Richmond on the James

DESCRIPTION: The women mourn the fine men slain "On a blood-red field near Richmond, Richmond on the James." A soldier lies dying as his life-long comrade sadly watches. The dying man sends tokens to his family and sweetheart
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1923 (Peters-FolkSongsOutOfWisconsin)
KEYWORDS: battle Civilwar death farewell
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1862 - Peninsula Campaign. The Union army approaches Richmond for the first time, only to be repelled by Robert E. Lee in the Seven Days' Battles
1864-1865 - Grant's campaign against Petersburg and Richmond, eventually leading to the fall of the city
FOUND IN: US(MA,MW,NE)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Peters-FolkSongsOutOfWisconsin, pp. 229-230, "Richmond on the James" (1 text, 1 tune)
Warner-TraditionalAmericanFolkSongsFromAnneAndFrankWarnerColl 64, "Richmond on the James" (1 text, 1 tune)
Shoemaker-MountainMinstrelsyOfPennsylvania, pp. 181-183, "Fair Richmond on the James" (1 text)
MidwestFolklore, Edith Fowke, "American Civil War Songs in Canada," Volume 13, Number 1 (Spring 1963/1964) p. 39, "Fair Richmond on the James" (1 short text)
DT, RICHJAME*
Roud #4811
NOTES [46 words]: The notes in Warner-TraditionalAmericanFolkSongsFromAnneAndFrankWarnerColl speculate that this is an offshoot of "The Dying Ranger" [Laws A14]. This is possible, but no more than that; songs like this are a dime a dozen. Fowke calls it a variant of "Bingen on the Rhine." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.8
File: Wa064

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