George F. Root The first song specifically written for the American Civil War was published and distributed just three days after the Battle of Fort Sumpter.
"The First Gun is Fired: May God Protect the Right," by George Frederick Root was wildly popular in its day, but it isn't the most recognizable of Civil War songs to 21st century listeners. Root, who was born August 30, 1820 in Sheffield, Massachusetts, went on to write many other songs, such as Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! and The Battle Cry of Freedom, that continue to be well known. The prolific songwriter, who died in 1895, also wrote many church hymns and popular parlor songs. Here are the lyrics to the Civil War's first song:
1. The first gun is fired!
May God protect the right!
Let the freeborn sons of the North arise
In power’s avenging night;
Shall the glorious Union our father’s have made,
By ruthless hands be sunder’d,
And we of freedom sacred rights
By trait’rous foes be plunder’d?
Chorus--Arise! arise! arise!
And gird ye for the fight,
And let our watchword ever be,
“May God protect the right!”
2. The first gun is fired!
Its echoes thrill the land,
And the bounding hearts of the patriot throng,
Now firmly take their stand;
We will bow no more to the tyrant few,
Who scorn our long forbearing,
But with Columbia’s stars and stripes
We’ll quench their trait’rous daring.
3. The first gun is fired!
Oh, heed the signal well,
And the thunder tone as it rolls along
Shall sound oppression’s knell;
For the arm of freedom is mighty still,
But strength shall fail us never,
Its strength shall fail us never,
That strength we’ll give to our righteous cause,
And our glorious land forever.
"The First Gun is Fired: May God Protect the Right," by George Frederick Root was wildly popular in its day, but it isn't the most recognizable of Civil War songs to 21st century listeners. Root, who was born August 30, 1820 in Sheffield, Massachusetts, went on to write many other songs, such as Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! and The Battle Cry of Freedom, that continue to be well known. The prolific songwriter, who died in 1895, also wrote many church hymns and popular parlor songs. Here are the lyrics to the Civil War's first song:
1. The first gun is fired!
May God protect the right!
Let the freeborn sons of the North arise
In power’s avenging night;
Shall the glorious Union our father’s have made,
By ruthless hands be sunder’d,
And we of freedom sacred rights
By trait’rous foes be plunder’d?
Chorus--Arise! arise! arise!
And gird ye for the fight,
And let our watchword ever be,
“May God protect the right!”
2. The first gun is fired!
Its echoes thrill the land,
And the bounding hearts of the patriot throng,
Now firmly take their stand;
We will bow no more to the tyrant few,
Who scorn our long forbearing,
But with Columbia’s stars and stripes
We’ll quench their trait’rous daring.
3. The first gun is fired!
Oh, heed the signal well,
And the thunder tone as it rolls along
Shall sound oppression’s knell;
For the arm of freedom is mighty still,
But strength shall fail us never,
Its strength shall fail us never,
That strength we’ll give to our righteous cause,
And our glorious land forever.
