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Sounding ChildhoodMain MenuPart 1: Children's HymnsPart 2: Songs for School and PlayPart 3: Animal Welfare (Bands of Mercy) SongsPart 4: Christmas CarolsPart 5: Folk SongsPart 6: Patriotic SongsPart 7: Early 20th-Century HymnsAbout the AuthorWorks Cited
12026-06-29T12:12:46-07:00"Battle Hymn of the Republic"2plain2026-06-29T12:13:11-07:00"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" came out during the throes of the American Civil War. The tune had been around, set to words about John Brown who died for a failed slave coup, and Union troops marched to it. Julia Ward Howe was an ardent abolitionist and supporter of women's rights. When she heard troops singing this, she decided to write more noble words; they came to her in the middle of the night and she scribbled them down. They were published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1862.
The song spoke to a country at war to end the abomination of slavery: "I have seen Him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps (v1), His "trumpet..shall never sound retreat" (v. 2). It speaks to us still today to fight for causes of justice and freedom for all: "as He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free!" (v. 4). Most importantly, it puts God at the center of that fight, with his "fateful lightening" as punishment, "sifting out the hearts of men before His judgement seat," with "His truth...marching on"!
Source: Robert J. Morgan, Then Sings My Soul, W. Publishing (2011). Choir: The Community Choristers, June 2025 Hymn Camp. Soloists: McNay Family. Recorded: Central United Methodist Church. Pianist: Jill Schweitzer; Record engineer: Ron Itnyre.
