Why Did Missourians Fight A Guerilla War?
‘ Rebel In the Woods ‘ Tells Us Why!
27 Febuary 2003
By Clint Lacy
Today much debate still stirs about whether the South started the Civil War or whether they were merely defending their homes from an invading Union Army.
Debate still rages on about what role slavery had to play in the war as well. Recently I stumbled upon a poem that later became a song during the Civil War here in Missouri. It was at first thought to be a Union poem because the anonymous author of the poem refers to his “Coat of Blue”. Many southern men in Missouri had to clothe and equip themselves from captured or killed federal soldiers. This is why many historians have stated that the southern bushwhackers uniform was most commonly the blue coat of their foes.
Captured U.S. belt buckles were turned upside down by the southern men who wore them. Thus the U.S. that stood for “United States” soon became “s.n.” after being flipped and then stood for “ Southern Nation”. Let us look at the song “Rebel in the Woods” to see if it answers some questions about why Missourians fought the Union army.
The winter is gone and the spring has come once more. The rebels rejoice that the winter is no more, For now it is spring and the leaves are growing green, And the rebels rejoice that they cannot be seen.
Then home, soon home, home they will be; Home, dearest home, in this our country, Where the rose is in bud and the blossom’s on the tree, And the Lark is singing home to North Missouri.
During the war the rebels were forced into the woods for safety. The federal armies had taken virtual control of all of the surrounding towns across the state.
The author refers to “home dearest home” which suggest why he and his compatriots were fighting. Notice that slavery is not mentioned here but “ home” is. Also he mentions “North” Missouri. This tells us that the southerners were not limited to only southern portions of the state. Missouri was settled for the most part by southerners.
We have taken up arms in defense of our farms, And if the Federals trouble us we’ll surely do them harm, For we have declared that our land shall be free But if they stay away how quiet we will be. Then home, soon home, home we will be… The rebels from their homes are compelled to go And stay in the woods in the bushes thick and low,
For if they go home and there attempt to stay The Federals will come and force them away. Then away from their homes, away they will be… Away from their sweethearts they have to stay And lay in the woods by night and by day, For if by the Federals they should captured be They will be carried to the penitentiary.
The next verse tells the real story of why Missourians fought for the south and why some them stayed behind to fight for “irregular units” instead of joining the regular Confederate forces.
We have taken up arms in defense of our farms, And if the Federals trouble us we’ll surely do them harm,For we have declared that our land shall be free But if they stay away how quiet we will be.
This verse reveals to us that the southerners in Missouri were fighting to defend their farms. They were southerners, those who weren’t knew who the southerners were. If they stayed and did not fight they knew the federals would simply remove them. ( A tactic that the federals had perfected against the Indians as they moved them West.) This same verse reveals that the rebels did not desire war but peace. They simply wanted to be left alone to live their lives in a way that the Constitution and Bill of Rights had guaranteed them.
Then home, soon home, home we will be… The rebels from their homes are compelled to go And stay in the woods in the bushes thick and low, For if they go home and there attempt to stay The Federals will come and force them away. Then away from their homes, away they will be…
Away from their sweethearts they have to stay And lay in the woods by night and by day, For if by the Federals they should captured be They will be carried to the penitentiary.
These two verses tell us that even if the rebels attempted to lay down their arms and go home that the federals would not have only removed them but shipped them to the penitentiary. (Most likely in St. Louis). So what choice did they have but to fight?
Then away from their homes, away they will be… Now my song is almost ended, and since it is so, Back to the wars with all speed I must go. With my gun in my hand and my jacket all so blue Farewell, my dear friends, I must bid you adieu.
Then away from my home, away I will be… When the war is over I will return to thee, And we will get married if we can agree, And when we are joined in wedlock’s happy band, then we never more will take the parting hand. And at home, soon home, home we will be…
The last verse refers to “my jacket all so blue” the rebels weren’t planning on fighting a war. Therefore they had to use captured clothing and equipment. They had not prepared for a war and did not want to fight one.
In fact at the onset of the war. Missourian preferred not to secede from the Union and did not want to fight their fellow southern states. Lincoln called for Missouri’s Governor, Claiborne Fox Jackson to supply the Union with it’s share of the 75,000 that Lincoln had called for. Fox refused and soon the Union sent it’s army to expel the elected government of Missouri and send it into exile. The government in exile later voted to secede while in Neosho , Missouri .
Rebel in the Woods tells us multiple times throughout its verses why the rebels fought the Union. They did it for Home dearest Home.
– Clint E. Lacy
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Lyrics To: Rebel in the Woods
The winter is gone and the spring has come once more. The rebels rejoice that the winter is no more, For now it is spring and the leaves are growing green, And the rebels rejoice that they cannot be seen.
Then home, soon home, home they will be; Home, dearest home, in this our country, Where the rose is in bud and the blossom’s on the tree, And the Lark is singing home to North Missouri.
We have taken up arms in defense of our farms, And if the Federals trouble us we’ll surely do them harm, For we have declared that our land shall be free But if they stay away how quiet we will be.
Then home, soon home, home we will be… The rebels from their homes are compelled to go And stay in the woods in the bushes thick and low, For if they go home and there attempt to stay The Federals will come and force them away.
Then away from their homes, away they will be… Away from their sweethearts they have to stay And lay in the woods by night and by day, For if by the Federals they should captured be They will be carried to the penitentiary.
Then away from their homes, away they will be… Now my song is almost ended, and since it is so, Back to the wars with all speed I must go. With my gun in my hand and my jacket all so blueu Farewell, my dear friends, I must bid you adieu. Then away from my home, away I will be…
When the war is over I will return to thee, And we will get married if we can agree, And when we are joined in wedlock’s happy band, Then we never more will take the parting hand. And at home, soon home, home we will be…
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Clint E. Lacy is a columnist for the B.C. Rock online magazine , Al Newberry’s Ex-Reprobate Zone as well as a staff writer for SHNV. He is a self-described friend of freedom, an unapologetic Southerner and a member of the America First Party of Missouri. He is also editor of his own website:www.clintlacy.com.
Your comments and questions are encouraged.
clintlacy1@yahoo.com
Original Link: http://www.dixieinternet.com/lacy/lacy9.html
Copyright © 2003, SBC Publications of Virginia
