Two Rare Pro-Southern Songs Published in Baltimore Early in the Civil War

Gibson, A. F. [and] Charles Ellerbrock [Sheet Music, Civil War, Maryland, Confederate]

There is Life in the Old Land Yet [and] Southern Cross (along with 30 other pieces of sheet music)

Baltimore: Various publishers, 1860s. Some illustrated title pages. Cloth over boards. Folio. Various original paginations. Original pieces of sheet music gathered and bound in 20th century cloth over boards with a leather spine label titled in gilt. Mild scattered foxing inside. Near fine overall.

This is a bound volume of individual pieces of sheet music, mostly published in Baltimore in the 1860s. Most appear to be popular songs of the day but two are rare and decidedly pro-Southern songs printed in Baltimore early in the Civil War.

A. F. Gibson composed and dedicated "There is Life in the Old Land Yet" to Severn Teackle Wallis. Wallis was a prominent Baltimore lawyer and member of the Maryland legislature who was then imprisoned at Ft. McHenry along with other Maryland officials suspected of disloyalty to the Federal Government.

Gibson's composition was published in 1862 by George Willig of Baltimore, and reflects Maryland's then prevalent anger with the Lincoln Administration as expressed in these sample lines:
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"Though tyrannous might hath o'erborne the right--
Hath discrowned and despoiled her--and men forget
As they bow the knee, that they once were free--
There is life in the Old Land yet."
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"The Southern Cross" was composed by Charles Ellerbrock and published in Baltimore in 1861 by Henry McCaffrey. Its lyrics speak of the Civil War as something that might still be avoided, but woe to the opponents of the Southern Cross if war does come:
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"Defiance to tyrants, and death to their minions!
With our front to the field, swearing never to yield,
Or return like the Spartan, in death on our shield!
And the CROSS OF THE SOUTH shall triumphantly wave,
As the flag of the free, or the pall of the brave."
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An interesting group of sheet music with these two rare pieces at the end. OCLC locates only 3 copies of each, none of which are in Maryland.

Item #1277

Price: $500