Songs of the American Civil War

Not from the Civil War era, but Kate Cameron (poetry) and R. M. McIntosh (tune) combine to include the dying words of General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson in this hymn:

OVER THE RIVER

When our work is ended, we shall sweetly rest,
'Mid the sainted spirits, safe on Jesus' breast;
All our trials over, we shall gladly sing,
"Grave, where is thy vic'try, Death where is thy sting?"

chorus
Tho' the dark waves roll high, we will be undismayed;
"Let us pass* over the river and rest under the shade, rest under the shade,
Rest under the shade of the trees."

Earth hath many sorrows, but they cannot last,
And our greatest troubles quickly will be past;
If we look to Jesus, He will give us strength,
By His grace we shall be conquerors at length.

chorus

When the storm is over, sweet will be the calm,
After life's long battle, bright the victor's palm;
And the cross of anguish which now weighs us down,
We'll exchange is heaven for a shining crown.

chorus

*"This hymn was suggested by the last and dying words of Stonewall Jackson. The closing lines of the chorus are in his own language." Most sources seem to give 'cross over the river' as Jackson's words, instead of 'pass over the river' as in this version (rlv). [source; The Harp of Ages (page 59), compiled and published in 1925 by A. N. Whitten, Dublin, TX.] A CD by Gary and Tony Williamson, entitled Let Us Cross Over the River, includes this piece.

 

And yuk! You're in Lincoln, Illinois.

 

This is on a Van Morrison album I have.

 

Is anyone here familiar with the music of John McKuen or David Holt? Both have done albums of folk songs from the War of Yankee Agression. I think some of McKuen's music was used in the Ken Burns documentary.