Soldier's Letter, The

DESCRIPTION: "Dear Madam I am a soldier And my speech is rough and plain. I'm not much used to writing And I hate to give my name." The writer was a friend of the girl's lover; they fought together. The young man died; the old soldier is left to write of his death
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1921 (Randolph)
KEYWORDS: soldier death separation friend battle farewell
FOUND IN: US(NE,So) Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Randolph 244, "The Soldier's Letter" (1 text)
Ives-FolksongsFromMaine 8, "The Soldier's Letter" (1 text, 1 tune)
Guigné-ForgottenSongsOfTheNewfoundlandOutports, pp. 73-75, "The Boy That Wore the Blue (The Soldier's Letter)" (1 text, 1 tune)
MidwestFolklore, Edith Fowke, "American Civil War Songs in Canada," Volume 13, Number 1 (Spring 1963/1964) pp. 38, "The Boy That Wore the Blue" (1 text)
Roud #4389
RECORDINGS:
Mike Carey, "The Boy Who Wore the Blue" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
Mrs. T. Ghaney, "Madam I Am a Sailor" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Dying Soldier (Erin Far Away I)" [Laws J6] (plot) and references there
File: R244

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