive. Verses were gradually added about John Brown the abolitionist, and the original intention of the song was lost to history.

Julie Howe was visiting a Union Army camp along the Potomac when she heard the soldiers singing "John Brown's Body" as they marched. She was struck by the melody and powerful rhythm of the song. The Reverend James Clarke, who was by her side as the soldiers marched, hinted that she need to write new words for the song.

Howe went to sleep that night, and, as the grey morning light crept into her room, she found a poem forming in her mind. She sprang from her bed, discovered an old pen and scribbled the words down without having even searching at the paper. Five verses of Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic were soon published inside the Atlantic Monthly. Although she had written a sixth verse, it has in no way been frequently sung and is typically not printed.

The Republican Party later adopted The Battle Hymn of the Republic for the closing ceremony of their annual convention. It also became the basis for the American Consumers' Cooperative movement's anthem, The Battle Hymn of Cooperation, within the 1930s.

By way of all this, The Battle Hymn of the Republic has remained a shining example of a time when generals would increase soldiers' morale with promises of the glory of God. Its words appear archaic now, but the song is resilient.