Music was one of the most important diversions available to the average soldier. He could sing to pass the time while marching, sing in camp with his friends, and sing before battles to boost his courage. He might sing hymns, old songs which he learned from his parents, or popular songs of the day. There was a great business in popular music, with a successful song reappearing in other versions or even in parodies. The song publishers were businessmen too, so we have northern versions of Dixie, and southern versions of Tramp, Tramp Tramp. One of the most popular forms of all though, was minstrel style music.

There are reports of various units rehearsing and performing minstrel shows. Friends from other units would have been the audience, as well as visiting dignitaries. In fact early in the war, some even had programs printed specially for the occasion. Minstrel shows were popular before the war as well, so there is a good chance that the song you are whistling while you chop wood was one that you first heard in a minstrel show. This influence is seen in a variety of places... for example one of Robert E. Lee's horses was named Lucy Long, which was taken from a popular minstrel tune of the same name by Dan Emmet. (The song was so popular that it was still being performed by The Skillet Lickers in the 1920s.)

Minstrel shows had been popular as early as the 1840s, and in fact, both Emmet, and Joel Sweeny had toured in Great Britain in the '40s. Emmet had a full-time job in New York City through the 60's writing show tunes (this is where he wrote Dixie), and the popularity of this kind of music lasted well beyond the war; in fact Emmet gave a standing-room-only tour of the US in 1895.

Almost everyone knows the first verse to Dixie, and most of us can hum along on Old Dan Tucker or Turkey in the Straw, but perhaps we should broaden our repertoire and learn songs like Lucy Long, Dandy Jim, or Old Joe. Break out the fiddle and the banjo, and let's get ready to have some fun around the campfire!