Join the Cavalry was a military
song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...
popular during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. The verses detail various feats performed by
Jeb Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a United States Army officer from Virginia who became a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of ...
's troopers, the
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
arm of the
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...
, while the chorus urges the listener to "join the cavalry". Occasionally, the title is recorded as "Jine the Cavalry". The song was most common in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.
"Jine the Cavalry!" was among Stuart’s favorite songs, and became the unofficial theme song of his Confederate cavalry corps. It recounts many of Stuart’s early exploits, including the daring "Ride around the Army of the Potomac" in the early summer of 1862, and the Confederate Cavalry
raid on Chambersburg, PA in October 1862. One of Stuart’s men, Sam Sweeney, was an accomplished
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
player and often serenaded Stuart and his officers during the
Gettysburg Campaign.
JINE THE CAVALRY!
We're the boys that rode around
McClellan(ian),
Rode around McClellan(ian), Rode around McClellan(ian)!
We're the boys that rode around McClellan(ian),
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho!
''CHORUS:''
''If you want to have a good time, jine the cavalry!''
''Jine the cavalry! Jine the cavalry!''
''If you want to catch the Devil, if you want to have fun,''
''If you want to smell Hell, jine the cavalry!''
Ol'
Joe Hooker, won't you come out of
The Wilderness?
Come out of The Wilderness, come out of The Wilderness?
Ol' Joe Hooker, won't you come out of The Wilderness?
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho!
''CHORUS:''
''If you want to have a good time, jine the cavalry!''
''Jine the cavalry! Jine the cavalry!''
''If you want to catch the Devil, if you want to have fun,''
''If you want to smell Hell, jine the cavalry!''
We're the boys who crossed the
Potomac(ica), who
Crossed the Potomac(ica), who crossed the Potomac(ica)!
We're the boys who crossed the Potomac(ica),
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho!
''CHORUS:''
''If you want to have a good time, jine the cavalry!''
''Jine the cavalry! Jine the cavalry!''
''If you want to catch the Devil, if you want to have fun,''
''If you want to smell Hell, jine the cavalry!''
We're the boys that rode to
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
,
Rode to Pennsylvania, rode to Pennsylvania!
We're the boys rode to Pennsylvania,
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho!
''CHORUS:''
''If you want to have a good time, jine the cavalry!''
''Jine the cavalry! Jine the cavalry!''
''If you want to catch the Devil, if you want to have fun,''
''If you want to smell Hell, jine the cavalry!''
The big fat
Dutch gals hand around the
bread
Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...
ium,
Hand around the breadium, hand around the breadium!
The big fat Dutch gals hand around the breadium,
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho!
''CHORUS:''
''If you want to have a good time, jine the cavalry!''
''Jine the cavalry! Jine the cavalry!''
''If you want to catch the Devil, if you want to have fun,''
''If you want to smell Hell, jine the cavalry!''
''Lyrics are in the public domain.''
Stuart's ride around McClellan
{{authority control
Songs of the American Civil War
Virginia in the American Civil War
Year of song unknown