(alt. title: Abraham’s Daughter)
A popular song from 1862
Words and music by Septimus Winner
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Benjamin R. Tubb:
Lyrics
- Oh! kind folks listen to my song
It is no idle story.
It’s all about a volunteer,
Who’s goin’ to fight for glory;
Now don’t you think that I am right,
For I am nothin’ shorter,
CHORUS
And I belong to the Fire Zou-Zous,
And don’t you think I oughter,
We’re goin’ down to Washington
To fight for Abraham’s daughter.
- Oh! should you ask me who she am
Columbia is her name, sir.
She is the child of Abraham,
Or Uncle Sam, the same, sir.
Now if I fight, why ain’t I right,
And don’t you think I oughter,
CHORUS
The volunteers are a pouring in,
From every loyal quarter,
And I’m going to Washington
To fight for Abraham’s daughter.
- They say we have no officers,
But ah! they are mistaken;
And soon you’ll see the rebels run
With all the fuss they’re makin’
For there is one who just sprung up,
He’ll show the foe no quarter.
CHORUS
(McClellan is the man I mean)
You know he hadn’t oughter,
For he’s gone down to Washington
To fight for Abraham’s daughter.
- We’ll have a spree with Johnny Bull,
Perhaps some day or other,
And won’t he have his fingers full,
If not a deal of bother;
For Yankee boys are just the lads
Upon the land or water,
CHORUS
And won’t we have a “bully” fight
And don’t you think we oughter,
If he is caught at any time
Insulting Abraham’s daughter.
- But let us lay all jokes aside,
It is a sorry question.
The man who would these States divide,
Should hang for his suggestion.
One Country and one Flag, I say,
Who e’er the war may slaughter;
CHORUS
So I’m goin’ as a Fire Zou-a
And don’t you think I oughter
I’m going down to Washington
To fight for Abraham’s daughter.
[with reference to the One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers in Philadelphia and their uniforms which were like the Zouave corps in the French army — as per Irwin Silber, on page 91 of “Songs of the Civil War” (1960,1988,1995)]
Sung here by Vancha March: