I’ve mentioned before my lifelong affection for Country Music, but I have also grown into quite a Bluegrass fan over the last few years. I really like the message, the music, and the '19th-century feel' that the genre has. I recently discovered some great bluegrass songs from the Civil War and will be adding many of these classics on my iPod.

My favorite is (of course) "Jine the Cavalry!" According to Wikipedia: The verses detail various feats performed by Jeb Stuart's troopers, the cavalry arm of the Army of Northern Virginia, while the chorus urges the listener to join the cavalry. The song was most commonly sung in Virginia and was among Stuart’s favorite songs. It recounts many of his early exploits, including the daring "Ride around the Army of the Potomac" in the early summer of 1862, and the invasion of Pennsylvania in June and July 1863.

One of Stuart’s men, Sam Sweeney, was an accomplished banjo player and often serenaded the cavalier and his officers during the Gettysburg Campaign. BTW: There is a great version of the tune w/ a nice slide show made up of various Stuart images posted over on YouTube.

CHORUS:
If you want to have a good time, jine the cavalry!
Jine the cavalry! Jine the cavalry!
If you want to catch the Devil, if you want to have fun,
If you want to smell Hell, jine the cavalry!

We're the boys who went around McClellian,
Went around McClellian, went around around McClellian!
We're the boys who went around McClellian,
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho! (CHORUS)

We're the boys who crossed the Potomicum,
Crossed the Potomicum, crossed the Potomicum!
We're the boys who crossed the Potomicum,
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho! (CHORUS)

Then we went into Pennsylvania,
Into Pennsylvania, into Pennsylvania!
Then we went into Pennsylvania,
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho! (CHORUS)

The big fat Dutch gals hand around the breadium,
Hand around the breadium, hand around the breadium!
The big fat Dutch gals hand around the breadium,
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho! (CHORUS)

Ol' Joe Hooker, won't you come out of The Wilderness?
Come out of The Wilderness, come out of The Wilderness?
Ol' Joe Hooker, won't you come out of The Wilderness?
Bully boys, hey! Bully boys, ho! (CHORUS)