Battle Hymn of the Republic -- Julia Ward Howe

Passion. If ever there was a hymn attached to one emotion, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” could probably meet that standard. Julia Ward Howe knew this too when she considered writing her verses (eventually six), because the U.S. Civil War was in full view, and no one at the time had a neutral perspective on its merits or the desired outcome. It was late 1861, and Julia and some travelling companions to observe Union troops near Washington heard something that was the spark for what she would write in the middle of the night, as the scenes and the sounds that she’d witnessed and the broader vision of God’s purpose among humanity coalesced in her mind. (The scene here is a depiction of the Antietam battle, which was the most passionate, bloody one day [September 17, 1862] of the war.) Do the song’s words and tune stir you as you hear it today? It’s no accident, as the background and the continuing use of this great hymn since its inception have added to the underlying meaning it has for us.

The Battle Hymn’s predecessor tunes and the way the words have been used since Julia Howe wrote them have a rich history that expose fissures and conflicts in American history, far beyond this blogger’s ability to describe. So, I have only a few signposts to underscore, and a very fine book (see it referenced below in the notes section) by two scholars and co-writers John Stauffer and Benjamin Soskis to recommend that tell the story of this hymn completely. Here’s some key words you’ll bump into as you read, regarding other tunes that preceded Julia’s composition: “Oh Brothers”, and “John Brown’s Body”. Especially the latter possesses a fanaticism about the social order that helped push the nation into war. The other was a folk tune used in religious camp meetings. Julia was attempting to add a respectability to the hymn with better words for Union troops, but that hasn’t meant the feelings surrounding the social issues in the Civil War and the episodes for over 100 years since that time have been coolly debated. She must have sensed that too, with words about seeing the ‘glory of the Lord’, a‘terrible swift sword’, and ‘fateful lightning’, all in just verse 1 (!), that throw fuel upon the flame of emotions for those who employ this song. Many socio-cultural, political, racial, and other themes (including mobilization for war in the 21^st Century, as in Julia’s 19^th Century) have played out with the Battle Hymn engineered to whatever purpose the spearheads of these movements have sought to further. 

Enough said from this corner…   

   

See more information on the song story in these sources: The Complete Book of Hymns – Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs by William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale House Publishers, 2006; Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1990; 101 Hymn Stories, by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1982; Then Sings My Soul – 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories, Robert J. Morgan, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003; and A Treasury of Hymn Stories – Brief Biographies of 120 Hymnwriters with Their Best Hymns, by Amos R. Wells, Baker Book House Company, 1945.

Also, see the very extensive history of the song in the book The Battle Hymn of the Republic --  A Biography of the Song that Marches On, by John Stauffer and Benjamin Soskis, Oxford University Press, 2013.

Also see this link, showing all six original verses: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/b/a/t/batthymn.htm

Also see this site for song information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic