Items included here with the permission of the rights holders are indicated as such in the bibliographic record for each item. In some cases, the Library was unable to identify a possible rights holder and has elected to place some of those items online as an exercise of fair use for strictly non-commercial educational uses.
The Library of Congress would like to learn more about these materials and would like to hear from individuals or institutions that have any additional information or know of their history. Please contact: Performing Arts Reading Room. Suggested credit line: Library of Congress, Music Division.After Jane McCrea had been captured, killed and scalped by Indians allied to General John Burgoyne's army in 1777, following the taking of Fort Ticonderoga, a ballad was supposedly written about the incident. Numerous websites state that a ballad recounting the episode was written, 'possibly' by the poet Henry William Herbert, but none of them seems to be able to quote the ballad's verses or chorus.Ī transcription of the ballad is found in the book, Songs Of '76, by Oscar Brand. The text of the ballad, as presented by Mr. Brand, as with all of his transcriptions, is footnoted with the copyright: "New music and edited text.". Brand felt the need to edit the text of the ballads ~ perhaps only so that he could copyright what was previously public domain material. The following transcription is derived from the book, The Life Of Jane McCrea: With An Account Of Burgoyne's Expedition in 1777, published in 1853 by D.
According to that author, the poem was indeed originally penned by Henry William Herbert. It was brilliant autumn time - The most brilliant time of all, When the gorgeous woods are gleaming, Ere the leaves begin to fall Although it would have been set to music, the tune is no longer known. When the maple bows are crimson, And the hickory shines like gold, And the noons are sultry hot, And the nights are frosty cold. Save the sword-grass by the rill, And the willows in the valley, And the pine upon the hill When the pippin leaves the bough, And the sumach's fruit is red. When the sky is blue as steel, And the river clear as glass When the mist is on the mountain, And the net-work on the grass And the quail is piping loud From the buckwheat where he fed. It was brilliant autumn time - When the army of the North, With its cannon and dragoons, And its riflemen, came forth When the harvests all are housed, And the farmer's work is done, And the stubbles are deserted For the fox-hound and the gun. Through the country all abroad There was spread a mighty fear Of the Indians in the van, And the Hessians in the rear. There was spread a mighty terror, And the bravest souls were faint For the shaven chiefs were mustered.
In their scalp-locks and their paint Īnd the forest was alive - And the tramp of warrior men Scared the eagle from his eyry.
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