Faded Coat of Blue

[timnooner]

This made my day

[Wishuey]

@timnooner

Glad to hear it.  Thanks!

[estelle715]

I just found this song,and it broke my heart. My great-father was in the Civil War in the Union from IL.,He survived,but, his only brother was killed in battle. So this song could have been written about him.thank you for this song! I do think about my great-uncle who never married or had kids and is buried away on a lonely place,I don;t want his sacrifice to be forgotten.

[Wishuey]

Many thanks. It`s a heart breaker, as is "A Soldier`s Letter". I had great grandfathers on both sides, a Union (8th Pa.) cavalry colonel and a Confederate surgeon on "Stonewall" Jackson`s staff; have much of their correspondence and memorabilia. (Google "Pennock Huey")

My paternal grandfather, Pennock`s son, infused me with an interest in Civil War history. Discovering the music later made a nice fit.

[estelle715]

I'm 58 and it was my paternal grandmother's father who was the veteran. .140+ and only 3 generations. I did send for his CW record-no big battles,but, he did march thru GA. I found out he was 5-7",had hazel eyes{I am the only one in my family to have them ,now I know where I got them}! And I saw a copy of his handwriting{Just beautiful! He later homesteaded in KS. and was interviewed in the 20's by a historical group,thought they wd interview the old settlers before they died.

[estelle715]

I was trying to get info on him on an ancestry site,but, came up nil{they wanted money} So I just typed in his name,James Richard Bruner and I got a hit! I was sure it was not him,but, it was. Very interesting! He had a good recall of the past,about crops he planted,how much the seed cost,etc.Great on your ancestors! I know I have some in the south,too.I've heard that most Americans can't trace their history back to the CW b/c theirs immigrated after the turn of the century. Have you heard that

[Wishuey]

I hadn`t heard about the Confederate ancestor business but it makes sense. My Confederates were Macgills originally from the Isle of Jura in Scotland but the progenitor here came over in 1710 and was the next to last of my ancestors here, the rest (except for Huey in 1717) having arrived prior to 1700.

I have several file cabinet drawers crammed with old Macgill and Huey correspondence, diaries, etc.. Pennock Huey spent his post-war years writing of his War experiences.

[Wishuey]

(Ran out of characters, one of the downsides of being a gasbag....)

Pennock`s book, "The True History of The Charge of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Chancellorsville" was written to address a controversy concerning the "charge". The book is a bit longer than the title but not by much. My grandfather used to tell me, tongue in cheek, that his father had "won the Civil War" as, had the charge not occurred, Jackson wouldn`t have been shot that evening. A bit of a stretch. Out of space again..

[Wishuey]

I drone on.....His theory was that, had Jackson not been out scouting for Union cavalry the evening after the "charge", he wouldn`t have been shot (by his own troops who had mistaken his party for Union troops) and would never have allowed the disastrous "Pickett`s Charge" at Gettysburg.

What with my other g-grandfather being a surgeon on Jackson`s staff, and the horrors of Civil War medicine, maybe both of them had a hand in bumping Jackson off.....

[andylarson19591]

@Wishuey Are you familiar with the poem Keenan's Charge? it relates the story of the famous charge. It is easy to find online.

[Wishuey]

@andylarson19591

I am familiar with it, as was my grandfather, who was infuriated by it, The fiction of "Keenan`s Charge" was originated by Gen. Alfred Pleasonton when he fabricated the entire episode. In fact, the 8th Pa. Cavalry`s encounter with Jackson`s brigade was entirely accidental and the order to charge was given by my great grandfather, Maj. Pennock Huey, a cavalry charge being the only way to extricate his forces. Major Peter Keenan was among those killed in the skirmish.

[AnalMart]

"When a robe of white is given for that faded coat of blue.."

That line really got to me. Great song, I enjoyed it.

[aidancody]

You've reduced a group of people to tears here in Australia with quite a lovely rendition. Can't wait to hear the sixth try

[Wishuey]

Thanks for the kind words. Sorry about the tears....

[AlliBee]

This is really lovely just as it is. Thank you.

[susanmudgee]

please someone post the John McDermot version from Songs of Love and War.

[bullyboy1863]

-sniff- man i love this song. happened to so many people to. the war sucked. all war sucks.

[TheMightyBitch]

very nice!

[PhillipHammond]

I like it. If you were to record the banjo on one track and record your singing afterward, you could make a CD. Good job. I love this song.

[sparkyfiddle]

I love these Civil War songs. Nice to hear the Darling Nellie Gray tune with different words.

[Wishuey]

It`s similar to Darling Nelly Grar but not identical. For the past year I`ve been trying to get two of my great grandfather`s Civil War correspondence organized. One was a Union cavalry general and the other a Confederate surgeon; guess it inspired me....