American Civil War Songs

The American Civil War songs were vibrant in style, function, and feeling. Many of the marching songs and hymns are still recognized today for their impact on modern American music.

This page is based on the book The Civil War Songbook: Complete Original Sheet Music for 37 Songs written by Richard Crawford. In this book, Crawford lists some of the major events during the war and the famous pieces of music that historically accompanied those events.

It’s an excellent book. It really gives you a feel for what the soldiers, citizens, and bystanders were going through at this point in American history.

It truly captures the tragedy and emotions of the war. If you are a history buff, you will love this book.

Chorus & Songs of the Civil War

This list of Civil War songs is broken into several different categories laid out in Crawford’s book. Each present a different event, place, or feeling that people were going through during the Civil War. Here are the main categories.

• Patriot Songs
• The Soldiering Life
• Battlefield Deaths
• Domestic Scenes
• Emancipation Songs

Patriot Songs

The Soldiering Life

Battlefield Deaths

Domestic Scenes

Emancipation Songs

Modern Adaptations

Although all of these songs were written before the modern guitar was invented, there is some evidence to suggest that soldiers and others utilized early versions of guitars and guitar-like instruments because they were easily transported from one camp to the next.

It was also common for the musician soldiers to give guitar training on these early instruments to other soldiers during their down time. Thus, while they waited for orders, were huddled around campfires, or just marches to the next battle, it’s entirely possible that someone in the regiment had an early version of a guitar that was used for some entertainment and a brief relief from the horrors of the day.