American Old Time Song Lyrics: 59 Write A Letter To My Mother
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 59
Write a Letter to My Mother.
Words by E. Bowers. Music by P. B. Isaacs.
[An officer, captured at the Battle of Bull Run, relates the following
Incident: After our capture, I observed a Federal prisoner tenderly
cared for by a rebel soldier. I gleaned, from their conversation, that
they were brothers. The brave boy, while battling for the Union, received his death-wound from his own brother, at that time a private in the
rebel ranks. Never shall I forget the look of utter despair depicted upon
that rebel's face; the dying boy, with a smile of holy resignation, clasped
his brother's hand, spoke of their father who was then fighting for thendear old flag, of mother, of home, of childhood-then, requesting his
brother to write a letter to mother, and imploring him never to divulge
the secret of his death, the young hero yielded up his life.]
Raise me in your arms, my brother,
Let me see the glorious sun;
I am weary, faint and dying,
How is the battle-lost or won?
I remember you, my brother,
Sent to me that fatal dart:
Brother fighting against brother,
'Tis well-'tis well that thus we part.
Chorus.
Write a letter to my mother,
Send It when her boy is dead;
That he perished by his brother,
Not a word of that be said.
Father is fighting for the Union,
And you may meet him on the field;
Could you raise your arm to smite him?
Oh! could you bid that father yield!
He who loved us in our childhood.
Taught the infant prayers we said!
Brother, take from me a warning,
I'll soon be numbered with the dead.-Chorus.
Do you ever think of mother,
in our home within the glen.
Watching, praying for her children?
Oh! would you see that home again?
Brother, I am surely dying,
Keep the secret-for, 'tis one
That would kill our angel mother
If she but knew what you had done.-Chorus.
