"Hold on Abraham!" is a popular song dating from 1862, during the time of the
American Civil War. The song is fast-paced and repetitive, and, at the time of its popularity, was often performed by
minstrels. The words and lyrics were composed by
William Batchelder Bradbury
William Batchelder Bradbury (October 6, 1816 – January 7, 1868) was a musician who composed the tune to " Jesus Loves Me" and many other popular hymns.
Biography
He was born on October 6, 1816, in York, Maine, where his father was the leader o ...
.
The song was supposedly written as a response to president
Abraham Lincoln's request of three hundred thousand more
Union soldiers. The lyrics of the song contain references to such Civil War Generals as
Henry Wager Halleck,
George B. McClellan,
Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran (September 21, 1827 – December 22, 1863) was an Irish-American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a close confidant of President Abraham Lincoln. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York Regiment to ...
, and others. The first verse and chorus are:
:We’re going down to
Dixie, to Dixie, to Dixie,
:We’re going down to Dixie, to fight for the dear old Flag;
:And should we fall in Dixie, in Dixie, in Dixie,
:And should we fall in Dixie, we’ll die for the dear old Flag.
:Hold on Abraham,
:Never say die to your
Uncle Sam;
:Uncle Sam’s boys are coming right along,
:Six hundred thousand strong.
[Bradbury, "Hold on Abraham".]
References
Bibliography
*Bradbury, William B. "Hold on Abraham" (Sheet music). New York: Wm. A. Pond & Co. (1862).
External links
Full Lyrics
Songs of the American Civil War
1862 songs
Songs written by William Batchelder Bradbury
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