Memorial Day: 7 sacred songs of solemn remembrance, hope for peace
Battle Hymn of the Republic
A popular song written during the American Civil War, the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was penned by Julia Ward Howe and considered the unofficial anthem of the Union Army.
For the tune, Howe appropriated the melody of a song called "John Brown's Body," which had been written in homage to the militant abolitionist John Brown.
“’The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ is far more popular today than it was during the Civil War—beloved by Northerners and Southerners, conservatives and radicals, whites and blacks,” wrote John Stauffer of HistoryNet in 2016.
“’The Battle Hymn’ envisions a future good society, a reign of peace and harmony. The song evokes a terrible delight; it unites afflictions of the present with future joy.”
