Battle Hymn of the Republic

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Union song ByJulia Ward Howe- May 27, 1819-October 17, 1910

Mine eyes have seen the gloryOf the coming of the Lord;He is trampling out the vintageWhere the grapes of wrath are stored;He hath loosed the fateful lightningOf His terrible swift sword;His truth is marching onchorus:Glory! Glory, hallelujah!Glory! Glory, hallelujah!Glory! Glory, hallelujah!Our God is marching on.I have seen Him in the watchfiresOf a hundred circling camps;They have builded Him an alterIn the evening dews and damps;I can read His righteous sentenceBy the dim and flaring lamps;His day is marching on.ChorusI have reead a firey Gospel writIn rows of burnished steel;As you deal with my contemnersSo with you my grace shall deal;Let the hero born of womanCrush the serpent with His heel;His truth is marching on.ChorusHe has sounded forth the trumpetThat shall never sound retreat;He is siffting out the hearts of menBefore His judgement seat;O be swift, my soul, to answer Him;Be jubilant, my feet!Our God is marching on.ChorusIn the glory of the liliesChrist born across the sea;With a glory in his bosom thattransfigures you and me;As He died to make men holy,Let us die to make men free,While God is marching on.ChorusHe is coming like the gloryOf the morning on the wave;He is wisdom to the mighty,He is honor to the brave;So the world shall be His footstool,And the soul of wrong His slave.Our God is marching on.Chorus

The Battle Hymn of the Republic was a famous Union hymn during the Civil War.  It describes Christ descending to judge those who have sinned, such as Southern slaveholders.   The author thought of the words walking home from watching a Union victory.  This song was used to show how passionately  Northerners felt about winning emancipation for the slaves.