(Civil War, Confederate) | [Bound volume of 44 pieces of lithographed Confederate sheet music]

(Civil War, Confederate)

[Bound volume of 44 pieces of lithographed Confederate sheet music]. Richmond, Columbia, Augusta, and elsewhere: 1863-64

4o (298 x 240 mm). 44 lithographs of Confederate sheet music, many with illustrated covers, some in color; foxed and toned throughout, with fingerprint smudges to margins, dampstaining to margins, some illustrated covers bleeding through, marginal repairs, a few closed marginal tears. Half black morocco over cloth boards, flat spine ruled in six compartments, second gilt-lettered.

An impressive collection of Confederate lithographed sheet music.

Music was a central part of daily activities on both sides of the Civil War, boosting morale on marches, fostering camaraderie among soldiers at camps, and even rallying troops on the battlefield. In music, the North and South alike expressed values of patriotism and unity, though reserved for their respective causes. In fact, compositions were often adapted from existing refrains, with the North and South changing lyrics to the same popular songs in order to suit their own side's perspective.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee reportedly once captured the centrality of music to the war effort, proclaiming, "I don't believe we can have an army without music." But while compositions written during the war reflect a certain patriotic zeal—particularly that of the Southern Cause—they also reveal the haunting realities of a conflict that led to over 600,000 casualties.

The present volume of Confederate music includes the majority of the imprints by Richmond publishers and lithographers George Dunn and Company, active in Richmond from 1862 to 1864. Including patriotic compositions like "God Save the South," often considered the unofficial national anthem of the secessionist movement, and "You Can Never Win Us Back. A Patriotic Song," as well as "The Dying Soldier, or the Moon rose o'er the battle plain," the volume reflects the simultaneous expression of pride and sorrow that scored the Confederate front.

Full listing of compositions upon request.

REFERENCES

Thomas, Anne Elise. "Music of the Civil War," Kennedy Center, updated 9 January 2020; accessed 24 November 2025