For Bales

"For Bales!", fully titled "For Bales! An O'er True Tale. Dedicated to Those Pure Patriots Who Were Afflicted with "Cotton on the Brain" and Who Saw The Elephant is a variant of the popular tune "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". It was published in New Orleans in 1864, by A.E. Blackmar during the American Civil War. This was one year after Louis Lambert released "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"(1863).

Lyrics [http://memory.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200002389/default.html]

[1]
We all went down to New Orleans,
For Bales, for Bales;
We all went down to New Orleans,
For Bales, says I;

We all went down to New Orleans,
To get a peep behind the scenes,
"And we'll all drink stone blind,
Johnny fill up the bowl".

[2]
We thought when we got in the "Ring",
For Bales, for Bales;
We thought when we got in the "Ring",
For Bales, says I;
We thought when we got in the "Ring",
Greenbacks would be a dead sure thing,
"And we'll all drink stone blind,
Johnny fill up the bowl".

[3]
The "ring" went up, with bagging and rope,
For Bales, for Bales;
Upon the "Black Hawk" with bagging and rope,
For Bales, says I;
Went up "Red River" with bagging and rope,
Expecting to make a pile of "soap",
"And we'll all drink stone blind,
Johnny fill up the bowl".

[4]
But Taylor and Smith, with ragged ranks,
For Bales, for Bales;
But Taylor and Smith, with ragged ranks,
For Bales, says I;
But Taylor and Smith, with ragged ranks,
Burned up the cotton and whipped old Banks,
"And we'll all drink stone blind,
Johnny fill up the bowl".

[5]
Our "ring" came back and cursed and swore,
For Bales, for Bales;
Our "ring" came back and cursed and swore,
For Bales, says I;
Our "ring" came back and cursed and swore,
For we got no cotton at Grand Ecore,
"And we'll all drink stone blind,
Johnny fill up the bowl".

[6]
Now let us all give praise and thanks,
For Bales, for Bales;
Now let us all give praise and thanks,
For Bales, says I;
Now let us all give praise and thanks,
For the victory gained by General Banks,
"And we'll all drink stone blind,
Johnny fill up the bowl".

ong References

"Cotton on the Brain" referred to those coming to the South, such as Carpetbaggers, to make it rich off cotton.

"Who Saw The Elephant" was a term used in the 19th century which referred to exotic, or arduous travels. [http://wesclark.com/jw/elephant.html] ; use of the term "going to see the elephant" meaning to go off to war dates back to the Mexican-American War.

"Greenbacks" is a slang term for paper US Dollar; the amount of paper as opposed to coin money increased dramattically during the war.

"For Bales" is exactly as it is, for bales of cotton. One of the intents of the Red River Campaign was to confiscate bales of cotton.

"Taylor and Smith" was probably an allusion to Confederates Lieutenant General Richard Taylor and General Edmund Kirby Smith

"whipped old Banks" referred to Union General Nathaniel Prentice Banks being beat by the aforementioned Confederate General Smith and Lt. Gen. Taylor

"Red River" alluded to the Red River Campaign

"Grand Ecore" is a location on the Red River in Louisiana

External links

* [http://memory.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200002389/default.html Library of Congress copy]